The Big East's schedule hole following West Virginia's departure is definitely the driver of this, so it's possible that Temple football could join before basketball. That's of little comfort to Villanova, which never had a realistic chance to join the Big East for football, but now must watch its struggling basketball program share Philadelphia with the Owls. Temple is definitely a better football program than C-USA also-rans like Memphis, not that there was any way for the Big East to replace West Virginia this fall absent Boise. Having another regional team certainly will have some effect on Rutgers, even if indirectly, such as if they lock up RU's plan B recruits early like Syracuse and UConn have been doing as of late. That will matter somewhat, but it will also hurt other regional programs as well. That could be a good thing though. Rutgers should take that factor, as well as the Big East having let TCU out of the conference without a hitch (which cost RU its seventh home game), and demand the following: 1. Temple should only play three conference home games in 2012, instead of four by merely sliding into WVU's schedule. Yes, Temple is accommodating the Big East on short notice, but it's not like they haven't wanted to desperately return for a decade. 2. For that last home game, Rutgers should make a case that it deserves the game over Syracuse, USF, and Cincinnati (the other Big East teams scheduled to have only three conference home games assuming Temple joins.) Syracuse is leaving, and Cincinnati has no fan support, so they don't gain much more revenue with another home game. USF doesn't need the revenue as much because they just lease Raymond James. Clearly, the extra home game means the most to Rutgers. Plus, adding Temple does throw a bit of a wrench into the future games scheduled with them.