NEWARK, N.J., July 10 (UPI) -- The Big East Conference Thursday invited Connecticut to join its league as a football-playing member a year earlier than expected.
Connecticut was originally scheduled to become a part of the football schedule in 2005, but the Huskies agreed to join a year earlier.
The decision was made at a meeting of university presidents and athletic directors. The conference also said that any new members will not be invited to participate before the 2005-06 season.
The Big East Conference saw its roster of football teams reduced to six when Miami and Virginia Tech announced on June 30 that they would leave the league in 2004 and join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Connecticut, already a member of the Big East in other sports, competed as a football independent last season and finished a surprising 6-6 under coach Randy Edsell. That included a victory over Iowa State.
