Conference USA saw radical changes for the 2005 – 06 academic year . The stage for these changes was set in 2003 , when the Atlantic Coast Conference successfully lured Miami and Virginia Tech to make a move from the Big East Conference in 2004 . Boston College would later make the same move , joining the ACC in 2005 . In response to that series of moves , which depleted the Big East football conference , the Big East looked to Conference USA to attract replacements . Five C-USA members departed for the Big East , including three football-playing schools ( Cincinnati , Louisville , and USF ) and two non-football schools ( DePaul and Marquette ) . Another two schools ( Charlotte and Saint Louis ) left for the Atlantic 10 ; TCU joined the Mountain West ; and a ninth member , Army , which was C-USA football-only , opted to become an independent in that sport again
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
2005 NCAA conference realignment