In October 2011 , Houston was extended an invitation to join the Big East Conference in all sports . This invitation was significant because the Big East was an Automatic Qualifying conference in football , meaning that the conference champion automatically was invited to play in a lucrative BCS bowl . The invitation was motivated by the departures of Syracuse and Pittsburgh from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference and was part of an effort by the Big East to shore up its strength in football . The Board of Regents of the University of Houston voted to authorize Houston President Renu Khator to take whatever action she deemed beneficial regarding conference realignment . On December 7 , 2011 , the University of Houston was officially announced as one of the newest members of the Big East Conference , effective July 2013 . However , further membership turnover led to the Big East splitting into football-sponsoring and non-football conferences . The football-sponsoring conference , after selling the Big East name to the non-football conference , announced that it would operate as the American Athletic Conference after the split
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Houston Cougars football