In 2005 , Conference USA sought new members to replenish its ranks after losing members to the Big East , which had lost members to the ACC . Four WAC schools , former SWC schools Rice and SMU , as well as Tulsa and UTEP , joined Conference USA . In response , the WAC added Idaho , New Mexico State , and Utah State – all former Big West schools which left the conference in 2000 along with Boise State when that conference dropped football . The three new schools were all land grant universities , bringing the conference total to five ( Nevada and Hawaii )
Big East
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Western Athletic Conference