Providence, RI (Best E Casino) - The Big East Conference announced on Wednesday its affiliation with the newly launched St. Petersburg Bowl beginning in 2008.

The bowl, which was certified by the NCAA on Wednesday, will match a Big East member against an opponent from Conference USA. These two conferences previously met in the PapaJohns.com Bowl, but that postseason event will now feature a team from the Big East against a Southeastern Conference foe.

The game, to be played at Tropicana Field, was established by ESPN Regional Television and will air on ESPN in December. Division I college football now has 33 postseason games scheduled for next season.