University of Massachusetts John McCutcheon isn't commenting on how Temple's potential move to the Big East, which appears imminent according to several media reports, affects UMass yet but he has to be thinking about it.

UMass and Temple are long time basketball rivals in the Atlantic 10 and were about to become football rivals in the Mid-American Conference, which UMass is joining this fall.

MAC commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher confirmed Temple's negotiations.

"We are aware that Temple has been in discussion with the Big East regarding membership," Steinbrecher said. "Our position on this matter is that we have a contract in place with specifics that will govern and determine how this matter is handled."

According to the MAC's membership, if Temple wants to leave it needs to provide 24 months prior notice and pay an exit fee of $2.5 million.

Several media reports said Temple and the Big East are negotiating an agreement where Temple could join as soon as the 2012-13 school year. It's possible a larger buyout could be negotiated to expedite the Owls' departure.

A Temple move would have ramifications for the Minutemen.

On the most basic level for football, Temple was expected to be UMass' instant rival, a school Minuteman fans were already familiar with competing against, and a geographic partner, a rare MAC foe that UMass was close enough to bus to.

But a Temple departure would force UMass and the MAC to adjust their relationship because in its current agreement, the Minutemen's membership in the MAC is contractually tied to the Owls.

If Temple withdraws from the MAC, both UMass and the conference have options. UMass could withdraw with the exit fee of $2.5 million reduced by 80 percent to $500,000. The MAC could choose to switch UMass to a two-year membership or the two parties can agree to continue their arrangement without the Owls.

In an interview with the Gazette in October, Steinbrecher said the MAC is committed to UMass regardless of what happens with Temple.

"We didn't bring UMass in just to balance off the schedule. We brought them for a host of factors," Steinbrecher said. "Bringing in the flagship institution of the UMass system and the academic factors that our presidents looked at, this is way beyond just an athletic measurement. We're certainly aware of the speculation, but nothing has changed with us going forward with UMass."

McCutcheon offered similar sentiments Wednesday.

"I'm 100 percent confident that the MAC understands our commitment to the league and they will support us as we go forward," he said.

It's unclear if the Minutemen would have any options for other Bowl Subdivision conferences. ESPN included UMass on a long list of schools that might in consideration to be added to the conference created by the Conference USA-Mountain West merger conference.

But UMass sources dismissed the report as "speculation."

This is not new ground. There were rumors in the fall that Temple could land in the reconstituted Big East, which was hunting for new blood following the departures of Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the Atlantic Coast Conference and West Virginia to the Big 12.

The MAC has not officially released its football schedule for 2012, but Temple's departure would likely return the league to the same scheduling format it used before UMass joined the league, unless another school is added.

Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade is traveling and hasn't made a statement about the latest round of rumors.

If Temple departs, the A-10 would become a 13-team basketball league, unless another school was added.

IGWENAGU AT COMBINE - Former UMass tight end Emil Igwenagu is in Indianapolis to work out for teams at the annual NFL Combine.

The event is broken down by position and tight ends, offensive linemen and specialists are part of the first of four flights which began Wednesday and runs until Saturday.

VICTOR CRUZ BOOK? - According to the New York Post, Celebra Books, a subsidiary of Penguin Publishing, is set to publish a book on former UMass receiver Victor Cruz, who was a breakout star with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants in 2011.

The Post reported that Cruz will receive a "mid six-figure" advance for the project.

HOLIFIELD TO MISSOURI - Brandon Holifield, the 6-foot-5 tight end from Tallahasse, Fla., that at one point appeared headed to UMass, has decided on Missouri.

Holifield originally committed to Miami, but decommitted close to signing day and told Florida media outlets that he was leaning toward UMass. But he didn't sign a letter of intent and on Tuesday elected to sign with Missouri.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.