The Big East made two improvements to its bowl lineup today when the NCAA certified the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl.

    The St. Petersburg Bowl, a creation of ESPN Regional Television, will air on ESPN and pit a Big East team against a team from Conference USA. The Big East’s participation in the bowl was in concert with a change in the Papa John’s Bowl, which will now pit a Big East team against a team from the SEC.

   Previously, a Big East representative played a Conference USA representative in the Papa John’s Bowl. Last year, Cincinnati beat Southern Mississippi 31-21

   Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese has long talked of wanting to play a bowl game against teams from the SEC and/or the Big Ten, and one of those goals was realized yesterday.

    “We have always wanted to have a bowl relationship with the Southeastern Conference,” Tranghese said in a statement. “We believe the game will continue to prosper under the Big East and SEC banners.”