CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Marshall is expecting an invitation to join Conference USA in the latest college conference shuffling.

Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum said he received a telephone call Wednesday from one of the league's consultants, who said a Conference USA official would contact him within the next several days.

"I think [an impending invitation] is certainly the reason for the call," Marcum said. "There's a lot of things that you have to look into. It's really nice for Conference USA to consider Marshall. I think it speaks well of our university."

The Tampa Tribune reported Wednesday that Marshall and four other schools -- Southern Methodist, Rice, Tulsa and Central Florida -- would be invited to join Conference USA.

SMU officials heard Wednesday from officials of both Conference USA and the Western Athletic Conference. The latter is trying to protect its ranks. Rice and Tulsa also are WAC members.

Marshall is a full member of the Mid-American Conference, and Central Florida is a football-only member that recently received an invitation to join the MAC in all sports..

Marcum declined to say whether Marshall would accept an invitation, saying other university officials would make that decision with his input.

SMU President Gerald Turner said in a story in Wednesday's online edition of The Dallas Morning News that he would meet with the school's athletics council and board of trustees members Friday to discuss the plan presented by C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky.

Conference USA is forming contingency plans for the expected departure of Louisville, Cincinnati, DePaul and Marquette to the Big East. Army is leaving Conference USA after the 2004 season.

The Tribune reported that C-USA's South Florida also would receive a Big East invitation.

"It remains inappropriate to speculate on particular members that might be leaving or joining the conference," Banowsky said in a statement. "We are genuinely excited about the opportunities this change represents and are well prepared."

Two years ago, Marshall turned down consideration from C-USA to become a football-only member because the Herd couldn't find a suitable league for its other sports.

No formal invitation was extended to SMU. Banowsky said the session with Turner and athletic director Jim Copeland was to exchange information.

Turner said a final decision on whether SMU will leave the WAC might not be made until after Big East officials meet in early November.

"We will continue to pursue it," Turner said. "The way these things play out is the Big East has some things to do, too. So I think the conversation went as far as the conversation could go, given the situation. We are interested in pursuing it farther, and they are, too."

WAC commissioner Karl Benson told Houston television station KRIV that he expected Banowsky to meet with Rice in the next couple of days.

Marshall has won five of six Mid-American Conference football championships and has played in each of the league's six championship games. Since beginning MAC play in 1997, the Thundering Herd are 48-8 in conference games.

Marshall defeated C-USA members in each of its last three bowl games. Marshall has appeared twice in the GMAC Bowl, beating East Carolina in 2001 and Louisville last year, and the Herd defeated Cincinnati in the 2000 Motor City Bowl.

Conference USA has five guaranteed bowl tie-ins this year, three more than the MAC. Both leagues send teams to the GMAC Bowl. C-USA also is affiliated with the New Orleans, Fort Worth, Liberty and Hawaii bowls.

KRIV quoted C-USA sources Wednesday night as saying the conference plan also calls for Army and Navy to be allied members. The station said sources told it that the proposal involving Army and Navy would have them schedule four C-USA games a year apiece and be eligible for bowl games affiliated with the league. Army has been scheduled to leave the conference after the 2004 season.

MAC commissioner Rick Chryst said that the league wants to retain Marshall and Central Florida but added that conference members aren't offering them any extra incentive to stay.

"I think our group likes being together and feels that there's been real growth over the last several years," Chryst said. "Our league's never been stronger."