Boston College will leave the Big East Conference to become the 12th member of the Atlantic Coast Conference when an official invitation is offered Sunday, an ACC university official told the New York Times for Saturday's editions.

According to that official, Boston College is expected to be overwhelmingly approved when the ACC universities hold a conference call Sunday.

However, North Carolina State chancellor Marye Anne Fox told The Associated Press that the Times report was "completely premature."

"It's natural to think about Boston College and Syracuse because they are the ones we've already visited," Fox told the AP on Saturday, "but I wouldn't say we're restricted to just those schools.

"I haven't even decided myself which way I would vote," Fox added. "There have been subtle inaccuracies (in the media) that mean a lot, like the when, and the if, and the who. All of those are undefined."

A high-level source at Boston College told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Friday that the university would accept an invitation if it was officially offered by the ACC. However, Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo told Katz on Saturday that the university has yet to receive word that it will receive that invitation.

In June, Miami and Virginia Tech announced that they would leave the Big East for the ACC starting in the 2004-05 academic year.

Adding a 12th team became more critical for the ACC after the NCAA Championship Cabinet and Football Issues committee recently failed to recommend that the NCAA management council allow a championship football game for leagues with fewer than 12 teams. Boston College's addition would put the ACC in position to hold a championship game worth an additional $10 million.

Spokesmen for Boston College and the Big East declined to comment to the Times. ACC officials could not be reached for comment.

Katz reported Friday that the exit fee from the Big East could range from $1 million to $5 million.

The ACC needs at least seven of nine votes by the chancellors and presidents to expand.

Two weeks ago, published reports said Notre Dame would be extended an invitation by the ACC. Those reports turned out to be false.

Fox said there is no set agenda for Sunday's teleconference. However, she said the ACC leadership would probably discuss the league being dropped as a defendant in a lawsuit by Big East schools over expansion.

The defection of Boston College, along with Miami and Virginia Tech, weakens the Big East, which is pursuing four colleges from Conference USA.

Louisville and Cincinnati could join Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers in a Big East football division (Temple has been voted out after 2004). Conference USA's Marquette and DePaul, which do not play football, are being courted to join the Big East's non-football sports.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.