The Big East Conference has sued Texas Christian University, charging the school owes $5 million for leapfrogging the Big East in favor of the Big 12.

TCU's Horned Frogs had been scheduled to leave the Mountain West for the Big East on July 1. But the school changed its mind and will now join the Big 12 that day.

In the lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Washington, the Big East says TCU publicly announced it owed the money at a news conference in October on its change of plans, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegraph reported. But it said TCU has refused to pay up.

"TCU administrators were surprised by this lawsuit and believe it is premature," a TCU statement said. "The university is hopeful for an amicable resolution of this matter. Because of the pending litigation, TCU will have no further comment." (c) UPI