Pre Season Previews: Big East Conference

Ok, it's been a while, but i'm back with more previews of college football conferences. This one focuses on the Big East, or the Big Least as it has come to be known in the years since Miami, Va. Tech, and Boston College left for the riches of the ACC.

As much as i make fun of and disparage the Pac 10, the Big East, at least until last year, was worse. With the departure of Miami and Va. Tech, the conference was rendered almost completely irrelevant, sending 8-3 Pittsburgh to the BCS in it's first year after the big boys left. Pitt was matched against Utah, the first non-BCS Conference team to make the BCS, in the Fiesta Bowl that year, creating quite possibly the least-watched and least-cared about BCS game since it's inception as Utah took Pitt behind the woodshed.

The following year, 2005, W. Virginia won the conference, and the BCS bid, with an entertaining and actually good team, putting on quite a show in the Sugar Bowl as it jumped out to a 28-0 lead and holding on for a 38-35 win over Georgia. It was this year, and mostly this bowl, that started the Big Least onto the path to respectability, culminating in a fantastic 2006 season that had W. Virginia, Louisville, and newcomer Rutgers playing some of the best football games of the season battling it out for the Big East crown. Louisville ended up winning the conference and going to the BCS bowl game, beating Wake Forest (how the hell did they win the ACC?) in the Orange Bowl.

This year looks to be a break-out year for the Big East, with Louisville, W. Virginia, and Rutgers all expected to compete for the championship again, with Pittsburgh possibly making some noise behind the big three. So, without further adu, here is my take:

Team To Beat: W. Virginia

With the dynamic duo of Pat White and Steve Slaton returning to Morgantown for their junior, and in all likelihood last, season, the Mountaineers have title hopes all around them. Include the fact that they are returning 15 of 22 starters on both sides of the ball, and you have a confident and battle-tested team. Their schedule is fairly favorable, with the exception of back to back games at Rutgers and home against Louisville. If they can win one of those games, they should finish no worse than 10-2 and take the conference.

Surprising Team: Pittsburgh
As much as i love to rag on the Panthers to our resident Pitt alumni, Smitty Friend (The Girl), they might actually be able to put together a decent season this year. Although star quarterback Tyler Palko has departed, the Panthers return four of their offensive linemen and have a good receiving core. The defense returns 6 starters from last year, including the entire line. Pitt has a fairly easy non-conference schedule, but their conference schedule is brutal, playing W. Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers all on the road. Though i don't think Pitt will contend for the conference title, I think they have a good shot to contend for third place and a respectable bowl game.

Disappointing Team: Rutgers
This is mainly due to the fact that last year was a magical run, and a lot of people are expecting the same from them again this year. I don't believe they can create that same magic two years in a row, and thus will finish below where most people are picking them. They do, however, a ridiculously easy schedule, opening with five straight at home, and overall playing 8 of their 12 games at home. Their only tough road game will be at Louisville to finish the season. Even with the schedule, i think Rutgers loses a few of the games they won last year, and will battle with Pitt to finish in third in the conference.

League MVP: Pat White/Steve Slaton
It's too hard to tell which of these teammates is going to have the best year. Both of them have been sensational their first two years, and both figure to be prominently involved in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Much like USC and John David Booty in the Pac 10, these two players will help carry W. Virginia to Heisman hopes and National Championship dreams.