Conference Preview: The Big East

Following the 2003 season, recruiting powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech departed for the greener pastures of the ACC. Left with such football giants as Rutgers and Temple, the Big East quickly became a punchline in college football. Their 2004 conference champion (Pittsburgh) was thoroughly beaten like a red-headed stepchild in the Fiesta Bowl by a Mountain West school (Utah). Many people, myself included, called for the revocation of the Big East's BCS bowl rights. The conference also began to take on unfavorable nicknames, such as Big Least, Big Easy, and Big Feces Pile. These were dire straits for commissioner/mongoloid Mike Tranghese.

But since that debacle in Arizona, the Big East has done a fair job at resurrecting, as a pigeon rising from the ashes. Louisville joined the conference in 2005. The next year, they jettisoned Temple. So now the Big East reminds me more of a very cliched reference to a Clint Eastwood movie.

The Good: West Virginia, Louisville, Rutgers (Rutgers!), South Florida

West Virginia should be the favorites this year. They wisely gave coach Rich Rodriguez a contract extension so he wouldn't take the Falcons job (and Rich should be thanking God everyday he avoided that bullet). The Mountaineers return Heisman hopefuls Pat White at QB and Steve Slaton at tailback, and 7 starters on an above-average defensive unit.

However, the gap between West Virginia and the other 3 is not really all that large. Louisville made it's first ever BCS bowl last year and has established itself as a legitimate contender. Greg Schiano has basically worked miracles up in Piscataway. This is Rutgers we're talking about, people! Buttgers! They return a lot of starters too, including another Heisman hopeful at RB, Ray Rice. South Florida is a team that still seems to be sneaking up on people but shouldn't be anymore this year. They beat West Virginia on the road last year and won 9 games, including their first bowl game victory in their program's short 10-year history. Their coach, Jim Leavitt, is also really good.

The Bad: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh

I don't really have a whole lot to say about these guys. They suck, but at least one of them will manage a 6-6 record and make the Old Tires Bowl.

The Ugly: Syracuse

Paul Pasqualoni wasn't such a bad coach after all, was he Orange fans? He won 107 games from 1991 to 2004. However, many point to his inability to recruit Michael Vick as the crucial point leading to this program's downfall. Either way, it's sad face time for Mike Tirico. This team is truly awful. Things can only get better in 2007.