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| Schaumburg grad Paul Perschon celebrates a win over Cincinnati with the students that stormed the field last weekend in Toledo. (Credit: cinncinati.com) |
The changes that are slated in Big East Football
1. Central Florida, SMU, Houston and Memphis come over from Conference USA.
2. Navy Football will join the Big East for football only.
3. Boise State and San Diego State will graduate from the Mountain West and join the Big East for football only.
Currently, the conference's football roster is as followed.
1. Rutgers
2. Louisville
3. Cincinnati
4. Temple
5. Connecticut
6. South Florida
7. Pittsburgh (Moving to ACC)
8. Syracuse (Moving to ACC)
One of these teams Automatically Qualifies to go to a BCS bowl. Being from Chicago, Northern Illinois is my MAC team. I've punted on their field. One of my old teammates from high school has a relative on the team. That would be Aidan Conlon. I personally followed the High School careers of Huskies Conlon, Perez Ford and Michael Santacaterina. The Huskies are 8-1 with a one point loss to Iowa and are currently unranked. They are arguably the best team in the MAC and has a case for the best FBS team in Illinois. Do I think they deserve a BCS spot if they go 12-1? No. But do I think they would beat Louisville, Rutgers and Cincinnati. Most likely.
Last week, Cincinnati went to the Glass City and their undefeated season was shattered and followed by on MAC sized field storm. Not to be outdone, Kent State went to New Brunswick and knocked off Rutgers this afternoon.
Fun Fact: Toledo beat Buffalo by 5 this weekend. The Bulls fell to 1-7 on the year.
The whole point of this is that in 2012, the Big East is closer to the MAC than the Big 10 or the ACC. In years past, there have been teams that were not good at all come out of the Big East and into the BCS. (See: 2010 UConn Huskies)
The story of this season is that Cincinnati and Louisville were a couple of solid teams and the matchup on October 26th would determine the Conference Title. Fair enough.
Fast forward to September 22nd. Rutgers knocks off a beleaguered Arkansas Razorbacks team in Fayetteville by 9. This is the same Arkansas team who lost to UL Monroe fourteen days prior and would go on to lose to Ole Miss. They will not go bowling this year. That being said, a sophomore Quarterback named Gary Nova showed up. A Don Bosco grad who could pass for an extra on Jersey Shore, Nova threw for 397 Yards, 5 Touchdowns and no Interceptions on the road against an SEC opponent.
The next three weeks, Rutgers would play close with three subpar opponents for a half before ultimately pulling away in the second half.
A week after the Rutgers/Arkansas game, Cincinnati traveled to FexEx field and knocked off the 25th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in overtime. Time has taught us that Virginia Tech is average. That Hokie squad had already lost to Pitt and would go on to lose to UNC by two touchdowns.
Then on October 20th, the #20 Bearcats were stunned in Toledo.
A week later, Cincinnati went to Louisville to play for a Keg of Nails and the inside track at a Big East title. Louisville came in undefeated. They also came in with close wins over Southern Miss, Florida International, UNC, Pitt and South Florida. A game that was cheapened by how sloppy the Big East has been this season, Louisville won in Overtime. They are 8-0 and should be 11-0 going into their final game of the season.
The next day, Rutgers lost to Kent State. They played from behind for the vast majority of the game. Rutgers was a slow starting team, but they were able to finish off teams. They were also ranked and undefeated going into this week. Cincy, Rutgers and Louisville were all undefeated and ranked going into last week. They were all also unimpressive for being at the top of an AQ conference.
There are two relevant conference games in the Big East this season. One is in Cincinnati and one is in New Brunswick. Both teams have a crack at Rutgers. Rutgers has as good of a chance as either of the two teams they are contending with to win the Big East. The title would be their first.
I just find it upsetting that one of these teams gets to play in a BCS bowl. Alabama, Georgia, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon and Arizona would all win that conference. That's two teams from every other AQ conference and Notre Dame.
At least two of the teams I just named will not play in a BCS bowl.
Pittsburgh's football program will rebound, but naturally they are going to the ACC. They just need to hope that their new programs help provide depth to the conference.
These are just three average football teams. Anyone who does not see that yet will see that in around the Holidays.
1. Central Florida, SMU, Houston and Memphis come over from Conference USA.
2. Navy Football will join the Big East for football only.
3. Boise State and San Diego State will graduate from the Mountain West and join the Big East for football only.
Currently, the conference's football roster is as followed.
1. Rutgers
2. Louisville
3. Cincinnati
4. Temple
5. Connecticut
6. South Florida
7. Pittsburgh (Moving to ACC)
8. Syracuse (Moving to ACC)
One of these teams Automatically Qualifies to go to a BCS bowl. Being from Chicago, Northern Illinois is my MAC team. I've punted on their field. One of my old teammates from high school has a relative on the team. That would be Aidan Conlon. I personally followed the High School careers of Huskies Conlon, Perez Ford and Michael Santacaterina. The Huskies are 8-1 with a one point loss to Iowa and are currently unranked. They are arguably the best team in the MAC and has a case for the best FBS team in Illinois. Do I think they deserve a BCS spot if they go 12-1? No. But do I think they would beat Louisville, Rutgers and Cincinnati. Most likely.
Last week, Cincinnati went to the Glass City and their undefeated season was shattered and followed by on MAC sized field storm. Not to be outdone, Kent State went to New Brunswick and knocked off Rutgers this afternoon.
Fun Fact: Toledo beat Buffalo by 5 this weekend. The Bulls fell to 1-7 on the year.
The whole point of this is that in 2012, the Big East is closer to the MAC than the Big 10 or the ACC. In years past, there have been teams that were not good at all come out of the Big East and into the BCS. (See: 2010 UConn Huskies)
The story of this season is that Cincinnati and Louisville were a couple of solid teams and the matchup on October 26th would determine the Conference Title. Fair enough.
Fast forward to September 22nd. Rutgers knocks off a beleaguered Arkansas Razorbacks team in Fayetteville by 9. This is the same Arkansas team who lost to UL Monroe fourteen days prior and would go on to lose to Ole Miss. They will not go bowling this year. That being said, a sophomore Quarterback named Gary Nova showed up. A Don Bosco grad who could pass for an extra on Jersey Shore, Nova threw for 397 Yards, 5 Touchdowns and no Interceptions on the road against an SEC opponent.
The next three weeks, Rutgers would play close with three subpar opponents for a half before ultimately pulling away in the second half.
A week after the Rutgers/Arkansas game, Cincinnati traveled to FexEx field and knocked off the 25th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in overtime. Time has taught us that Virginia Tech is average. That Hokie squad had already lost to Pitt and would go on to lose to UNC by two touchdowns.
Then on October 20th, the #20 Bearcats were stunned in Toledo.
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| Teddy Brigewater is presented with the Keg of Nails after leading Louisville to an overtime victory over the Bearcats on Friday night in Kentucky. (Credit: totalprosports.com) |
A week later, Cincinnati went to Louisville to play for a Keg of Nails and the inside track at a Big East title. Louisville came in undefeated. They also came in with close wins over Southern Miss, Florida International, UNC, Pitt and South Florida. A game that was cheapened by how sloppy the Big East has been this season, Louisville won in Overtime. They are 8-0 and should be 11-0 going into their final game of the season.
The next day, Rutgers lost to Kent State. They played from behind for the vast majority of the game. Rutgers was a slow starting team, but they were able to finish off teams. They were also ranked and undefeated going into this week. Cincy, Rutgers and Louisville were all undefeated and ranked going into last week. They were all also unimpressive for being at the top of an AQ conference.
There are two relevant conference games in the Big East this season. One is in Cincinnati and one is in New Brunswick. Both teams have a crack at Rutgers. Rutgers has as good of a chance as either of the two teams they are contending with to win the Big East. The title would be their first.
I just find it upsetting that one of these teams gets to play in a BCS bowl. Alabama, Georgia, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon and Arizona would all win that conference. That's two teams from every other AQ conference and Notre Dame.
At least two of the teams I just named will not play in a BCS bowl.
Pittsburgh's football program will rebound, but naturally they are going to the ACC. They just need to hope that their new programs help provide depth to the conference.
These are just three average football teams. Anyone who does not see that yet will see that in around the Holidays.
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