Big East, Underrated?

[redlegsfan21]

Many people consider the Big East the weakest of the major conferences. The Big East doesn't get as much respect as the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, and SEC. But after this bowl season, they proved to be a force to be reckoned with.
Here is info on the Big East this bowl season.
Went 5-0, won Bowl Challege Cup.
South Florida crushed the C-USA's ECU with 24 points in the 1st half.
Rutgers crushed the Big 12's Kansas St. with a 37-10 win.
West Virginia narrowly beat the ACC's Georgia Tech with 21 points in the 3rd quarter, 38-35
Louisville defeated the ACC's best team, Wake Forest with a 24-13 win.
Cincinnati scored 24 points early (like they usually do) and beat the MAC's Western Michigan.

Don't forget that Rutgers, Louisville, and West Virginia's losses were among themselves

[efin98]

They will always be the weaker conference in football, no good year will change that. They simply can't jump ahead of the SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, or Pac 10, regardless of how well they do they will never be ahead of those conferences. Won't happen.

[ATLFalcons]

I'll make an argument for the Big East being better than the Pac-10. Not top to bottom, but amongst the top teams in the respective conferences.

[Brooklyn]

You beat me to this thread by a few hours, I was thinking the same thing when I woke up this morning.

I think the bowl season showed that they are underrated. The problem is that they didn't really face the best competition, so they almost needed to go 5-0 to get some respect. Number 5 Louisville played number 15 Wake Forest. Number 14 West Virginia beat unranked (but recently ranked) Georgia Tech. Number 16 Rutgers beat unranked Kansas St. These three teams deserved to play teams closer to them in the rankings, but were stuck with lesser teams due to the lack of respect for the Big East.

The Big East needs to find a way to play a tougher out of conference schedule, which will either validate the conference or show that it has a ways to go.

[redlegsfan21]

BIG EAST NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Cincinnati
Eastern Kentucky, W
Ohio State, L
Virginia Tech, L
Miami (OH), W
Akron, W

Connecticut
Rhode Island, W
Wake Forest, L
Indiana, W
Navy, L
Army, W

Louisville
Kentucky, W
Temple, W
Miami (FL), W
Kansas St., W
Middle Tennessee St., W

Pittsburgh
Virginia, W
Michigan St., W
The Citadel, W
Toledo, W
Central Florida, W

Rutgers
North Carolina, W
Illinois, W
Ohio, W
Howard, W
Navy, W

South Florida
McNeese St., W
Florida International, W
Central Florida, W
Kansas, L
North Carolina, W

Syracuse
Wake Forest, L
Iowa, L
Illinois, W
Miami (OH), W
Wyoming, W

West Virginia
Marshall, W
Eastern Washington, W
Maryland, W
East Carolina, W
Mississippi St., W

[redlegsfan21]

The Big East needs a stronger non-conference schedule. Almost every team faced a D I-AA team. Only Louisville, Rutgers, and West Virginia have beaten bowl teams..

[brady_branch]

And none of them have beaten a non-conference team that was ranked for a considerable amount of time outside their own conference (unless you count Maryland, and that was before they got all good).

[Snake]

They will always be the weaker conference in football, no good year will change that. They simply can't jump ahead of the SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, or Pac 10, regardless of how well they do they will never be ahead of those conferences. Won't happen.


Well, that seems a little over the top to me. It seems to me that at one time both Army and Navy were the pinnacle of College Football. Times change.

I think the Big East may be a little under rated currently. The thing that kills me is that people make the excuse that they went 5-0 in bowl games because they played against inferior talent, and at the same time, these people call the Big East teams inferior talent :confused: If they are inferior talent, then why give them no respect for their wins? To me, its simple, they won the 5 bowl games that they were put into. They did not choose their opponents for the games, they just went out and executed and beat the teams that were put in front of them. Don't know why people just won't respect them for that.

I believe many people just have a preconceived notion in their head that the Big East is a basketball conference only, and so refuse to even entertain the thought that they may also become a football conference. I am not saying the Big East is comparable to the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, etc. I am saying that they may be considered in the same league with those guys someday.

[efin98]

Well, that seems a little over the top to me. It seems to me that at one time both Army and Navy were the pinnacle of College Football. Times change.

Times change, opions don't. You don't jump ahead of well established tough conferences overnight, it takes a while to build momentum to push the argument.

I think the Big East may be a little under rated currently. The thing that kills me is that people make the excuse that they went 5-0 in bowl games because they played against inferior talent, and at the same time, these people call the Big East teams inferior talent :confused: If they are inferior talent, then why give them no respect for their wins? To me, its simple, they won the 5 bowl games that they were put into. They did not choose their opponents for the games, they just went out and executed and beat the teams that were put in front of them. Don't know why people just won't respect them for that.

Come back will always be "they played in lesser bowls". 5-0 is a great record but if you are playing nobody teams in the "insert your company here" Bowl that doesn't help the cause.

I believe many people just have a preconceived notion in their head that the Big East is a basketball conference only, and so refuse to even entertain the thought that they may also become a football conference. I am not saying the Big East is comparable to the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, etc. I am saying that they may be considered in the same league with those guys someday.

They are considered in league with those conferences, but the other conferences have a leg up on the Big East in that they didn't have to raid lesser conferences to get new teams to retain their BCS bid nor did the other conferences have to contend with the loss of three perenial powerhouse teams.

When you lose two schools that are yearly contenders for national titles over the last decade plus one of the founding schools you will have trouble convincing people that your conference is still a good conference that is on parr with the perenial major conferences in the country.

[Seattle1]

I voted for underrated on this one.

[ATLFalcons]

Like I said earlier in the thread, some Big East teams could knock off teams in the overrated Pac-10. UCONN, Rutgers, and Cincinnati aren't pushovers.

[C. Snake]

To some extent, yes.

[cbenson5]

Well, one of the best teams in the Big East just got beat by one of the worst teams in the SEC. That should answer the question. Louisville would lose 4 or 5 games every year if the played in the SEC. They might be up there with the Pac Ten (minus USC) but they certainly are no where near the BIG 12, BIG 10, or ACC let alone the SEC.

[redlegsfan21]

Well, one of the best teams in the Big East just got beat by one of the worst teams in the SEC. That should answer the question. Louisville would lose 4 or 5 games every year if the played in the SEC. They might be up there with the Pac Ten (minus USC) but they certainly are no where near the BIG 12, BIG 10, or ACC let alone the SEC.

If Kentucky is one of the worst teams in the SEC, why are they ranked 21st?

[cbenson5]

If Kentucky is one of the worst teams in the SEC, why are they ranked 21st?

Watch what happens to them when they get into SEC play. They are ranked 21'st now because they beat a marginal team that was believed to be very good.

[efin98]

Watch what happens to them when they get into SEC play. They are ranked 21'st now because they beat a marginal team that was believed to be very good.

That's just laughable at how stupid that is.

[cbenson5]

That's just laughable at how stupid that is.

We'll see Mr. Efin. What are you predicting Kentucky's record in SEC play will be? I doubt you respond. Your MO appears to be to attack other people without defending your points (or in this case even making one).

[redlegsfan21]

I just like the Cincinnati defense. Definitely one of the best in the country. I have seen all three games and my worries have been set aside. I was surprised to see how high UC ranked in scoring. And with Marshall and San Diego St. coming up (why such easy teams), the Bearcats should improve on both sides.

If I had to chose a winner for the Big East this year, it is either South Florida or Cincinnati. Whoever wins that November 3rd matchup will win the Big East. West Virginia looks too vulnerable, Louisville has no defense. I have not seen Rutgers this year but I think last year was the high year for them.

[efin98]

We'll see Mr. Efin. What are you predicting Kentucky's record in SEC play will be? I doubt you respond. Your MO appears to be to attack other people without defending your points (or in this case even making one).

Your point is laughable because it's nothing but a huge biased opinion with no real basis in reality. They beat a top 10 team who had earned their right to be in the top 10 the weeks prior to their loss and damn near beat Kentucky so saying they are a marginal team is laughable.

As for your question, I predict them to be 5-4 in the SEC this year with losses to LSU, Florida, Arkansas, and probably Tennessee. The Tennessee game could go either way, so maybe a 6-3 record. They are stronger than they appear and probably deserve a much higher ranking than 22nd in the nation- likely in the top 15-20.

[cbenson5]

They only play 8 games in the SEC young man. If you are predicting 5 and 3 I will take that and reverse it. We'll see what happens. As far as bias. I have nothing against Louisville.

Edit, and the top teams in the SEC will do alot more than 'damn near' beat Kentucky. They have every year since the early 50's.

[efin98]

I just like the Cincinnati defense. Definitely one of the best in the country. I have seen all three games and my worries have been set aside. I was surprised to see how high UC ranked in scoring. And with Marshall and San Diego St. coming up (why such easy teams), the Bearcats should improve on both sides.

If I had to chose a winner for the Big East this year, it is either South Florida or Cincinnati. Whoever wins that November 3rd matchup will win the Big East. West Virginia looks too vulnerable, Louisville has no defense. I have not seen Rutgers this year but I think last year was the high year for them.

If Cincy manages to stay undefeated until then then November 17th will be the game that decides who wins the conference. I don't think your team will be undefeated then, I think you take a fall against either USF or Rutgers before that date. But then again West Virginia could also take a fall before then too and the USF and Rutgers game becomes the defacto title game.

For a "weaker" conference you guys are creating many more storylines than the "power" conferences are and making better football as well.

[efin98]

They only play 8 games in the SEC young man. If you are predicting 5 and 3 I will take that and reverse it. We'll see what happens.

I have miscalculated, I'll give them 4-4 in the SEC with the losses I mentioned. And I stand by the 5-3 statement, they could very well be that good in the SEC.

As far as bias. I have nothing against Louisville.
Edit, and the top teams in the SEC will do alot more than 'damn near' beat Kentucky. They have every year since the early 50's.

I stand corrected, the bias was against the other team and is simply diminishing them by association :rolleyes:

[cbenson5]

Hey Efin,

I apologize for coming on overly strong. In looking back through this thread, your post number 9 was excellent. Your statement, "You don't jump ahead of well established tough conferences overnight, it takes a while to build momentum to push the argument," represents my feelings on this matter.

I think my using of the word 'marginal' resulted in a disconnect. I should have used a different word. Have a good night Sir.

[efin98]

Hey Efin,

I apologize for coming on overly strong. In looking back through this thread, your post number 9 was excellent. Your statement, "You don't jump ahead of well established tough conferences overnight, it takes a while to build momentum to push the argument," represents my feelings on this matter.

I think my using of the word 'marginal' resulted in a disconnect. I should have used a different word. Have a good night Sir.

I think the best word is "Overhyped" and since they are new to being a tough team and haven't earned the clout to be considered a top team yet it fits.

And being media darlings doesn't help...just as Rutgers will be when they break the top 10 soon. The same will be true for Cincy when/if they ever break the top 10.

[redlegsfan21]

I wish that UC could have gotten better non-conference teams to play, not SEMO, Marshall, or San Diego St. I like games against Oregon St. who was ranked 31st (AP) in the country when we played them. I believe that our defense is better than everyone else (except maybe LSU). The 10 points by Miami was a fluke (thank you refs). I think UC could easily beat Rutgers if they play Bearcat football and not let Rutgers set the pace. The game against USF is the game I'm most concerned about right now.