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The Big (L)East

  • Pick6
    How bad is this conference? The MWC is easily ahead of them, heck the WAC might even be better. After WVU's loss to Syracuse yesterday, there will be 0 ranked big east teams this week. How this conference champion gets and auto bid to a BCS Bowl is beyond me
  • Rotinaj
    Because the conference was much better when they started the AQ.
  • believer
    Rotinaj;530553 wrote:Because the conference was much better when they started the AQ.
    True. At the moment the MWC is hands down better than the Big East with 2 teams in the Top 10. If the BCS "system" is to maintain any semblance of credibility, it's time to re-evaluate a few things.
  • lhslep134
    believer;530566 wrote:True. At the moment the MWC is hands down better than the Big East with 2 teams in the Top 10. If the BCS "system" is to maintain any semblance of credibility, it's time to re-evaluate a few things.

    Unfortunately, because the evaluation process takes a couple years, it's very probable that by the time the Big East's qualification numbers are bad enough to warrant the dissolution of their AQ status, the conference will be "good enough" to create too much controversy in their AQ status revocation.
  • enigmaax
    I'd be really surprised if they ever take away AQ status. MWC may end up gaining AQ status (though they are going to take a big hit), but I highly doubt they'll take it away from anyone.
  • Cleveland Buck
    With Utah and BYU leaving, there is no way the Mountain West ever gets an automatic bid to the BCS. After Boise and TCU, the rest of the conference is garbage. The Big East has been the weakest of the BCS conferences since they lost Miami and Virginia Tech, but they were always better than the mid majors, until this year. They are just awful.
  • goosebumps
    Definitely a down year for the BE, but they'll be back, Most teams are very young and lack experience. For example, cincy has zero seniors on defense, and started 7 sophs on friday.... Last week they started 8 sophs.

    Most BE teams are having issues with injuries as well. Top to Bottom they are still better than the MWC.
  • believer
    Cleveland Buck;530865 wrote:With Utah and BYU leaving, there is no way the Mountain West ever gets an automatic bid to the BCS. After Boise and TCU, the rest of the conference is garbage.
    True...never thought it that way.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    Yeah, the only way the MWC would get the AQ is if it combines with the WAC and I don't see that happening.
    That said, the Big East is a joke.
  • Little Danny
    Definite down year for the Big East. They deserve all the criticism they get for now. Here's the deal though... 1-8 they aare not bad, they just don't have any great teams. On one end there are no OSU's or Alabama's, but on the other hand there are no Duke's or Minnesota's either. Any team in that conference can beat the other on any given night.
  • redfalcon
    TCU
    Boise St.
    Fresno
    Nevada
    Air Force

    It would be better with Utah, but this conference is still much better than the Big East.

    Also, I am not convinced by any means that conference realignment is finished, and Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri won't have anywhere else to go.
  • Sykotyk
    They'll never lose the AQ. Currently 66 of 120 teams are BCS schools and therefore hold the majority when the I-A (nee FBS) vote for any playoff/postseason issue. If the Big East gets booted out from the AQ, the non-AQ schools would then have a 62-58 advantage (even though the bigger schools would still hold the final trump card of threatening to leave the NCAA). And if they 'swapped' the Big East for the Mountain West, too many in power to do something about these tax-free behemoths will result in a threatening of losing their tax-exempt status. Which would be the final play in this whole ordeal.

    The big schools know they can't do it, and the small schools know they don't have the power, and nobody wants to be the first to get the dominoes falling.

    Sykotyk
  • enigmaax
    redfalcon;531180 wrote:TCU
    Boise St.
    Fresno
    Nevada
    Air Force

    It would be better with Utah, but this conference is still much better than the Big East.

    Also, I am not convinced by any means that conference realignment is finished, and Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri won't have anywhere else to go.

    What is it about Fresno, Nevada, and Air Force that makes them so much better than the Big East? Do you mean just this year or in general?
  • Emmett Brown
    enigmaax;531744 wrote:What is it about Fresno, Nevada, and Air Force that makes them so much better than the Big East? Do you mean just this year or in general?

    Well Fresno State and Nevada both have wins over BCS schools (two) as the whole big east conference does. Throw in TCU and Boise States two wins over BCS schools. It would be nice to see the MWC and the Big East play a championship game. The winner gets an automatic spot in the BCS.
  • enigmaax
    Emmett Brown;531972 wrote:Well Fresno State and Nevada both have wins over BCS schools (two) as the whole big east conference does. Throw in TCU and Boise States two wins over BCS schools. It would be nice to see the MWC and the Big East play a championship game. The winner gets an automatic spot in the BCS.

    No, I agree that this year the Big East is horrendous. There's a pretty good argument for the WAC's being better. I just don't know that is the case year in and year out. That's why I asked which we were talking about.
  • sjmvsfscs08
    I think what enigmaax is saying is that the Big East schools have a much greater wherewithal and produce consistently better teams. That is one view. True, Pittsburgh and West Virginia are typically in the top 20 in the country. Cincinnati had a good run under Kelly, Louisville was solid with Brohm quarterbacking. Connecticut is everyone's favorite program on the rise every preseason.

    At the end of the day, if you take away the historical bias, it's tough to make an argument the Big East is better than the MWC.
  • Little Danny
    I'm not going to argue the BE is having a down season this year, but..

    Over the last five years, those in the Mountain West Conference not named TCU, BYU, or Utah have a combined record of 142-161. The only other team in the Mountain West with a winning record over that time is Air Force. Next year BYU and Utah are already gone, the rumor is that TCU will join the Big East.

    The Big East during that span of time have had three teams win BCS bowls. They have had at least 5 or more members qualify for a bowl game and has finished above .500 in their bowl games every season including 2006 in which they went undefeated in six games. Now tell me how the MWC has been better than the BE for the past five season.
  • TBone14
    Which conference produces more NFL players? I would guess Big East by far. I would take whoever you consider as worst in the Big East by 14 plus over the worst in the MW (New Mexico).
  • goosebumps
    TBone14;533864 wrote:Which conference produces more NFL players? I would guess Big East by far. I would take whoever you consider as worst in the Big East by 14 plus over the worst in the MW (New Mexico).

    Big East:
    Cincinnati: 14
    Connecticut: 8
    South Florida: 8
    Syracuse: 15
    Rutgers: 18
    Pittsburgh: 18
    West Virginia:9
    Louisville: 18

    Total NFL players for the Big East: 108

    Mountain West:
    TCU: 12
    Utah: 20
    San Diego State: 15
    Air Force: 1
    BYU: 14
    UNLV: 3
    Colorado State: 9
    New Mexico: 7
    Wyoming: 5

    MWC Total: 86 (with 1 extra team)

    BSU: 8
    Nevada: 3
    FSU: 15

    MWC for 2011 Teams: 78 (with 10 teams)
  • TBone14
    goosebumps;534129 wrote:Big East:
    Cincinnati: 14
    Connecticut: 8
    South Florida: 8
    Syracuse: 15
    Rutgers: 18
    Pittsburgh: 18
    West Virginia:9
    Louisville: 18

    Total NFL players for the Big East: 108

    Mountain West:
    TCU: 12
    Utah: 20
    San Diego State: 15
    Air Force: 1
    BYU: 14
    UNLV: 3
    Colorado State: 9
    New Mexico: 7
    Wyoming: 5

    MWC Total: 86 (with 1 extra team)

    BSU: 8
    Nevada: 3
    FSU: 15

    MWC for 2011 Teams: 78 (with 10 teams)

    Thanks for the reseach. Good stuff.
  • goosebumps
    Fresno and Nevada won't be joining the MWC in 2011, but rather in 2012. This could be more incentive for TCU to make the jump to the Big east next year. I feel like I heard somewhere that if TCU decides to make the move it could begin play right away in the Big East as there is no penalty for leaving the Mountain West.

    TCU should definitely accept the offer from the Big East if and when its made. I seriously doubt the MWC gets an autobid. Losing Utah and BYU is just too much to overcome.