Georgia's Defeat Benefits Big East

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/sports/ncaafootball/04sugar.html

ATLANTA, Jan. 3 - Ninety minutes before the Sugar Bowl kickoff Monday night, Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese did not seem uneasy about the criticism his conference would take if West Virginia played poorly in what was essentially a home game for Georgia, the champion of the top-rated Southeastern Conference.

"I know what a lot of people have said about us," Tranghese said on the West Virginia sideline. "But I just decided that it's easy to coach and easy to lead when everything is great, and when you really do your work is when things aren't going well. We're going to rebuild, and the perception of our league is going to come down to wins and losses. There are going to be standards, and that's fine."

After West Virginia defeated Georgia, 38-35, at the Georgia Dome, the Big East could thump its chest for the first time since Miami and Virginia Tech left for the Atlantic Coast Conference after the 2003 season. No. 11 West Virginia raced to a 28-0 lead, then displayed nerve and big-play ability in the fourth quarter to hold on against No. 8 Georgia (10-3).

The 72nd Sugar Bowl was moved from New Orleans to the Georgia Dome after Hurricane Katrina damaged the Louisiana Superdome.

The Mountaineers (11-1) could start the 2006 season ranked as high as No. 6. They have 72 scholarship players returning, including most of the players on a high-powered offense.

"I think that we can compete next year for the national championship," said the freshman running back Steve Slaton, who rushed for 204 yards, a Sugar Bowl record, and 3 touchdowns.

The Big East must field competitive football teams to retain its automatic bid for a lucrative Bowl Championship Series game, and the losses of Miami and Virginia Tech hurt. But after West Virginia rolled up 502 yards against the 10th-rated defense in Division I-A, the conference looks much less vulnerable.

"I think they took to heart some of the criticism of the league, the fact that nobody was predicting them to win," Mountaineers Coach Rich Rodriguez said of his players.

Those players included Slaton, who was told he could not play running back at Maryland but was given a chance to be a feature back for the Mountaineers. The redshirt freshman quarterback Pat White, who was recruited as a wide receiver by Louisiana State, completed 11 of 14 passes for 120 yards in the Sugar Bowl.

"There are selection schools - places like Notre Dame, U.S.C., Georgia - and then there are projection schools like us," said Herb Hand, the recruiting coordinator for West Virginia. "We won't get all the blue-chip guys those other schools get, but we have to be able to evaluate guys and see how they fit into our system and project them into players."

Hand said it was fair to say that West Virginia has the same potential as Virginia Tech, which has risen in the past 10 years to become a top-10 or top-15 program.

"We have a strong foundation," Hand said Monday, "and now we're taking it to the next level. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for us. The expectations will be up next year, and the challenge is to play with the same mentality, with a chip on our shoulders, like we did tonight."

[Guest]

The Mountaineers (11-1) could start the 2006 season ranked as high as No. 6. They have 72 scholarship players returning, including most of the players on a high-powered offense.

"I think that we can compete next year for the national championship," said the freshman running back Steve Slaton, who rushed for 204 yards, a Sugar Bowl record, and 3 touchdowns.

We have about the same number returning - with 70 of our players that were freshmen or sophomores this year...

But WVU will be a MONSTER next year. Their QB and RB are freshmen.  The game in Morgantown next year will be a true test of how far behind the 'Neers the Bulls really are.

[goodknightfl]

I have always said the BE is in no danger of losing its bid.  as for WV.. they grew up real quick.. they will be the team to beat next year.. louisville should be just as good or better.. and Pitt is having an incredible year of recruiting.

[BULLfreak]

just look at who PITTS coach is Dave Losested