Quick Big East Bowl Analysis

[RandyGator]

Need to beat UNC to be in the run for a bowl.

'Cause it will be tough to win 2 of 3 from Cinn, Pitt, 'Cuse.

[Joe]

Ya, UNC has looked bad against Va Tech, Clemson, and Miami (all Top 25 caliber teams and 3 of the best defenses in the country). Not saying they are a good team, but to just say they're a gimmie especially since we have never been a great road team is just a lil premature.

There is no doubt in my mind they are better than FIU & UCF with a possibly Kansas too.

[WoolyBully]

I don't consider any road game - regardless of opponent - to be

an easy win for USF. For whatever reason - going back to Kentucky,

Baylor and even Kansas this year, we just don't seem to be able

to win those games. Not saying we won't beat UNC, but if we did

lose, it would not be a real shock to the system.

So, the line of thinking is Birmingham, Alabama against Houston. :-/

[South_Florida_Flip]

CBSsportsline

National Champioship---West Virginia vs. Ohio St.

Sugar Bowl---Florida vs. Notre Dame

Orange Bowl---Louisville vs. Georgia Tech

Fiesta Bowl---Texas vs. Boise St.

Rose Bowl---Southern Cal vs. Michigan

International Bowl---Pitt vs. Northen Illinois

Car Care Bowl---Navy vs. NC State

Sun Bowl---Rutgers vs. Oregon

Texas Bowl---Syracuse vs. Kansas St.

Birmingham Bowl---South Florida vs. Houston

Music City Bowl---Miami vs. Alabama

Champs Sports Bowl---Florida State vs. Michigan St.

Is this from today? They seem to think Syracuse is going to win 3 Big East games. I just don't see it after watching their game against Pitt yesterday. They're better, but not to the tune of going 3-4 in the league. That Texas Bowl would be nice for us.

[outrunner]

I think its partially updated. I saw they switched GT and FSU, so I assumed it was updated. I dont think its quite up to date from Saturday's games.

[Guest]

Ya, UNC has looked bad against Va Tech, Clemson, and Miami (all Top 25 caliber teams and 3 of the best defenses in the country). Not saying they are a good team, but to just say they're a gimmie especially since we have never been a great road team is just a lil premature.

There is no doubt in my mind they are better than FIU & UCF with a possibly Kansas too.

There is no way on God's green earth that North Carolina is better than UCF or FIU.  

They barely beat I-AA Furman at home - 45-42.  Miami is not a Top 25 caliber team this season - the Canes will be lucky to make a bowl game.  VT is down this season, and Clemson might not be as good as advertised.

This game is the closest thing to a road gimme as USF has had in a long time.  I expect USF to win by 20 points, going away.

[usf97]

Isn't it possible that we could get only four bowls in the Big East? Don't we get the Gator OR Sun Bowl?

I looked it up on the BIg East website and the agreement goes like this:

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration among Division I conferences and football bowl partners, the BIG EAST and Big 12 Conferences - along with Notre Dame - have together forged a bowl partnership beginning in 2006 that will assure both BCS Conferences' and Notre Dame's participation in the Toyota Gator Bowl and Brut Sun Bowl over a four-year period. In years when selecting a BIG EAST team, the Toyota Gator Bowl or Brut Sun Bowl will have the first pick after the BIG EAST's representative to the Bowl Championship Series has been determined. The Atlantic Coast Conference will provide the opposition in the Toyota Gator Bowl (CBS) and the Pac-10 Conference will participate in the Brut Sun Bowl (CBS).

I still don't understand it. Any of you bowl gurus know how this works. I thought they had to take a Big East team and then a Big 12 team in alternating years or something.

[Guest]

If the Gator Bowl wants a Big 12 team, then the Sun Bowl has to take a Big East team.  The Gator Bowl can only do this two times during the four year contract.

[Joe]

Jim,

I gotta disagree to even compare FIU and UCF to UNC is a struggle. UNC has played the #3 ranked schedule in the country to date. Only 1 of their opponents is not in the top 30 of this weeks AP rankings (Furman).

While they did struggle to beat Furman, I'm not claiming they are good. I'm also not claiming they're as bad as you'd believe. They are probably the 2/3rd hardest team we'll meet SO FAR this year, mark my words on that. Don't let the EXTREMELY hard schedule they played make you believe they are worse than an 0-fer FIU and and 2-3 UCF. I said it before I'd argue that Kansas might be worse than UNC.

As for Miami not making a Bowl game...They flopped at Louisville and looked VERY bad. They still have a great chance of going to the ACC Title game.

I expect the UNC game to be close.

[BullsFanInTX]

Kansas is better than UNC.  UNC doesn't stay with Nebraska and Texas A&M, with the chance of winning both at end of game.  Not much better, but Kansas is better.