Chicago Trib: Big East football experiences a majo

[TyBull]

Posted on Tue, Oct. 24, 2006email thisprint this

Big East football experiences a major rebirth

By Teddy Greenstein

Chicago Tribune

(MCT)

CHICAGO - You might assume that Big East football hit its lowest point at the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

Remember that game? League champion Pittsburgh didn't belong on the same field with its Mountain West foe, Utah.

Final score: 35-7. Final result: Hollers from football fans all across the land that the Big East didn't deserve its status as a BCS conference.

"We basically got trashed every day," recalled Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese.

But that didn't compare to the misery Tranghese and his conference colleagues had endured in 2003, when Miami threatened to leave the Big East for a better financial package from the ACC.

At the time, Tranghese spoke of the "irreparable harm" the move would cause, saying: "This will be the most disastrous blow to intercollegiate athletics in my lifetime."

Miami and Virginia Tech bolted anyway. Then Boston College followed the money trail.

"It's hard to describe how it was for us," Tranghese said. "People were nervous and scared.

"I'm sitting here thinking: We have four football programs - Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia and Rutgers - that could be driven out of business. I could be sitting in the chair for the demise of four proud, Eastern programs."

That potential for demise somehow led to a rebirth. Big East football has never been stronger:

The league boasts three of the nation's seven Division I-A undefeated teams: No. 4 West Virginia, No. 6 Louisville and No. 16 Rutgers, formerly a laughingstock along the lines of pre-Gary Barnett Northwestern.

The Big East went 32-8 in non-conference games, including a 31-7 waxing of Miami by Louisville, which joined the league in 2005.

According to the Sagarin ratings printed in USA Today, the Big East ranks third behind the Pac-10 and SEC. It's rated ahead of the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12.

The next marquee game on the national scene is West Virginia-Louisville, which will be played Nov. 2 - a Thursday night - on ESPN. When a reporter told him it was unfortunate that the game wasn't scheduled for a Saturday, Tranghese disagreed.

"If it were on Saturday, it would be on ABC and go to 11 percent of the country. This will be in prime time. I can't tell you what the rating will be, but I do know that football people around the country will be watching."

The Big East exposure will continue on subsequent Thursday nights, with Louisville-Rutgers on Nov. 9 and West Virginia-Pittsburgh on Nov. 16.

"Three of our most high-profile games," Tranghese noted.

The Big East renaissance began at last year's Sugar Bowl, when West Virginia stormed ahead of SEC champion Georgia 28-0 and held on for a 38-35 victory after Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez called for a fake punt on fourth-and-long in the final minutes.

A jubilant Tranghese laughed after the game, thinking about all the critics who had said the Big East didn't belong.

Said Connecticut coach Randy Edsall: "That was a shot in the arm, and it was something we needed to quiet the doubters."

Despite its nouveau lofty status, the Big East still will need help to land a team in the BCS national championship game. Its best hope is the winner of the Louisville-West Virginia game, but both rank behind undefeated USC and could even be trumped by a one-loss SEC or Big Ten team.

Tranghese said he understands the BCS system and won't gripe about it. He remains opposed to a playoff. But he does have a response for those who discount West Virginia's five-game non-conference schedule, which was ranked among the weakest in Division I-A.

West Virginia played (and drubbed) Marshall, Eastern Washington, Maryland, East Carolina and Mississippi State. The last two were road games.

"Any one who wants play West Virginia, dial the number," Tranghese said. "Michigan and USC ain't going to Morgantown. It's a tough place to get to. West Virginia isn't trying to dodge anybody."

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© 2006, Chicago Tribune.

Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

[smazza]

michigan or usc dont have to go to morgantown

it is the otherway around

wv needs to go to usc or michigan with their woeful SOS

usc has #1 sos and doesnt have to justify a thing

if wv wants respect they need to hit road and play a top ten team instead of scheduling eastern washinton at home

[bulls96go]

usc lost if ul/wvu beats top6 team and top 16 ru team they will have creds to be in nc game over a one loss team imo

[smazza]

a big east team will not be in NC game

[TyBull]

a big east team will not be in NC game

WVU is #3.......

Either Mich or Ohio State will lose...

Hey SMAZZA, mix in some POSITIVE thoughts.......

[Velcro]

The winner of UL & WVU, if undefeated, will play in the championship game.

Heck, if rutgers wins out... they have a decent shot too as their SOS would take a HUGE leap by beating a top 5 and a top 10 team.

I'd say its 85% chance that a Big East team will be in the title game.

[smazza]

a big east team will not be in NC game

WVU is #3.......

Either Mich or Ohio State will lose...

Hey SMAZZA, mix in some POSITIVE thoughts.......

i am a usf fan

not really a big east fan

i dont want top teams doing well because that will hurt usf in recruiting. i am hoping all big east teams lose except usf

rutgers doing well is a disaster for usf

[BullsFanInTX]

So now Tranghese doesn't know what he is talking about.  Do you actually think WVU should go to USC or Michigan with out getting a return game to Morgantown.  Name another big time program that would do that.  These programs are scared and know they will probably take an L going to WVU.  Can't force them to come.