If Rutgers Wins out

[Bull Matrix]

Rutgers needs just about everyone ahead of them to lose if they want to get to the national championship. Rutgers was not highly ranked coming into this season which will hurt their chances. This happened to Auburn a few years ago because they were not highly ranked before the season began, so the same applies to Rutgers.

[RMF5630]

The BE is not the Big 10, SEC, Big 12 or PAC-10.  They are being held up as the standard and we are being told we don't meet it.  You are right the last NC game was not a well played game.  The difference is that no one is questioning Texas or USC if they belong in that game.  The BE legitimacy is being questioned constantly.  When you are in that positin you need to be better because we are under greater scruitny.  Right or wrong, it is the truth.  I will be my mortgage that game is not portrayed as a positive in the media for the conference.

This is big business and we need to start approaching it as such.  First rule, is be honest with where you are. If you are not, you are dead.  The BE needs to look objectively at the conference and how it is being perceived.  6 fumbles and 22 penalties do not look good, I don't care who is doing it.

[Bull Matrix]

RMF,

The point is that the BIG EAST is now in the conversation of having a team belong in the national championship game. They are not questioning if the BIG EAST deserves a BCS bid like they did the last two years, they are now questioning if the BIG EAST is one of the top BCS conferences which is a hell of an improvement from being #6 like the past two years. Rutgers and Pitt have really helped the perception of the BIG EAST this season. Now there are 4 strong teams out of 8 which is good.  I am going to venture on to say that USF could possible start to join those four in the next few years. Syracuse, Cincy, and Uconn will improve. Hell, Cincy is on its way up in my opinion. Anyway that rips the BIG EAST are just trying to promote there conference. People rip the PAC-10 all the time saying that Southern Cal had it easy. BIG EAST just needs to win their bowl games to shut those fools up just like WVU beat SEC CHAMP UGA last season in their back yard.

[windbane]

The BE is not the Big 10, SEC, Big 12 or PAC-10.  They are being held up as the standard and we are being told we don't meet it.  You are right the last NC game was not a well played game.  The difference is that no one is questioning Texas or USC if they belong in that game.  The BE legitimacy is being questioned constantly.  When you are in that positin you need to be better because we are under greater scruitny.  Right or wrong, it is the truth.  I will be my mortgage that game is not portrayed as a positive in the media for the conference.

This is big business and we need to start approaching it as such.  First rule, is be honest with where you are. If you are not, you are dead.  The BE needs to look objectively at the conference and how it is being perceived.  6 fumbles and 22 penalties do not look good, I don't care who is doing it.

have you seen the commentary from the analysts?  everyone sees it as a great game and expects louisville to jump up in the polls.  I expect them to pass texas and therefore pass UF in the BCS.

[72bull]

The BE needs to look objectively at the conference and how it is being perceived.

What good would that do?  It's not like they can change any perception.

[Apis Bull]

Everyone talks about the Big East schedules.  Our OOC schedules are comparable to any other BCS confrence.  The issue is our conference schedule.  We're told that because of it, we have to schedule top OOC games.  One question.  How many top BCS schools are going to go into Morgantown, Louisville, Tampa, Pittsburgh, etc. and play?  Not many.  We could play all of our OOC games on the road and probably pick up some pretty decent teams.  But most of the other BCS teams will say, "well our conference schedule is soooo hard that we can't have a really tough OOC schedule"

[RMF5630]

RMF,

The point is that the BIG EAST is now in the conversation of having a team belong in the national championship game. They are not questioning if the BIG EAST deserves a BCS bid like they did the last two years, they are now questioning if the BIG EAST is one of the top BCS conferences which is a hell of an improvement from being #6 like the past two years. Rutgers and Pitt have really helped the perception of the BIG EAST this season. Now there are 4 strong teams out of 8 which is good.  I am going to venture on to say that USF could possible start to join those four in the next few years. Syracuse, Cincy, and Uconn will improve. Hell, Cincy is on its way up in my opinion. Anyway that rips the BIG EAST are just trying to promote there conference. People rip the PAC-10 all the time saying that Southern Cal had it easy. BIG EAST just needs to win their bowl games to shut those fools up just like WVU beat SEC CHAMP UGA last season in their back yard.

Those are good points. Although I do not know if I agree that the talk if an undefeated Lousiville deserves to go over a one loss Florida team is an improvement.  If there records were the same it would be an improvement.  Right now, the non-conference record is the biggest feather in the BE cap and you are right winning the bowl games would do alot.  Pitt, RU, and even Syracuse are helping the BE.  USF needs to now start winning some road games.  I hope we do not have to play a ConfUSA team in a bowl.  That victory would mean nothing.  

[Bullpride08]

Sorry to say that  in my opinion, last night's game did not help the BE from a quality of play perspective.  The play did not indicate well-coached teams.

6 fumbles       (5 WVU 1 Lv)

22 penalties  (14 WVU 8 Lv)

1000 yards of Offense (541 WVU Lv 467)

Those numbers does not indicate good football teams or top level coaching.  It indicates weak schedules.   A clean 24-21 game would have done the conferene better.

tell me, what would think of the level of play in a game producing the following numbers.....

5 fumbles

1130 yards

60 first downs

79 combined points

200 yards rushing by a QB in a "gimmick" spread offense relying heavily on a finesse/zone read running game.

in case you were wondering that game was played january 4, 2006 between texas and usc.

Excellent and to the point.  The thing RMF is not acknowledging is that these two teams have had extremely prolific offenses for the past two seasons.  No one has really been able to stop them, and when good teams like that meet sparks fly, and mistakes occur.  That's the nature of the beast.

UL gave up 6pts to KSU, 21 to UK, and 7 to Miami, and yet WVU goes for the most points and yards they've allowed all season, maybe in the past two seasons (well except when they played us).  Why is that?  Flip it to the otherside, WVU's defense has shutdown everyone they've faced, bend but don't break, for 3 quarters they shutdown UGA last year, but UL is better offensively then all those programs.

This was a game against two thoroughbred's, particularly on offense.  Both have good, not great, defenses that have held opponents the past two years relatively in check.   However the thoroughbred's were in Louisville to race, and race they did, ignoring the pesky defenses and concentrating on showcasing the offensive firepower both possess.

The same could be said last year.  USC's defense was amazing, but surrendering over 550yards NEVER.  Ditto for Texas, both teams had great defenses but both defenses got carved up because the reason they were in the national championship game is because they were not one dimensional teams.  Both had GREAT OFFENSES, and at least GOOD defenses.  I look at UL and see the same thing, they have a GREAT OFFENSE, and at least a GOOD defense.  The defense was good enough to create multiple stops when they needed them against a GREAT OFFENSE.  Clearly UL's offense is better than it's defense, but the defense does creative havoc, leading the nation in sacks, turnover margins- those don't happen by accident it takes great athletes, coaching, and scheme.

UL has a great offense and a good enough defense to beat anyone.  That's an impressive but true statement.

[Bull Dozer]

Yes last year that WVU D "shutdown" georgia to the tune of 501yd of total offense and 35 pts  :

UL has a GREAT offense but i am still sketchy when it comes to their defense, espcially against the run.   They proved they are a great offensive team but i still want to see more from the D as the season goes along.  UL is a very good team but i feel that the OSU and UM winner is still 2 tds better than anyone else in the country.  

[BullDoug]

Nice post M'tate.