The Big Apple Recognizes the BIG EAST

[Mama_Bull]

When a writer of Pete Thamel's reputation does  column like this one, you get a fuzzy feeling all over.  LOL

Big East Nearing Perfection in Bowl Games

By PETE THAMEL

Published: January 4, 2007

With just a handful of days remaining in the college football season, it is not too early to declare which conference had the best year in 2006.

.

With a regular season that restored the league’s reputation, an off-season in which it retained its marquee coaches and a postseason bowl record of 4-0, no conference had a year quite like the Big East.

“I don’t think in our wildest dreams anyone could have imagined us having this kind of season,†said Mike Tranghese, the Big East commissioner.

Louisville’s 24-13 victory over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday night put the league in the rare position to have a perfect bowl season. The conference could improve to 5-0 on Saturday, when Cincinnati plays Western Michigan in the International Bowl in Toronto.

The Bearcats are favored in the game and have a special edge in that their new coach, Brian Kelly, already has a victory over Western Michigan this season. His team beat Western Michigan, 31-7, in his previous job at Central Michigan.

There is a hint of an asterisk to the conference’s bowl mark: its teams have been the favorite in every game, caused in some cases by playing lower-profile opponents in lower-tier bowls. Some of those bowl alignments were made after the Big East lost its three marquee teams three years ago and struggled to find top-tier bowl tie-ins.

But in Rutgers’s victory over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl and South Florida’s victory over East Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl, the results were never in doubt.

West Virginia needed a mountain-sized comeback to topple Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl, and Louisville took advantage of some timely turnovers to outlast Wake Forest.

But the impressive victories by Rutgers (11-2) and South Florida (9-4) will most likely mean that, along with West Virginia (12-1) and Louisville (11-2), four teams from the conference will start next season in the top 25. Only two teams from the league were ranked when this season began.

“We don’t think we could have had a better season this year than we’ve had,†said Nick Carparelli Jr., the Big East associate commissioner. “We feel the best thing about this season is that by no stretch of the imagination have we reached the end of the road. We really feel this is just the beginning for us.â€Â

Perhaps the biggest victories for the Big East in the past month did not come on the field. Miami made a strong push to lure Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano, and Alabama was on the brink of wooing West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez.

Both stayed, much as Louisville Coach Bobby Petrino did last year when the Oakland Raiders called and South Florida Coach Jim Leavitt did when Kansas State was among his suitors.

In the three years since Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College jumped to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big East has managed to transform from a league that no one wanted to be in to a league in which no one wants to leave.

“I think what that does is send a clear message to recruits that anything you want to accomplish you can do in the Big East,†Carparelli said. “Clearly, those coaches who’ve elected to stay feel that they can win a national championship at their schools and accomplish their goals.â€Â

The only coaching loss of the off-season came when Mark Dantonio left Cincinnati for Michigan State. And while that loss hurt, the university made a solid hire in Kelly, and the program is on the rise.

A key factor in the balance of power within the conference next season will be whether Louisville tailback Michael Bush and quarterback Brian Brohm make themselves eligible for the N.F.L. draft. If both return, the Cardinals could begin the season ranked as high as No. 3 in the polls. If they decide to go to the N.F.L., there is plenty of experience in place at both positions.

West Virginia returns its top two players, quarterback Patrick White and tailback Steve Slaton, both of whom will be Heisman favorites. South Florida’s freshman quarterback, Matt Grothe, may be the league’s best freshman quarterback since Donovan McNabb was at Syracuse.

“It’s not as if Louisville is going to fall off the map,†Tranghese said. “Rutgers is only going to get better, and West Virginia is going to get better. We’re in a far better place today than we were two years ago.â€Â

[smiley=thumbsup.gif]   :GoBulls

[crambone]

NICE!

[ChiTownBull]

GO BE

[BullDoug]

If the there is any wisdom in the BE front office the USF, WVU, RU & UL games against each other will be reserved for Nov. and the first week of Dec.

[nobullaboutit]

We are ready.  Love those warm fuzzies!!!!  

[E.T.]

Beautiful !

[Velcro]

very nice article... already can't wait for next season... bring on the spring game!

[CoolBull1]

I knew it would happen for USF...I've told people (the scoffers) all along it would happen.  But even I didn't think it would happen this fast.  Make room Big 3...we're just getting started.

[surfer]

This is interesting, considering all the angst last year over how bad the BE was and what a joke it was to have the conference in the BCS. Then again, there's so much parity in college football, no one should be surprised at what's happened.

[Mama_Bull]

I am delighted to have had the chance to post that article.  I will be searching fgor more positive posts to put on the board.   Keep those warm fuzzy comments coming.