The ACC and Big East, two years after the dust has

[TyBull]

http://www.collegefootballchannel.com/story.asp?story=20035

The ACC and Big East, two years after the dust has settled

The most significant change in the landscape of college football, since the Southwest Conference was partially absorbed by the Big 8 in 1996, occurred between 2004 and 2005 when the ACC completed its play for three Big East powerhouses: Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. It was thought by many college football experts that the ACC had acquired the pieces that would elevate it to the summit of college football while the remains of the Big East would be fortunate to keep its prized BCS status. Two full seasons have passed since the shake-up and as often occurs the actors sometimes do not precisely follow the script. This story is no exception.

The ACC had set itself up to rival the SEC and Big Ten as the most powerful football conference in America. By adding Miami and Virginia Tech the conference gained two schools that are considered to be elite in football circles. It would surprise no one if either of these two schools won a national championship in any given year. Prior to the expansion, only Florida State had that type of clout in the ACC. Now the conference was loaded with three top tier programs. Although debatable, only the SEC boasts more schools that are automatic title contenders every year.

Reality has a way of altering even the best laid plans. The ACC could not have predicted that two of its marquee programs would enter a period of mediocrity. Miami and Florida State have not lived up to their top tier status over the past two seasons. Florida State is a combined 15-11 while Miami is only slightly better at a combined 16-9. By comparison the Hurricanes had only lost a total of seven games in five seasons from 2000-2004. Florida State had lost 11 games over a three season period between 2002-2004. The other member of the ACC elite triumvirate, Virginia Tech, has not had a stellar season since 2000 when it went 11-1 as a member of the Big East.

It is safe to say that the ACC has not lived up to its lofty expectations since the expansion. There have been no national champions and the highest final ranking an ACC school has attained since 2004 was seventh by Virginia Tech in 2005. While the problem with the ACC centers on the relatively poor performance of its marquee programs, scheduling philosophy plays an important role as well.

If you look at 2005 and 2006 as a recent sample, what you will find is that as a conference the ACC scheduled considerably more games against I-AA and non-BCS opponents. In the 84 non-conference games during 2005-2006, ACC schools scheduled 12 I-AA, 41 non-BCS, and 31 BCS opponents. That means that 63% of the ACC non- conference schedule is against teams outside of the BCS conferences. Two ACC schools, Boston College and North Carolina State, have scheduled zero games against BCS conferences in the two year period. To be fair to the ACC, the NCAA allowed a 12 game schedule starting in 2006 and the easiest way to fill those gaps on short notice was to add D-IAA or non-BCS schools.

While the ACC does focus its non-conference schedule against non-BCS schools it is hardly alone in this practice. In fact, over the last two seasons the ACC ranks second among the BCS conferences in scheduling against other BCS schools. The Big East schedules the most against its BCS brethren while the Big 12 schedules nearly 80% of its non-conference schedule against non-BCS and D-IAA opponents.

The Big East was facing a completely different set of challenges when they lost Miami, Virginia Tech and BC. They were fighting for survival as a BCS conference. It did not start well either. In 2004 the Big East fielded only seven teams. Boston College was still there in their final season and Temple had been served their walking papers due to being a perennial doormat. Only five schools remained for the 2005 season. To make matters worse, the 2004 Big East champion, Pitt, got crushed by the Mountain West Conference champs Utah in the Fiesta Bowl. The voices questioning the Big East's BCS legitimacy were loud and they had facts on their side.

The Mountain West had always been the top non-BCS conference and they wanted in. By 2004 the Mountain West had surpassed the Big East in quality and the final Sagarin rankings of that season had the MWC ranked ahead of the Big East. The Big East needed to add schools that were competitive and they needed to have a few of the remaining programs step up to fill the void left by Miami, Virginia Tech and BC. Commissioner Tranghese quickly made a move to fill that void. He was able to lure three Conference USA schools, Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida bringing the Big East membership back up to eight schools. A move of desperation to keep the conference alive appears to have been just what the league needed.

Louisville in particular was the crown jewel of the CUSA. Although considered a basketball power, it has consistently been highly competitive in football. The Cardinals are reminiscent of the Miami Hurricanes of the early 1980's. They are on the cusp of the football elite and with their Orange Bowl win in 2007 some think they have arrived. West Virginia and Rutgers were the schools that answered the call to step up. The Mountaineers have always been a strong football school but they too appear to be on the edge of being considered elite.

Rutgers is the happiest of all of the stories. The Scarlet Knights were probably not far behind Temple in receiving their walking papers if they did not improve. The school strengthened its commitment to football and 2005 and 2006 will likely be considered the renaissance of Rutgers football. As for the rest of the Big East there is abundant potential with the remaining schools and not a doormat in sight. South Florida is coming off two consecutive seasons with bowl appearances and they have defeated both Louisville and West Virginia in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Some analysts feel that the Bulls will rise to the status of football power in the next 10 years. Pitt has had two disappointing campaigns but the Panthers seem to be close to a breakout season.

Why has the Big East flourished? Just as the ACC has been the victim of bad timing with Miami and Florida State, the Big East is enjoying its best football in some time. Sagarin had the Big East ranked only behind the SEC in the final 2006 conference standings. Scheduling plays a big part of that success. Unlike the rest of the BCS conferences, the Big East schools tried to schedule more competitively. During the same two seasons as analyzed with the ACC (2005/2006) the Big East opponents included 12 I-AA, 27 non-BCS and 33 BCS schools. Compared to the ACC (37%), the Big East played 46% of its games against BCS conference opponents. No Big East school played fewer than two games against BCS opposition. More impressively both Louisville and Syracuse have scheduled three games each season (2005 and 2006) against BCS schools. No other schools from BCS conferences can match that feat.

Is the Big East a better football conference than the ACC? Probably not, but the last two seasons show that the Big East has made a concerted effort to raise the bar of the quality of its football. While the ACC is home to three marquee programs, the Big East has two fledgling elite teams (Louisville and West Virginia). But those two schools have performed better than their ACC counterparts. Louisville is 18-4 and West Virginia is 23-3 during 2005/2006. The Big East has finished no lower than 6th in the final poll from 2004-2006. Louisville completed 2006 ranked 5th.

All is not gloom and doom for the ACC. The ACC does have more depth as a conference than the Big East. It has several schools that could occasionally make some noise on the national level in Boston College, Clemson and Georgia Tech. The Wake Forest success story of 2006 was only eclipsed by the fascination surrounding Rutgers' rise from the ashes.

In the end this is a story of disappointment for the ACC and one of pride for the Big East. The ACC needs to learn that scheduling tougher opposition might lead to a few more losses but it is also the only route to gaining respect as a conference. The Big East has silenced its critics and has proven that they are a legitimate BCS conference.

[Jihme]

beautius maximus....

\m/  GO BULLS!

[ProfessaBull]

This is a very well written article.

If the critics are truely silenced in their skeptisism of the BE then this only further solidifies the opportunity for us to be playing a NC game in the near future.

[T-Man]

Nice..........  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[crambone]

ACC smack-talkers...

[bulls96go]

well writte, we must cont. to prove it on the field.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

I'm in ACC country up here.

I sport my USF gear proudly & regularly.

Need to go to BigEast.org and purchase some Big East gear now.

[windbane]

Sagarin had the Big East ranked only behind the SEC in the final 2006 conference standings. Scheduling plays a big part of that success. Unlike the rest of the BCS conferences, the Big East schools tried to schedule more competitively. During the same two seasons as analyzed with the ACC (2005/2006) the Big East opponents included 12 I-AA, 27 non-BCS and 33 BCS schools. Compared to the ACC (37%), the Big East played 46% of its games against BCS conference opponents. No Big East school played fewer than two games against BCS opposition. More impressively both Louisville and Syracuse have scheduled three games each season (2005 and 2006) against BCS schools. No other schools from BCS conferences can match that feat.

Toughest OOC scheduling and 2nd in sagarin rankings.  Go figure.

[Joe]

No Big East school played fewer than two games against BCS opposition.

The BE has to play at least 2 games against BCS schools because they have 5 OOC games and only 7 conference games. For mere SOS percentages, to not play at least 2 BCS games would be fatal.

Next year's OOC opposition will be down a bit, Cincy goes from playing Ohio State and VT to playing 1 BCS opponent in Oregon State. UL goes from K State, UK, and Miami to UK and NC State. Rutgers goes from UNC and Illinois to Maryland.

OCC competition will be down this year so playing well is going to be HUGE for the Big East.

Whats even bigger is that USF's game against Auburn is the only OOC game in teh Big East against an opponent who finished the year ranked. USF IS THE FLAG BEARER OF THE LEAGUE THIS YEAR!

[dabull80]

This is a very well written article.

If the critics are truely silenced in their skeptisism of the BE then this only further solidifies the opportunity for us to be playing a NC game in the near future.

You are kidding right ?  Critics silenced ?  Lose two games and they come out like roaches at night.