Should the Big East get an automatic bid?

[Irish Envy]

I understand that it is technically a major conference, but the scheduling of the teams in there is absolutely ridiculous.

West Virginia
DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME
09/02 Marshall TBD
09/09 E Wash TBD
09/14 Maryland 7:30 PM
09/23 at E Carolina TBD
10/07 at Miss St 2:30 PM
10/14 Syracuse TBD
10/20 at UConn 8:00 PM
11/02 at Louisville 7:30 PM
11/11 Cincy TBD
11/16 at Pittsburgh 7:30 PM
11/25 S Florida TBD
12/02 Rutgers TBD

They have really two, maybe three challenging games on that schedule. They should, unless they just screw it up, run the table.

Louisville
DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME
09/02 Kentucky 8:00 PM
09/09 at Temple 12:00 PM
09/16 Miami 3:30 PM
09/23 at Kansas St TBD
10/06 at M Tenn St 8:00 PM
10/14 Cincy TBD
10/21 at Syracuse TBD
11/02 W Virginia 7:30 PM
11/09 at Rutgers 7:30 PM
11/18 S Florida TBD
11/25 at Pittsburgh TBD
12/02 UConn TBD

Louisville, unlike WV, does have one very tough team scheduled in Miami. Besides the Hurricanes, it's virtually cupcake city and fellow Big East squads.

Pittsburgh
DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME
09/02 Virginia 7:00 PM
09/08 at Cincy 8:00 PM
09/16 Mich St 3:30 PM
09/23 The Citadel TBD
09/30 Toledo TBD
10/07 at Syracuse TBD
10/13 at C Florida 8:00 PM
10/21 Rutgers TBD
11/04 at S Florida 12:00 PM
11/11 at UConn TBD
11/16 W Virginia 7:30 PM
11/25 Louisville TBD

Of all the Big East contenders, Pittsburgh faces the most daunting task. By scheduling more competition, however, they've virtually already eliminated themselves from Big East title contention unless they can run the table or beat both WV and Louisville.

All in all, the Big Three of the Big East is pretty sad. If I were involved in the BCS process, I'd have a very difficult time justifying an at-large bid for their conference. Here is how they finished up in 2005:

2005 Big East Standings
TEAM CONF OVERALL
West Virginia 7-0 11-1
Louisville 5-2 9-3
Rutgers 4-3 7-5
South Florida 4-3 6-6
Pittsburgh 4-3 5-6
Connecticut 2-5 5-6
Cincinnati 2-5 4-7
Syracuse 0-7 1-10

So what do you guys think?

 

[mirertobrooks]

I don't think they deserve a bid but it's not there fault Miami, V. Tech, and Fredo went to the ACC, Louisville is good and if they beat Miami I will respect them, but if WV goes unbeaten and goes to the BCS that's a total farce. I really wouldn't mind seeing that overrated squad against the Irish in the big one to shut Rodriguez trap once and for all. Who is that joke to talk about us joining that rag conference all about anyway. Yep, I hope he keeps running his QB 20-25 times a game, they'll do real well. Sorry i feel strongly about this.

 

[punishment]

I believe they should get an autumoatic bid. The Big East is still stronger, top to bottom, than the other non-BCS conferences. They just don't have the strength at the top like the other conferences do.

 

[KMac151993]

I don't think they should, or there should be conditions on it if they do get one.

 

[iloveirish_12]

I don't think any conferences should get bids. How is it fair that florida state gets a BCS game when they lose 3 games?

 

[Guest]

the only team in the Big East that can bring in a top 25 recruiting class on a consistent basis is Pitt. Louisville is getting close but they still can't land a top 25 class. Other than that its pretty bad Rutgers, and West Virgina are usually in the 40 to 50 range.

The talent level is pretty bad in the Big East, you have schools in other major conferences that may win only 5 or 6 games yet have better talent than louisville, Rutgers etc.

 

[jiggafini19]

It isn't their fault the ACC raided their conference.

They should get the automatic bid.

WVU beat UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

 

[KMac151993]

It isn't their fault the ACC raided their conference.

They should get the automatic bid.

WVU beat UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

I agree Jigga in a way, WVU is and was tough last year and very deserving however a team like Louisville should not get an automatic bid.

 

[mirertobrooks]

I guess if there are three unbeatens, example ND, Oklahoma, and WV at the end of the season we all know who'll be playing in the Fiesta Bowl. Maybe then they'll reevaluate their scheduling. It would be really hard to make a case for any of those teams under those circumstances.

 

[maison bleu]

I say no automatic bid for the Big Least. If it's not their fault their conference got raided, whose fault is it? Mine? Bill Clinton's? What?

 

[Irish Envy]

It isn't their fault the ACC raided their conference.

They should get the automatic bid.

WVU beat UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

Sure it is. The Big East Conference knew that several teams were invited to join the ACC and they had ample time to find replacement schools of Big East quality. Instead, they chose to raid Conference USA instead of having a solid plan.

I pin this on the execs of the conference and until the quality of it is greater, I don't feel as if they deserve an automatic BCS berth.

 

[grungejunky]

i dont think so. west virginia literally plays nobody this year with the exception of louisville and pitt. at least louisville gets miami. pitt has to play some solid out of conference games to make up for the rest of their schedule. wvu might make the bcs butnever play a top ten team.

 

[jiggafini19]

So what do you do? You tell the Big East they're out because you don't like their schedule? Where else were they supposed to go to get teams? The MAC? The Patriot League of I-AA? I don't like Michigan's schedule. I don't like Va Tech's either. So where do you draw the line here?

If they just decide to exclude the Big East one day out of the blue, get ready for lawsuits and more screaming and yelling than you've ever heard. The ACC wanted their title game and wanted to be a football power to go along with their basketball prowess. No one did a thing about it. Money talks.

Teams want 12 games, 8 of them at home now. There are going to be some easy games on everyone's schedule in a few years. San Diego State and Neveda? Come on. These are the days of our college football lives.

The domino effect of this hasn't quite finished yet, believe me. The long term effects of this haven't even been felt yet in college sports. It will happen and soon enough. Too many I-A teams, a lot of whom can't compete and have miles of red tape, will suffer greatly.

I don't really see where the problem is here. The Big East rep won their game last year against the mighty SEC. I have no problem with the Big East getting a BCS bid. The system the way it is blows and is a mute point as far as I'm concerned until something else is implemented.

I have a problem with 2001 Nebraska getting their asses spanked by 40 points, not even winning their CONFERENCE, then getting a shot at Miami for the NC in the Rose Bowl. WTF is that?

Lengths have been taken to prevent that kind of situation from happening again, but who is to say that it can't?