BCS: Louisville ..

[DeToxRox]

I need to know, do any of you guys think they were a legitimate BCS caliber team?

If this happened next year as opposed to this year, I honestly think there is not as much bitching because Louisville to me is good enough (and fun as hell to watch) to hang with a majority of the 8 teams in the BCS right now.

Utah vs Louisville
Michigan vs Texas
Auburn vs Virgina Tech
Oklahoma vs USC

Those are four excellent games, but now Pitt screws everything up.

So I guess my next question is this: is Louisville alone strong enough to keep the Big Easts spot in the BCS as the other teams build up over the next few seasons.

Going on this year alone, I'd say yes, but I'd love other thoughts.

[VPI97]

I need to know, do any of you guys think they were a legitimate BCS caliber team?If they would have went 10-1 as a member of the Big East this season, I don't think there would be anyone griping about their inclusion in the BCS. That's a big if though...sure the Big East isn't up to par with the other BCS conferences, but it's still a step up from the likes of playing Army, USF, Cincy, et al on a weekly basis.

So I guess my next question is this: is Louisville alone strong enough to keep the Big Easts spot in the BCS as the other teams build up over the next few seasons. Alone? Doubtful...You would have to be talking about a program that routinely finishes in the top 10 to say that they alone could carry a conference. Louisville had a great year, but let's not go overboard with expectations. That's not to say that I think the Big East isn't capable of retaining their spot. The requirement is to have an average of at least #12, right? When you play in a conference, most likely there's always going to be a team that either goes undefeated or just has one loss in the conference...and unless that team severly chokes in their OOC games, that would automatically push them up to the top 15. The problem for the Big East this season was that there wasn't a team that got a leg up on the others. If any of the big three (WVU, Pitt, BC) would have finished with one in-conference loss, the public perception of the Big East wouldn't be as harsh as it is now.

[Z²+]

With returning Big East Champion Pittsburgh, a resurgent Syracuse team, an always tough WVU squad, up and coming (hopefully, finally!) Rutgers and UConn, and the addition of a strong team like Louisville, I think the Big East will absolutely keep their BCS tie in. Especially if the BCS adds the proposed 5th game, but almost definitely even if they stick with just 4 games.

but now Pitt screws everything up.


Would Loiusville have won the Big East this year? Who can say. They are ranked higher than Pittsburgh, but they didn't play Pitt and didn't even play any common opponents to compare. Other than Miami and (maybe) Memphis, they played a pretty easy schedule. We'll see how they do in the Big East play next year. I welcome the addition of a quality program. But, Pitt didn't "screw anything up". Period.

[Honolulu Blue]

I need to know, do any of you guys think they were a legitimate BCS caliber team?

So I guess my next question is this: is Louisville alone strong enough to keep the Big Easts spot in the BCS as the other teams build up over the next few seasons.

No and no.

[Swaggs]

All of the arguing about the Big East belonging in the BCS after this season is going to be meaningless because the BCS is going to add another game within the next few seasons.

That said... six of the eight new Big East teams are bowl bound, with only Rutgers and S. Florida missing out. They will have a 10-win Louisville joining next season, with two 8-win teams remaining in an 8 team conference. They finished 7 games over .500 out of conference this season, which is not great, but is not embarassing either. I would say that there is no question they are not one of the top five conferences any longer, but I think they are clearly the sixth best. I'm sure people will argue with me, but I strongly believe that Utah and Boise State would have lost 2-3 games in the Big East this season. So, I think the Big East deserves the sixth spot over every other current non-BCS conference and with the additional BCS game and BE commisioner Mike Tranghese's ties to the BCS (he was its first president), I believe they will keep the spot.

[Swaggs]

With returning Big East Champions Pittsburgh, Syracuse, WVU...

Fixed that for you. Let's not get too greedy with that Big East Champion title. I believe it is a four-way split. :)