Big East is clearly the best conference in the country.
Big East is clearly the best conference in the country.
8-2 in bowl games the last two years...
(1) Big East frontrunner Miami is the unanimous choice of the pollsters and the BCS as the No. 1 team in the land. Riding a 32-game winning streak, the Hurricanes have manhandled two Southeast Conference powers, Florida (41-16) and Tennessee (26-3) on the road, but have struggled to some degree in four recent games including three against Big East opponents - West Virginia, Rutgers and Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
(2) When the Top 25 national rankings are released after this weekend's games, if four Big East teams aren't included, some pollsters might as well throw darts at the teams because they won't be looking at schedules and results, only won-lost records. Miami, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Virginia Tech all have fared well enough in competitive schedules to earn a Top 25 berth. All will receive a post-season berth bowl and the fifth ranked team, Boston College, also will be bowling if it finishes with an 8-4 record by defeating Temple and Rutgers in its last two games.
(3) Speaking of BC, the Eagles are only 1-4 in the Big East after last week's win over Syracuse but are the only team to defeat No. 9 ranked Notre Dame.
(4) Virginia Tech has handed No. 12 ranked LSU one of its only two losses (26-8) and defeated Texas A&M (13-3) on the road as well as dismantling Marshall (47-21) but the Hokies have dropped three winnable games to Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia - all Big East members.
(5) Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is 15 points away from an 11-0 record entering next Saturday's 'Backyard Brawl' against West Virginia in Heinz Field. The Panthers gave unbeaten, No. 1 Miami all it could handle Thursday night before bowing. Pitt's other setbacks were to Notre Dame, 14-6 and Texas A&M, 14-12.
(6) West Virginia has played well its last six games when it has covered the spread every time or since its weakest outing against Maryland. But the Terps haven't lost since while moving up to No. 19 in the national polls.
(7) All of the above indicates one thing: parity or, at least, competitiveness at the top of the conference. And when you're competitive with the No. 1 team in the land, it speaks volumes for the overall quality of the league.