ACC vs. Big East

Discussion in 'NCAA' started by Rambo13, Jul 25, 2006.

  1. Rambo13

    Rambo13 New Member

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    What do you guys think of the two leagues. For some reason this summer, the Big East has been getting a lot of coverage on sports networks claiming they are much better than the ACC and basically writing off the ACC. I'm not really sure how or why this transition occurred, but for some reason they think WVU is a legitimate title contender and Louisville is a top 10 lock. Unfortunately they neglect to recall how WVU choked under expectations two years ago when they were supposed to run the Big East table and how Louisville played copy cat to WVU's failure last year. Also they nullified any history of both teams losing their ACC matchup against VT last year.
    This year, people are giving no respect to FSU or Miami and don't even bother mentioning VT. I guarantee at the end of the season, the ACC will be the better conference yet again.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. Sundayjack

    Sundayjack pǝʇɔıppɐ ʎןןɐʇoʇ
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    Jilted Lover Syndrome. Having been dumped by Miami,VT, and BC, the Big East would now like us to think that they're better off. I'm not buying it.
     
  3. Rambo13

    Rambo13 New Member

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    Well I agree in theory, but in reality I think it is not like that. The Big East (and the teams within it) is not really concerned with who is supposedly better than who or who the writers say is the best. It is the writers and analysts that are the problem, they come up with ideas seemingly out of thin air.

    Now I'll go on the record and say year in and year out WVU puts out a great football program and this could be one of the best in a while, and Louisville is always a threat with its offensive prowess, but to place them so highly on a pedestal and drag the rest of the conference with them (last time I checked every other team sucks in that conference) and drop the ACC so low is ludicrous.
     
  4. Green Hurricane

    Green Hurricane Footsteps Falco

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    The ACC is easily better than the Big East, I can't even imagine why that discussion would take place. While WVU is, in my mind, a legitimate contender, based largely off the fact that they can forseeably go undefeated, and have the weapons and coaching to potentially beat anyone, and Louisville is a rising program, I bet that if a handful of the 2nd or even third tier ACC schools were in the Big East over the past few years they'd be in a similar spot. Imagine if UM or VT was still there, they'd absolutely roll.
     
  5. Rambo13

    Rambo13 New Member

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    I agree I have no clue what these people are thinking.
     
  6. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    The Big east is a joke in football, anyone who cliams it is better than the ACC doesn't pay attention. It's an absolute joke that they have a BCS affiliation, it should have been stripped when they lost their 2 big time programs. Last year the BE had just 2 ranked teams and Rutgers and So. Florida were tied for 3rd place- that's all you need to know about the BE. By the way, half the 1st rd of the draft was ACC players.
     
  7. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    The Big East has a great PR dep't, they made everyone think that last year the BE was maybe the single season basketball conf of all time but, as usual, NONE of the BE teams made the FF so I assume this is all Pr being pumped out by the BE.
     
  8. Rambo13

    Rambo13 New Member

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    Just out of curiosity, I'm not the only one who has heard this right?
     
  9. Green Hurricane

    Green Hurricane Footsteps Falco

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    Wooh, let's not go crazy here Junc. The Big East may not be the best of the BCS conferences, but they are leaps and bounds better than any of the other conferences. The only thing that the Big East needs that other conferences has are the secondary teams stepping up occassionally to scare the leaders. The ACC is a very good conference because their former top tier (though a bit weak), is now largely forced down into the 2nd, even 3rd tier. That makes them look that much stronger, when even their worst teams have seen some bowl action recently.

    If I had to rank the conferences in terms of difficulty, I'd go:
    1. SEC by far. And I say that as an ACC fan, the SEC is first, and it's not close.

    Drop-off #1

    2. ACC. Only 3 top tier teams, but as I said, middle tiers are loaded.
    3. Big Ten. Move up to #3 because of consistency. OSU and UM scare you year to year, and the reemergence of PSU helps out big time.

    Drop off #2

    4. Pac-10. The end of the Leinart/Bush era at SC hurts, but the Trojans will be back soon, and there are more than a few teams that are on the verge.
    5. Big 12. Probably should be higher considering the amount of times they've made it to the title game, but they're consistently a one team conference. That and the Big 12 North is a waste until the Huskers can return to form.
    6. Big East. Two team conference, with a 2nd tier that leaves some to be desired. That said, Pitt has a lot of talent, and RU and USF are both quickly developing.

    Drop off #3

    7. WAC. If the Pac10 wanted to be a super conference, they could bring in Boise and Fresno, because they make the WAC very dangerous.
    8. Mountain West. Utah's presence and possibly the best collection of talent outside the major schools gets them this spot.
    9. MAC. Very close with the WAC, the ability to replace talent concerns me though. Akron, NIU, and Toledo can be very good at times.

    Drop off #4

    10. Conference USA. Was a lot better before the BE took their best teams (and Cincinnati...), but now... Just pencil in UTEP vs UCF in the title game.
    11. Sun Belt. The home of FAU and FIU...
     
  10. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    I disagree GH, the BE is pathetic. When Rutgers and So. Florida are your 3rd and 4th best teams that tells you it's bad. WVU stepping up after UM and VT left helps but are they really that good or just beating up on bad teams?
     
  11. Cakes

    Cakes Mr. Knowledge 2010

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    1. SEC
    2. Big 10/11
    3. Big 12
    4. ACC
    5. Pac-10
    6. Big East
     
  12. GreenMachine

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    If this were hoops...I would say Big East > ACC
     
  13. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    and you'd be wrong.
     
  14. Green Hurricane

    Green Hurricane Footsteps Falco

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    I too was unsure whether or not WVU was for real until they handed it to Georgia last season. Their best players are a pair of sophomores, so they'll only be getting better, plus they have one of the best coaches in the nation and a D that reloads every year. Louisville will probably be the favorite for their game against Miami this year, so that tells you where they are at. As for the secondary teams in the BE, Pittsburgh is pretty much the copy of a lot of the middle class ACC teams, in that they have good talent, but are just can't play up to their potential. For RU and USF, I agree they aren't exactly national powers, but in a short time both will be top 25 caliber teams, and are definitely improving faster than lower teams in other conferences.
     
  15. Cakes

    Cakes Mr. Knowledge 2010

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    I'll be sure to point it out here if USF slaps around UNC on October 14.
     
  16. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    The Heels play both Rutgers and USF, 2 big east powers:rofl2:
     
  17. Green Hurricane

    Green Hurricane Footsteps Falco

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    I'd be really surprised if UNC wins either of those games to be honest.
     
  18. Cakes

    Cakes Mr. Knowledge 2010

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    I think RU and USF will win those games.
     
  19. Green Hurricane

    Green Hurricane Footsteps Falco

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    OK, I had been holding off posting this, but this is an article I wrote a few weeks ago about how the Big East wasn't getting the respect they deserve. I know it's not what Rambo's talking about, but I figure it's part... maybe. Funniest part is all the appreciation emails from WVU fans I received.

    http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/index.php?c=5&a=852

    Big Beasts of the East
    By Chris Harring

    A few years ago, the basic structure of the college football hierarchy was fairly easy to follow. Each conference had a couple elite teams, and barring a huge collapse from several favorites, or a particularly amazing year from an underdog, fans were guaranteed the same few schools reigning as conference champions, and taking a spot in the BCS. The Big 12 had Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, Big Ten with Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio St., the Pac-10 with USC and Oregon for a while, the list goes on; and while these and other teams maintained their power, one might be able to crash the party, but could never stay. That all changed back in 2004, when in an epic grab for national power, the ACC signed away three of the Big East's best football teams, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College who at the time had amassed ten of the conference's thirteen championships since it's inception. With the ACC title chase now bloated, the three former Big Easters along with Florida State; there was a vacuum of power forming in the Big East. The additions of a few outside schools fueled the struggle for supremacy, and after two seasons, it has become clear just who is ready to shed their title of party crashers.

    When West Virginia headed into last year's Sugar Bowl matchup against Georgia, most experts praised the Mountaineers for going undefeated in the Big East, but gave them absolutely no chance of beating the SEC power, one of the regulars on the national scene. Little did the Bulldogs, or for that matter, the rest of the nation, know, WVU had been hiding a pair of freshmen gems up there in the West Virginia wilderness. QB Pat White out duel-threated 5th year senior D.J. Shockley, and RB Steve Slaton saved his best day for the team's biggest, racking up 204 yards and 3 TDs in the victory. After handily beating most of its conference competitors, except for Louisville, most expect a similar run for a now more experienced Mountaineer squad. The only problems for the team would revolve around the new-found attention the team has been getting. Not only will the players and Rich Rodriguez have to deal with a lot of added pressures now that they're expected to be great, they'll have to go up against teams ready to give them their best shot every week. The White-Slaton rushing combo will give them a chance to beat anyone, but White will have to work on getting more consistent passing the ball if they want to avoid any upsets.

    Ready to take that BCS spot away from West Virginia is that lone BE school that gave them a serious run in 05, Lousiville. After losing early in the year to upstart South Florida, the Cardinals refocused themselves and played excellent football the rest of the season, scoring at least 40 points each of the next seven games, including their loss in that three overtime thriller against WVU. Even with the loss of Nagurski award winner Elvis Dumervil, the Cardinals return the main pieces that will make them very dangerous. Junior Quarterback Brian Brohm first emerged as a freshman, nearly toppling #3, and then undefeated Miami, and has steadily improved his game ever since. He'll get his chance at redemption against the Canes September 16, and the same November 2 against WVU, both, of course, at home in lovely Papa John's Stadium. The key to Louisville's success, and the ultimate yang to the flashy duo in Morgantown, is running back Michael Bush, a big, bruising, athletic, life eater of a man. In that epic battle, Bush had 159 yards and 4 touchdowns, as Bobby Petrino just rode Bush's 6-5 240 pound frame to a near victory. In 2006, many consider him a top ten Heisman contender, and believe his biggest breakout is yet to come.

    As for the rest of the conference, it's basically a game of elaborate shoots and ladders. Whenever one team expects to be good, they flounder, and vice versa. Take Pittsburgh for example, many thought they'd be headed for the top, seeing as how they always hung around 3rd place behind Miami and VT a few years ago, but when they get a golden opportunity, Dave Wannstedt's team starts off the year 1-4, and all but bury themselves. USF was the exact opposite, when no one expected much, they come out of nowhere and rack up a respectable 4-3 conference record and a spot in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Another school looking to make some noise in the near future is Rutgers, that's right, Rutgers. After years of losing, but also building talent through quality recruiting both locally and South Florida; the '05 Knights put up 7 victories, finishing 3rd in the Big East. Cincinatti, Connecticut, and Syracuse are also in the mix, as they've reached, or at least approached bowl bids in recent memory.

    So when your coworkers, friends, or just local know-it-all's start trying to be trendy and bash the Big East, make sure they realize that just because the big name schools are gone, it doesn't mean quality football is. With WVU and Louisville leading the way, and a handful of rising programs ready to do their part, the conference will be back to normal in no time, especially as long as they continue scheduling old ACC rivals and playing them as well as they have. To the rest of the country, don't you worry about the "burden" of allowing a BE team in the BCS, rather, focus a little more on what to do when they get there. Any questions, ask Georgia.


    If you have questions or comments, you can email me at chrisharring@nfldraftblitz.com
     
  20. nyjunc

    nyjunc 2008 TGG Bryan Cox "Most Argumentative" Award Winn

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    They'll win both. Carolina wasn't terrible last year and they should be better this year.
     

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