BLOG REBUTTAL: Early Big East bowl projections, Disney World destination for SU
BLOG POST:
Tony Olivero
Purify the colors
As the Big East enters the halfway point of conference play, fans are beginning to forget the catastrophe that was the conference’s performance against out-of-conference teams. Now every team is seemingly beating up on each other in a conference race that still has a long way to go. Pitt is the odds-on favorite to get to the BCS bowl game. After that, Syracuse and West Virginia appear to be battling for a trip to Orlando, Fla. And the teams in the middle of the Big East pack are hoping Notre Dame doesn’t get to seven wins so they all can ultimately go bowling. Here is an early look from The Daily Orange into how it will shake down come the holidays:
Jan. 1: Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.: Pittsburgh — Big East Champion
Who would have thought before the season began that the game at the Carrier Dome between Syracuse and Pittsburgh would be the pseudo-Big East championship game? With the home game for West Virginia in this year’s edition of the Backyard Brawl, the Panthers will cruise into a slot in a BCS game. The most likely destination for a team that will be ranked between No. 15 and No. 20: Fiesta over Orange.
Dec. 28: Champs Sports Bowl, Orlando, Fla.: Syracuse — No. 2 Big East
Syracuse won’t win out. But even if the Orange does, it will not be enough for a BCS game. Pitt won’t lose two games. West Virginia has a much tougher Big East schedule the rest of the way than the Orange. With just one WVU loss, SU should feel comfortable that they will get to Orlando, even if there is a long way to go.
Dec. 31: Meineke Car Care Bowl, Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia — No. 3 Big East
It’s an uphill battle for the Mountaineers back to a BCS bowl. The good news is they can still defeat Pitt and have a legitimate shot to get there. The bad news is that game is at Heinz Field. The even worse news is that if Notre Dame gets to seven wins, WVU will have to settle for the Big East’s fourth bowl, which would be a supreme failure.
Dec. 30: Pinstripe Bowl, New York City: Rutgers — No. 4 Big East
It seems like every year Rutgers somehow slips into a solid bowl game after a dull season, making a trip to a bowl that is much more worthy than the team itself. For some reason, I think it’s going to happen again this year. And it will be the ideal situation for Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, as the Scarlet Knights will be slotted to stay home at Yankee Stadium, thanks to a tie with the other two 6-6 Big East teams.
Dec. 21: Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, St. Petersburg, Fla.: South Florida — No. 5 Big East
Speaking of staying home, if USF, Rutgers and Louisville all beat up on each other in the middle pack of the Big East, USF won’t have to travel anywhere. Skip Holtz will be content with that in his first year.
Jan. 8: Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, Ala.: Louisville — No. 6 Big East
As the least appealing team in the New York City and Tampa markets, Louisville will stay down south. The main team Charlie Strong should be worried about for a bowl bid is Utah. If the Utes slip up versus Notre Dame, UL will be the team left out of the selection process, thanks to the two hometown hosts for Rutgers and USF, as Notre Dame needs seven wins to steal one of conference’s bowl slots.
REBUTTAL:
Andrew L. John
Goin’ Hog wild
Jan. 1: Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.: Pittsburgh — Big East Champion
The Backyard Brawl will likely determine the winner of the Big East, and I see Pitt defeating West Virginia in Pittsburgh. Even if Pitt loses to any conference team not named WVU, it appears it will still claim the top spot in the conference. Two losses in-conference and the league is suddenly wide open.
Dec. 28: Champs Sports Bowl, Orlando, Fla.: Syracuse — No. 2 Big East
If Syracuse wins out, this would be a worst-case scenario. Doug Marrone referred to a bowl talk as a ‘four-letter word,’ but I’m guessing SU’s place in the Big East standings is something that plays on his mind. A loss this weekend would obviously be a hit but not necessarily a major setback.
Dec. 31: Meineke Car Care Bowl, Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia — No. 3 Big East
West Virginia may still finish No. 1 or No. 2 in the conference, despite a loss last weekend. WVU needs to win out and hope SU falls at least one more time to claim the top spot. But the thinking here is that the Mountaineers will lose at least one more game and finish No. 3 in the conference.
Dec. 30: Pinstripe Bowl, New York City: South Florida — No. 4 Big East
Though SU fans might like to see the Orange in the first ever bowl hosted at the new Yankee Stadium, finishing No. 4 would obviously be a step back from its current ranking. Still, can you imagine all the Syracuse support at that potential game? I see USF landing here, especially after taking down Cincy.
Dec. 21: Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, St. Petersburg, Fla.: Cincinnati — No. 5 Big East
Just one year removed from running the table in the Big East, Cincinnati has had much different results this year. Quarterback Zach Collaros might be out this weekend and beyond, which doesn’t bode well for a team that has struggled even with him in the lineup.
Jan. 8: Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, Ala.: Rutgers — No. 6 Big East
Grabbing the final spot is the Scarlet Knights, which has been up and down this season. Connecticut and Louisville both have a legitimate chance of becoming bowl-eligible but have not played nearly consistent enough to finish any higher than No. 6.
