2009 Big East Preview and Predictions

(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

So we have looked at the ACC in our 2009 preview and predictions. We took Florida State to win the Atlantic and Georgia Tech to win the Coastal.

As we continue our look at the upcoming college football season we now move to the Big East. The 2009 season in the Big East could resemble a traffic jam at rush hour.

After being raided by the ACC the Big East has done everything they can to prove that they still deserve an automatic BCS bid. For the most part it was West Virginia carrying the conference banner.

There was feel good stories like the rise of Rutgers and Cincinnati. Now everyone is watching to see how high Connecticut and South Florida will go.

The 2009 season could see all the Big East work for come crashing down as far as public perception goes. I do not see how this conference can rebound after losing the amount of big name players like the Big East did.

So I will do my best to walk the landmine that is the Big East with my preview and predictions. As always we will look at the teams in alphabetical order.

Cincinnati Bearcats: Prediction 7-5

After winning the Big East last season and going to their first back to back 10 win seasons the Bearcats lost 14 starters. I looked though out the Big East and losing players seems to be a major theme going in to this season.

Ten of those 14 players where on the defensive side of the ball and six moved on to the NFL after April’s draft.  The offense should be solid with starting quarterback Tony Pike returning.

Pike will have some weapons to throw the ball to namely Mardy Gilyard. That could be good thing since they may have to outscore teams to get a lot of wins this season.  

The defense will have to find some replacements and find them fast. That is where I like Cincinnati the best. Head coach Brian Kelly has done more at Cincinnati then I can remember and he does a great job of coaching up the talent he has.

Another theme this season in the Big East will be winning your home games. With what looks like parody up and down the league teams will have to win at home.

Starting with the Bearcats out of conference schedule it looks like they should three of the five. They should not have problems with S. E. Missouri State, Miami (OH), and they get Fresno State at home. The West coast team could have problems coming east.

The non conference losses will come from a road game at Oregon State and a home loss to Illinois. Again if they are not careful Fresno State could trip them up.

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