2009 Big East Projections (All 68 Games)

There's no Big East team that is dominant this year. Also, Syracuse and Louisville aren't that bad comparatively. Cincinnati has a fantastic Throwing game and good Running game. However their Defense is unproven. South Florida's Throwing Game and Defense is awesome but their Running game is unproven. West Virginia has the best Running, Throwing and Defense, but their Offensive Line is unproven. Rutgers has the best Offensive Line, but their throwing game is unproven. No one knows if Pitt's QB is going to throw a touch down, and if Connecticut's Throwing game is unproven. If you look below, you'll see that Louisville and Syracuse have decent rankings compared to the rest of the league.

Team	Throwing Game	Defense	Running Game	Total Points
Cincinnati	10/10	1/5	7/10	18
South Florida	10/10	4/5	2/10	16
West Virginia	10/10	5/5	7/10	22
Rutgers	5/10	3/5	8/10	16
Pittsburgh	8/10	4/5	7/10	19
Connecticut	4/10	4/5	8/10	16
Louisville	6/10	1/5	7/10	14
Syracuse	6/10	3/5	4/10	13

I came up with these based upon returning starters, the number of players on the All Big East Team, ESPN hype, numbers put up in high school and of course experience. Any of these teams can improve in any of their one or two (Louisville and Syracuse) areas and emerge to represent the Big East at the BCS.

Here are all 68 games and all my projections. I gave a team +2 points if it was a Home Game. These projections are based upon the above numbers. Bold = winning team.

1. 9/05     Youngstown State @ Pittsburgh
2. 9/05     Connecticut @ Ohio  
3. 9/05     Liberty @ West Virginia       
4. 9/05     Minnesota @ Syracuse
5. 9/05     Wofford @ South Florida     
6. 9/05     Indiana State @ Louisville
7. 9/7       Cincinnati at Rutgers - Cinci needs more time for its defense to get acquainted and Rutgers new stadium and heavy Offensive Line is too much for Cinci
   
8. 9/12     Pittsburgh @ Buffalo              
9. 9/12     No. 21 North Carolina @ Connecticut          
10. 9/12     East Carolina @ West Virginia
    
11. 9/12     Howard at Rutgers
12. 9/12     Southeast Missouri State at Cincinnati          
13. 9/12     South Florida @ Western Kentucky
14. 9/12     Syracuse @ No. 9 Penn State
15. 9/19     Navy @ Pittsburgh    
16. 9/19     Florida International at Rutgers
17. 9/19     Cincinnati @ Oregon State
18. 9/19     Charleston Southern @ South Florida
19. 9/19     Northwestern @ Syracuse
20. 9/19     West Virginia @ Auburn       
21. 9/19     Connecticut @ Baylor           
22. 9/19     Louisville @ Kentucky                                  
23. 9/26     Rutgers at Maryland  
24. 9/26     Fresno State at Cincinnati
25. 9/26     South Florida @ No. 18 Florida State           
26. 9/26     Maine @ Syracuse     
27. 9/26     Rhode Island @ Connecticut
28. 9/26     Pittsburgh @ North Carolina State
29. 9/26     Louisville @ No. 19 Utah      
30. 10/01   Colorado @ West Virginia
31. 10/02   Pittsburgh @ Louisville                                                          
32. 10/03   Cincinnati @ Miami (OH)     
33. 10/03   South Florida @ Syracuse                                         
34. 10/10   Texas Southern at Rutgers
35. 10/10   West Virginia @ Syracuse     
36. 10/10   Connecticut @ Pittsburgh     
37. 10/10   Southern Miss @ Louisville                                       
38. 10/15   Cincinnati @ South Florida - this is a tough game to call, but I'm going to assume that Cinci's defense comes together, while South Florida's Running game and Offensive line is shot.       
39. 10/16   Pittsburgh at Rutgers
40. 10/17   Marshall @ West Virginia     
41. 10/17   Louisville @ Connecticut                              
42. 10/23   Rutgers at Army        
43. 10/24   Connecticut @ West Virginia            
44. 10/24   Louisville at Cincinnati
45. 10/24   South Florida @ Pittsburgh   
46. 10/24   Akron @ Syracuse                             
47. 10/30   West Virginia @ South Florida                                             
48. 10/31   Rutgers at Connecticut
49. 10/31   Cincinnati @ Syracuse
50. 10/31   Arkansas State @ Louisville
51. 11/07   Connecticut at Cincinnati                  
52. 11/07   Syracuse @ Pittsburgh
53. 11/07   Louisville @ West Virginia                                     
54. 11/12   South Florida at Rutgers
55. 11/13   West Virginia at Cincinnati   
56. 11/14   Syracuse @ Louisville           
57. 11/14   No. 23 Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh                                                     
58. 11/21   Rutgers at Syracuse   
59. 11/21   Louisville @ South Florida    
60. 11/21   Connecticut @ No. 23 Notre Dame                          
61. 11/27   Rutgers at Louisville
62. 11/27   Illinois at Cincinnati   
63. 11/27   Pittsburgh @ West Virginia   
64. 11/28   Miami (FL) @ South Florida
65. 11/28   Syracuse @ Connecticut
66. 12/05   West Virginia at Rutgers
67. 12/05   Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
68. 12/05   South Florida @ Connecticut

THE WINS AND LOSSES:

Rutgers 9 wins/ 3 losses

Connecticut 8 wins/ 4 losses

West Virginia 12 wins/ 0 losses

Pittsburgh 11 wins/ 1 loss

Cincinnati 9 wins/ 3 losses

Louisville 5 wins/ 7 losses

Syracuse 3 wins/ 9 losses

South Florida 6 wins/ 6 losses

I know West Virginia isn't going undefeated, but based on the points, this is what happens.

In the post season, the Big East goes undefeated, Joe Paterno quits, Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College get demoted to the WAC, Rich Rodriguez gets fired and starts coaching a little league baseball team.