The Big East Could End Charlie Weis' Tenure at Notre Dame

There is no question that with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame standing at 6-3 with three games left in the season, Charlie Weis is feeling the hot-seat.

After three close losses to Michigan, USC, and Navy, the BCS aspirations of this team are dead and gone. With two Big East opponents on its schedule, Weis could be gone if the Fighting Irish are sitting at 6-5.

It all starts Saturday night in Pittsburgh. The Panthers are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation and contending for a Big East championship.

Playing on the road this weekend, Notre Dame is going to be tested. After losing at home to Navy, there is going to be a lot of people watching how Notre Dame responds on national television Saturday night.

Jimmy Clausen has had a great season, but his inefficiency in the red zone at times has been proven costly. Too many turnovers on offense at key points in games have plagued the Fighting Irish in all three losses.

People are screaming for Weis to be fired in South Bend. Though alumni have claimed this is out of question, it makes you wonder is Weis' welcome is long worn out. He has had a hard time winning football games while trying to produce talent.

The Big East, a conference that has gained little respect on a national level, could be what puts Weis out as head coach at Notre Dame. 

Dion Lewis has filled the shoes of Philadephia Eagle LeSean McCoy in more ways then anyone could imagine. His consistency and speed helped improve the balance on the offense.

Pittsburgh stands at 8-1, and Dave Wandstedt knows the tradition of Notre Dame and would love nothing more than to get a win in front of the home crowd.

After Pittsburgh, Notre Dame will play the Connecticut Huskies at home. UConn is a team that should not be taken lightly. They have lost five games this season by a combined 15 points.

A season full of heartbreaks in defeat and the tragic death of a teammate has put an emotional strain on the entire team. Nevertheless, they have fought hard every game and just haven't been able to close the deal in the fourth quarter.

Notre Dame is part of the Big East Conference in just about every other collegiate sport. How ironic would it be to see two of its biggest rivals in the Big East, Pittsburgh and Connecticut, seal the deal on Charlie Weis at Notre Dame?

With that being said, the Big East comes to play every game. Pittsburgh is having a great year and continues to hope for a BCS Bowl game. 

UConn has had its share of tough losses, but that's not going to stop them with three games left in the season. Going into South Bend, the Huskies will be ready to play.

After all, it will be the Notre Dame transfer Zach Frazer leading the Connecticut offense out on the field. Going back to the place he never got to play for after committing to Notre Dame out of high school.

It could be two teams from the Big East that finish Charlie Weis in South Bend. Anything is possible, and it's clear Notre Dame fans are tired of the underachieving team that Weis puts together year in and year out.

At the end of the day, it's all about winning football games. After losing to Navy twice in three years, there's a lot of questions swirling around Charlie Weis and his time left as head coach of Notre Dame football.