Is the Big East BCS-Quality?

Since the ACC raided the Big East and took three of its member schools, questions have swirled about the validity of the Big East’s automatic BCS bid. Is the Big East BCS-worthy?

Scribes have attempted to answer that question since 2004.

The 2005 season represented the first year of the Big East’s current member lineup. According to ESPN, from 2005 through the 2009 bowl season the Big East has an overall record of 17-9 in bowl games. That mark represents a respectable 65 percent winning percentage for the Big East.

According to Chris Low of ESPN, the Big East has compiled an out-of-conference record of 49-49 against BCS teams over the last five years. That places the Big East third out of six BCS conferences.

There were two conferences showing a better record; the SEC was ranked first with a 59-45 record, and the PAC-10 was second with a 45-37 mark.

There were three conferences with a worse record; the Big 12 was fourth with a 44-46 record, the ACC was fifth with a 61-70 record, and the Big Ten was sixth with a 46-56 record.

Big East member schools finished the 2009 bowl season with a 4-2 mark.

The Big East’s most recent BCS bowl resulted in the SEC’s Florida Gators completely dominating the Cincinnati Bearcats, who were sans their head coach, Brian Kelly.

It was an embarrassing loss for the Big East and the Bearcats. So humbling was the loss, it refueled the debate over the validity of the Big East’s BCS membership. The perception that the loss invoked was that the Big East was a weak conference.

In actuality, by its on field performance, the Big East is the third best conference in the BCS. Ironically, it is two spots higher than the ACC.

The coming years promise tremendous change in the conference alignments throughout college football. The Big Ten has publicly stated it is reviewing options for expansion.

The Pac-10, likewise, is reviewing options to add member schools.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto has publicly tabled expansion talk for his conference. Yet, one wonders if that is truly the case and for how long the Big East can maintain its patience.

How conference expansion affects the Big East is of great concern to its fans. Currently, the BCS has a signed television contract with ESPN through 2014. Conference alignment should be stable through the contract.

The biggest argument against the Big East is its lack of a national title. The current member schools have not won a national title game in over 20 years. Additionally, no Big East member school has played for the national title since the current alignment in 2005.

Looking to the 2010 football season, it appears that trend will continue. The early top 25 projections show no Big East member schools in the top 10. Only two teams, Cincinnati and Pitt, show up regularly in the projected top-25 lists.

Until a Big East member school plays for and wins a BCS title game, the perception that the Big East is weak will continue.

The Big East needs a contender to squelch its perceived inferiority. Unfortunately, no such contender is apparent for 2010.

As with its first season of the current alignment, 2005, the Big East appears to be on the verge of a slide to oblivion. Now, as then, the Big East needs a member team to emerge.

The Big East conference title picture is cloudy at best for 2010. There are valid arguments to be made for and against the top six schools in the conference. Doug Marrone’s Syracuse and Charlie Strong’s Louisville appear to be the only schools without a shot at the conference title.

Certainly, Cincinnati, with Butch Jones, and Pitt, with Dave Wannestadt, will have a say in the conference championship. UConn, with Randy Edsall, and Rutgers, with Greg Schiano, will attempt to state their case in the coming season. USF, with Skip Holtz, may even emerge as champion. Bill Stewart’s Mountaineers will start the 2010 season with as good an opportunity as any school in the conference to fill the role of conference champion.

Whether a team from the Big East can contend for the 2010 National Title will give some college football fans pause.

The only certainty is the need for the Big East to take control of its destiny by winning football games—the ultimate goal being a win in the national title game.

The foundation has been laid in the Big East. Conference football members have hired quality coaches at virtually every school. The current list of Big East coaches is as good as any conference in the country.

In time, a national title will emerge from that quality list of coaches. The question is whether there is enough time.

College football is a cyclical beast, abstractly changing football fortunes on a year-to-year basis. Commissioner Marinatto is banking that one of his member schools can turn the abstract into realism. For the sake of the Big East’s football future, I hope Marinatto is a sound banker.