Big East Football: Five Non-Conference Games That Could Earn It Respect

OK, we get it.  The Big East isn't as good of a football conference as the SEC. It isn't that bad though.  While the Big East is generally considered the weakest of the BCS Conferences, this could be one of the more competitive conferences in the nation.

Still, nobody takes the Big East seriously.  Even the AP gave the Big East the shaft, with only two teams ranked in the Preseason Top 25. 

The Big East may have not earned much respect in the past, with mostly all of its teams playing cupcake out of conference schedules.  That's not the case this season.

It's simply a case of the conference not asking for respect, but having the chance to earn respect.  Here are five out of conference games, that if the Big East teams win, the nation will have to start paying attention.

5. Sept. 11: USF at No. 4 Florida

Skip Holtz gets his first big test as coach of South Florida when his Bulls travel to Gainesville to take on Urban Meyer's Gators.

This could be a mismatch on paper, but the Bulls have speed and a quality quarterback in B.J. Daniels. Tim Tebow is gone so the Bulls have a chance to get to John Brantley.

Keep the game close and force Brantley into a late mistake and South Florida has a shot.

Knocking off a team like Florida would be huge for the Big East, especially after the Gators embarrassed Cincinnati in last years Sugar Bowl.

4. Sept. 25: No. 7 Oklahoma at Cincinnati

The Bearcats are a team looking for respect. After a 12-0 regular season, Cincinnati had to deal with the Brian Kelly fiasco and a 51-24 beating in the Sugar Bowl to close it's season last year.

Back-to-back Big East titles, yet the Bearcats somehow find themselves outside of the Top 25.

The Bearcats still have a ton of talent and new head coach Butch Jones will focus more on the defensive side of the ball.  Cincinnati should still be able to score a ton of points though.

Zach Collaros takes over at quarterback and the Bearcats shouldn't miss a beat.

The Sooners are good, but this could be a tough test for Landry Jones and company.

Cincinnati needs this game, otherwise it looks like the top Big East teams can't hang with the big boys.

3. Sept. 2: No. 15 Pitt at Utah

Pitt is coming off a very successful season in 2009 and are the favorites to win the Big East in 2010.  Panthers head coach Dave Wannstedt has done a great job of turning the program around.

If one Big East team should be mentioned with the big boys this season, it's the Panthers.

They bring back a Heisman Trophy contender in running back Dion Lewis. Add to that possibly the best play maker in the Big East in wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin and the returning 2009 Big East Defensive Player of the Year Greg Romeus.

Pitt has quality talent at every position, but so do the Utes.

The Panthers will find out two things about their team in the season opener.  They will find out right away if quarterback Tino Sunseri is ready to lead this team and more importantly, they will find out if Wannstedt is ready to take this team to the next level.

This is a loseable game for Pitt. Wannstedt doesn't exactly have a great track record for winning big games.  You hate to say it's a must win game in Week 1, but it has that feeling to it.

Wannstedt has to have the Panthers ready to play.  Pitt needs this game.

2. Sept. 25: No. 25 West Virginia at No. 21 LSU

West Virginia is another Big East program that has made a living of playing a cupcake non-conference schedule in the past. That changes this year when the Mountaineers travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.

Tiger Stadium is a tough place to play and it will be the first true big road test of new WVU quarterback Geno Smith's career.

The two teams match up well and this should be an entertaining game.  This is the signature road win against a quality ranked team that Big East schools have been missing from their resume for some time.

West Virginia running back Noel Divine also has an outside shot at the Heisman Trophy.  This is only real showcase game to get the voters attention.

1. Sept. 23: No. 13 Miami at No. 15 Pitt

It doesn't get bigger than this.  Thursday night under the lights.  National television.  A battle of Top 20 teams.

Both teams will be tested.  Pitt has the Utah game and Miami travels to Ohio St. the week before.

This is the showcase out of conference game to show the nation that the Big East isn't a joke.  Pitt loaded up the non-conference schedule for just this reason.

It would be just like a Wannstedt coached team to come out and lay an egg in this one.  That simply can't happen this year.  Pitt has a legitimate shot at being a Top 10 team this season.

This is another game that's a must for the Panthers.  Win it and you get people talking.  Win it impressively and you get people remembering.

Lose it and well, maybe the critics are right and it's the same old Big East.