Big East Season Preview

The Big East is one of the more wide open conferences in college football this season.

Pitt and West Virginia are the obvious favorites but this is the league that has had teams like Rutgers, South Florida and Louisville reach the top ten in both polls in past seasons.

If you are looking for a surprise team this season it should be UCONN. They will start their season at the Big House to take on Michigan and if they win that game, it could be the momentum builder they need to have a very successful season.

Rutgers and Cincinnati should both earn bowl berths. While Syracuse, South Florida and Louisville will most likely struggle this season but could prove to be good teams in the near future.

Will This Be Randy Edsall's Last Year at UCONN?

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PISCATAWAY, NJ - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Randy Edsall of the Connecticut Huskies looks on against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Rutgers Stadium on October 18, 2008 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Rutgers defeated Connecticut 12-10. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Gett

Most likely, yes.

Edsall has been rumored to fill major coaching vacancies for the past two offseasons and with a successful season in Storrs, he will be leaving the Huskies.

A win in the opener at Michigan could send the speculation over Edsall's departure into a bigger deal.

Will Dion Lewis Face a Sophomore Slump?

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PISCATAWAY, NJ - OCTOBER 16: Dion Lewis #28 of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers runs against the Rutgers University Scarlett Knights on October 16, 2009 at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

After rushing for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns in his freshman season, Lewis faces the perennial question of facing the sophomore slump.

Lewis will have an early chance to prove that saying wrong with games against Utah and Miami in the first three games of the season.

Who Will Challenge Pitt and West Virginia?

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountaineers throws a pass against the Florida State Seminoles during the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl on January 1, 2010 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florid

Pittsburgh and West Virginia are by far the favorites going into this season but watch out for a few teams that could surprise them.

Last year, Cincinnati provided a challenge and being overlooked for the title again because of the loss of Tony PIke and Mardy Gilyard.

Rutgers, UCONN and South Florida also have a chance to contend if everything goes right.

How Many Yards Will Zach Collaros Throw For?

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CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 13: Quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the the Cincinnati Bearcats warms up before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Nippert Stadium on November 13, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Cincinnati's junior quarterback is taking over for Tony Pike and will look to put up the same eye-popping passing numbers that he and Pike combined for last season.

Last season, in four starts, Collaros averaged 308 passing yards per game and with a full season ahead of him, Collaros will easily reach 3,000 yards and possibly get to 4,000.

How Will The New Head Coaches Fare?

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LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 12: Charlie Strong the new football Head Coach of the Louisville Cardinals is pictured during the Louisville basketball game against the Western Carolina Catamounts on December 12, 2009 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.

South Florida, Louisville and Cincinnati all have new coaches coming into the program.

Skip Holtz replaces Jim Leavitt, whose exit was a bit controversial, at South Florida.

Charlie Strong takes over for Steve Kragthorpe at Louisville and Butch Jones is the new Cincinnati coach taking over for new Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly.

Jones has it the easiest as Cincinnati are a good program and headed in the right direction.

South Florida is looking for a bounce back year after the injury of their senior quarterback Matt Grothe last season.

B.J. Daniels had a season last year to get familiar with the conference and after a whole offseason as the leader of the offense, the Bulls could fare this season.

And then there is Louisville.

After a 5-7 season in 2008 and going 4-8 in 2009, a coaching change was needed and former Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong was brought in.

It may take a year or two for Strong to build up his program, but he does expect success.

Will Syracuse Be Any Good?

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STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach Doug Marrone of the Syracuse Orangemen reacts on the sideline as he watches the final minutes of their game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium September 12, 2009 in State College, Pennsylva

Once a strong national powerhouse that produced the likes of Donovan McNabb, Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison, the Orange have fell on hard time and because the basketball team is way better than them, the football team gets ignored most of the time.

After gaining publicity from the Greg Paulus experiment last season, it is time for Syracuse to attempt at being taken seriously.

With games against Akron, Colgate and Maine in the first four weeks, the only challenge for Doug Marrone's team is a road trip to Washington in week two.

Look for running back Delone Carter and quarterback Ryan Nassib to have good seasons to propel the Orange to a .500 record or better.