West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech Would Be a Great Orange Bowl Matchup

The Big East. 

Those two words haunt BCS officials every year: "Oh, great. We have to see West Virginia or Connecticut or Cincinnati get blown out again by a high-powered team."

The Big East hasn't won a BCS game since the 2007-08 season.

Nothing will be different this year, as No. 23-ranked West Virginia seems to be the likely pick to come out of the Big East. They just fought off 5-7 South Florida in a tight game, and if they don't make it, 7-5 Louisville will represent the Big East.

This conference hasn't brought much good at all to college football. West Virginia, likely the strongest team in the Big East, hasn't played in a BCS game since 2007, Cincinnati was dominated in 2008 and 2009 and in 2010, it was Connecticut.

Yet, if Cincinnati fights off Connecticut, West Virginia, who should be ranked in the Top 21 or so at the time of their bowl, will take on either Virginia Tech or Clemson, depending on who wins the ACC title game.

While Clemson dominated early in the season and beat Virginia Tech 23-3, if they win again, the Orange Bowl will seem like a normal bowl game, with two teams outside of the Top 16.

As long as the Hokies fight off Clemson, and West Virginia makes their way to the Orange Bowl, it still should be a good game. West Virginia has had success on the road, finishing 4-1, and they would be able to beat Virginia Tech, with a strong fan base.

Geno Smith and Tavon Austin are probably one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems in the nation, and against a great team like Virginia Tech, that could be key. West Virginia is explosive, and they can make a big play at any time.

If Clemson wins the ACC title game, then West Virginia's explosive offense should have little trouble beating the struggling Tigers and their defense (Clemson has lost two straight and three of the last four).

With an upset at Cincinnati, Connecticut can send Louisville to the BCS and ruin the Orange Bowl for everyone that wants a battle. Teddy Bridgewater is a solid quarterback, but nobody wants a team that lost to Florida International and Marshall in a BCS game.

The Mountaineers can win close games as well, and they are 4-1 in games that have come down to six points or fewer. That could be a factor, and while Virginia Tech is 4-0 in those games, they were all against weak opponents, and only one of them will go to a bowl.

Virginia Tech has a tendency to struggle against teams weaker than they, and in back-to-back games, they had trouble putting away 3-9 Duke and 4-8 Boston College.

If Logan Thomas doesn't throw the ball well and the offense has trouble, West Virginia will pounce, and once Smith and the Mountaineers have the lead, they are hard to catch.

And the Big East will leave the ACC in the dust.