Prediction: Who Will Win the Big East in 2012?

Is this the year Daniels and company take the program to the next level?

Football is still a few months away, but it is never too early to take a look at the Big East and make a few predictions on how the conference will shape up.

With WVU leaving and Temple joining, the Big East is undergoing is change (Pitt and Syracuse will be leaving real soon too) and it will be another interesting season to see who wins the conference and who becomes the cellar dweller. Let's make our Big East predictions and see how the conference shapes up in 2012.

8. Temple (went 9-4 (5-3) last season in the MAC)

Coming in at the bottom of the conference are the Temple Owls.  The Owls, replacing WVU, went 9-4 last season in the MAC and had a solid season under first year Head Coach Steve Addazio.  The Owls are moving back to the Big East this season and the move will have some growing pains.  For starters, the team is losing star running back Bernard Pierce, the workhorse of the Owls offense, and will also have to replace 4 starting offensive linemen this season.  There will be a lot of pressure for quarterback Chris Coyer to continue to develop and for the defense to step it up this year to help support the offense that will be undergoing a transition.  Al Golden left Temple in great shape and Addazio is doing a solid job to start, but the team just doesn't have the depth and speed as the other teams in the conference and will need time to recruit and develop.  We have them in the bottom of the conference, but they could move up a spot or two if they can answer their questions on offense.

7. UCONN (went 5-7 (3-4) last season)

The Huskies will once again have one of the best defenses in the country, but again, they will be hard pressed on offense to get points.  The team lost Kashif Moore and Kendall Reyes in the off-season, but do return running back Lyle McCombs, linebacker Sio Moore, and cornerback Blidi-Wreh Wilson which will help the team.  Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni has done a solid job is putting together one of the toughest and most disciplined defenses in the league, but their offense is still shaky.  McCombs will once again be the work horse and the offensive line will manage to open up the running lanes, but can they get anything in the passing game?  Without a real strong offense, the defense will be hard pressed and the Huskies will struggle to get wins.

6. Syracuse (went 5-7 (1-6) last season)

The only Big East win the Bulls had was against the Orange and this season, they could find themselves back towards the bottom of the standings in the conference.  The team lost star running back Antwon Bailey, tight end Nick Provo, and stud defensive lineman Chandler Jones to the NFL draft but the team does returning starting quarterback Ryan Nassib and wide receiver Alec Lemon among others that should help lead the offense this season.  The Orange have solid depth returning, but they lack explosive playmakers and will have to replace Bailey their workhorse.  They have enough talent to stay out of the cellar, but not enough to move to the top of the league yet.

5. Pitt (went 6-7 (4-3) last season)

Once again, Pitt has a new head coach, this time former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst as he tries to stablize the program.  Chryst has a lot to work with after Todd Graham left to Arizona State, but there will be a learning curve as Chryst brings a pro-style offense to the team after working on the spread offense (high octane last year).  The Panthers return starting quarterback Tino Sunseri, cornerback K'waun Williams, wide receiver Devin Street, and safety Jared Holley.  Also returning is star running back Ray Graham who tore his ACL after running right through the USF defense last season.  If he is 100% back to his old self, the Panthers offense will be strong, but they have their own concerns on defense and will take some time to get use to the playcalling.  This team could move up, but it is still very early.

4. Cincinnati (went 10-3 (5-2) last season)

A team that had 10 wins last season at the 4th spot is a bit odd, but let me explain the reasoning for this drop in the standings. While the Bearcats had an impressive win total, there are a lot of holes for coach Butch Jones and company to fill. Quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Isaiah Pead, wide receiver DJ Woods, and defensive lineman Derek Wolfe are all gone and were all huge factors to the success last season.  The Bearcats might go with Munchie Legaux at quarterback, but the battle is not over.  Key players like wide receiver Kembrell Tompkins and defensive back Dan Giordano also return, but I just can't see it being enough to win the Big East or return to 10 wins (probably around the 7 to 8 win level). 

3. Rutgers (went 9-4 last season)

The Knights are another team going through a transition year. Former head coach Greg Schiano moved to Tampa to take the Buccaneers coaching position, leaving behind a successful program he built up over the past few seasons in the hands of Kyle Flood.  Flood has done a great job putting together a decorated recruiting class, but the team has holes to fill.  Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu and defensive end Manny Abreu all left last year after great careers, leaving the Knights will question marks.  Key returners such as running back Jawan Jamison, wide receiver Mark Harrison, and quarterback Gary Nova all return, but will it be enough to make a run at the Big East title?

2. USF (went 5-7 (1-6) last season)

Call me a homer, but what else did you expect?   Last season was a nightmare for this team, dropping 7 of the last 8 games as the team failed to reach a bowl game.  This season, the team has returned with a new focus and new energy as they try to right the ship and get back to the postseason.  The team has 24 seniors and while key players such as Chaz Hine, Jerrell Young, and Darrell Scott are gone, the veterans and young players are ready for this season.  Led by senior quarterback B.J. Daniels, the Bulls have a team with loads of talent and experience.  The question is, can they finally break through and finish at the top of the Big East?


Every year it seems the Bulls find themselves in this position, always talented, but never seem to find a way in conference play.  This year, the seniors have come with even more focus, the team is working harder than ever and with the 5-7 taste still lingering, they want to change their fortunes.  They could win this conference, but can they do it? (and please readers, don't think we are bashing the team, it's merely a prediction and following history, it's not that hard to list them second.  It's just a simple little prediction, no need to get the pitch forks out, at least not yet).

1. Louisville (went 7-6 (5-2) last season)

Which leaves us to pick another team in the summer to win the league (motivation for the Bulls).  Yes, the Cardinals are the favorite, at least in our eyes (to begin with).  Coach Charlie Strong is building a great program in Louisville and with star players such as Teddy Bridgewater, BJ Dubose, Roy Philon, and others all returning for this season (plus top recruiting class), the Cardinals have depth and potential to be a real force in the conference.  Bridgewater, the speed quarterback for the Cards, burst onto the scene in just his freshman season last year and if he continues to develop, the Cards will be a special group.  It is hard to pick someone aside from the Bulls at the top of the league, but until USF can finish strong and prove their potential, they won't be at  the top of the conference.

So there you have it, the Big East predictions for this season. We have the Cards edging out the Bulls for the Big East title and Temple sitting in the basement.  This is all based on speculation, looking on paper, and looking back to last season. A lot will happen this season, the Big East is always wide open.  Agree or disagree with the picks, share your thoughts!