College football bowl games really start to heat up a little today. It is a great day to be a College Football fan with a tripleheader of bowl games. Two of the games are matchups between big time programs while the other game should still be an entertaining game to watch between Marshall and Ohio. Do not sleep on the speed of those pesky Bobcats.
In my eyes, the Meineke Car Care Bowl game is a statement game for the Big East. Pittsburgh is a team that was within a minute of winning a Big East Championship. If it wasn’t for a miraculous comeback by that high-powered UC Bearcat offensive attack, Pittsburgh would be playing in a BCS Bowl Game. So what does Pittsburgh get in return for losing a last second thriller to the 3rd ranked Bearcats? A birth in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Now there is nothing wrong with this bowl game. But let’s be real. Pittsburgh was a team that had a great season and is worthy of a more prestigious game. Many see the Big East as a great basketball conference and the weakest of the BCS conferences in football. This was not the case this season. The Big East for most of the season had 4 of its 8 teams ranked in the top 25 in the country. This was no thanks to the preseason polls which ranked no Big East teams in the top 25. They also are led at the top by a Bearcat team that is 12 and 0 and came one second short of appearing in the National Title Game.
Pittsburgh is a team that is led by arguably one of the top running backs in the nation in Dion Lewis. The great thing about Lewis. He is just a freshman! Many are comparing him to a former Pittsburgh great by the name of Tony Dorsett already. This is pretty good company. Also do not sleep on the great defensive line of the Pittsburgh Panthers. It is a shame that Pittsburgh was not matched up against a team from one of the so-called BCS power conferences like the SEC or Big 12. But beggers can’t be choosers and today Pittsburgh will show that Big East football is not so bad.
Look for Pittsburgh to win convincingly against a tough North Carolina team as the Big East will once again look to have another strong bowl season. This is the beginning of the statement the Big East will need to make to gain some respect.
The key game though is the date between the Bearcats and Gators on New Years in the Superdome. This should be a very entertaining matchup between two teams that can put up some points. If the Bearcats can take this game, maybe people will start to think of the Big East as not just a strong basketball conference, but a strong basketball and football conference. A little respect might get the Big East teams into some more prestigious bowl games in future years.
What are your thoughts on Big East football this season? Does the statement start today with Pittsburgh?
Stay tuned for the next edition of Sportskraze.
-Kraze