pending SMU-Pitt Sat, new BE football is virtually even with Big 10, Pac 10, ACC

[bamamarquettefan]

Average Massey Ranking among 6 major conferences with new affiliations: SEC 28.4, Big 12 28.7 - then huge gap to Big Ten 47.8, Pac 12 48.6, Big East 50.0 (Ten known members), ACC 56.0 (ditching Pitts 52 and Syracuse 81 gets Big East past ACC).  These ratings are very similar to the BCS ratings, which have determined BCS status.

In watching Houston take apart Penn State yesterday for 600 yards, 150 more than Penn State allowed against any Big Ten opponent, I really do believe the Big East has done as good a job as they could have in an admittedly bad situation after Pitt and Syracuse left.  It would be nice to tap it off with new member SMU beating departing member Pitt on Saturday at Noon, but going into that game (assuming Air Force and Temple are the final two adds to the BE), that would mean 9 of 12 new Big East teams made a Bowl game this year and the average score was a 35-24 Big East win.  Without AF and Temple, it's still a 5-2 bowl record with an average 33-23 win.  And at least Houston and SMU are moving up in basketball during the course of the season (#154 and #199 in Pomeroy) so they may not be a basketball drag if membership brings a couple of good recruiting classes.

I know many don't like the hybrid, but I just can't see voluntarily separating from Lville, UConn and Cincy as long as we have the option of staying together.

Big East      
Cincinnati   31   24
Louisville    24   31
Rutgers   27   13
South Florida   No Bowl   
Temple   37   15 *** possible 12th team
UConn   No Bowl   

Western Division      
Air Force   41   42 *** possible 11th team
Boise St.   56   24
Central Florida   No Bowl   
Houston   30   14
San Diego St.   30   32
SMU   plays Pitt Sat. Noon   

Average Score   35   24