In addition to the Wannstedt-Schiano relationship storyline, the other one we can expect to have flogged is that the Big East is now wide open with the Louisville loss.
A few articles with that theme today.
The Big East Conference is now officially a free-for-all.
And, believe it or not, the 1-3 Pitt Panthers still have a chance for their second consecutive Bowl Championship Series berth. Because, after then-No. 9 Louisville’s shocking 45-14 upset loss to South Florida, there is no clear-cut favorite to win the Big East title.
Certainly, West Virginia is the frontrunner at 4-0 with a victory over Syracuse. But if Louisville, the only team that could actually be considered a power in the watered-down league before the year began, can lose to South Florida, anything can happen.
So the Panthers must hope that anything probably will.
“It’s a whole new season,” said Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis. “We’re going out to win the Big East. We’re going out to go back to the BCS.”
It is understandable that the feeling among the teams and players should be “Why not us?”
With Louisville, the odds-on favorite to win the Big East title in its first year in the conference, embarrassingly upset last week by South Florida, a projected also-ran, there is new optimism around the league that the championship, indeed, is up for grabs.
Pittsburgh and Rutgers, both of whom have underachieved so far this season, are two of the teams that share in that optimism. They’ll be meeting in the weekend’s only conference game at 8 p.m. today on national television (ESPN2) as each tries put a leg up in the race and prove that it can be a contender.
Surprisingly, the game isn’t a sellout. It is expected to be over 35,000 fans at the game. Rutgers joint holds about 42,500. That’s still enough of an expected crowd for the local paper to warn about traffic problems. Especially with the parking lots opening around 4 for tailgating.
Then there is this story from the Rutgers school paper ruminating on the football team ever finding a rivalry game.
But what about when you think of the words “rivalry,” “Rutgers” and “college football”?
Drawing a blank? Me too.
As we count down to tonight’s Big East season opener, we loyal sons and daughters of Rutgers are left pondering what conference foe will develop into our annual football rival.
Which school can we circle on our pocket schedules? On which weekend can we begin tailgating at even more obscene hours of the morning? And which mascot doll can we hang in effigy from the top of our RVs and torch on the grill with our kielbasa in a show of school pride?
Neither basketball team is at a loss for rivals. Coach Stringer has the pick of the litter with Connecticut, Notre Dame, Boston College, et al. Coach Waters, likewise, with Connecticut, Syracuse, Seton Hall, and so on.
But for a program without a winning season in the last 12 years?
It is anyone’s guess whom Greg Schiano would choose.
He could take a big stride toward clearing up that picture tonight with a home victory over a former mentor and colleague – Dave Wannstedt’s Pittsburgh Panthers.
Um… No thanks. We’ll pass.
