Athlon has another batch of cheerleaders to evaluate (as always, thanks to FanBlogs for the heads-up). I’m guessing fan sites/message get involved in ballot stuffing because the outcome for Round 2 fairly screams it (the WVU cheerleader was cute but the 2nd place or 3rd place finishers were superior).

You knew these were on the way, in light of Louisville’s complete meltdown in Big East play so far. A Big East bashing article. The bright side, it won’t be widely read outside of the Beltway since it comes from the Washington Times.

The article is annoying, but it doesn’t matter because the BCS is still taking a BE team and that means more cash for the conference.

Regardless, to the Big East champ goes the spoils. Sugar Bowl, probably. Perhaps not along Bourbon Street, but Atlanta’s Peachtree.

No matter the BCS bowl – Sugar, Orange, Fiesta (while not a lock, Rose reservations are being made for USC vs. Texas) – the Mountaineers can hear the jingle of the cash register. They see millions of greenbacks the BCS is obliged to pay the Big East champion.

Only the Fearsome Foursome of South Florida, Connecticut, Cincinnati and Pitt separates the Mountaineers (6-1, 3-0 Big East) from college football’s cash cow. Don’t look for any of them in the current Harris Interactive Collegiate Football Poll or BCS ratings.

Almost makes you wonder, following that 46-44 win over the Cardinals, why West Virginia fans didn’t torch a few couches.

Cel-e-bra-tion, Morganpatch-style.

Don’t worry, the Hoopies did.

As for the other bowls for the Big East in the future.

Commissioner Mike Tranghese said the Big East is close to finalizing its bowl tie-ins for the next four-year cycle, which starts next season.

“We’re either going to arrive at a deal with a bowl or we’re going to make what I call a ‘double deal,’ sort of like we did with the Gator and the Sun,” Tranghese said. “I think this will be all done by the end of the month.”

Looking forward to the Toronto Bowl in 2006?