2012 Big East Football Conference Odds and Predictions – Favorites and Sleepers

2012 Big East Football Conference Odds and Predictions: Favorites and Sleepers – With all the conference realignment that has occurred lately, no conference has suffered more than the Big East. Already regarded as the weakest of the power conferences in college football, the Big East lost arguably its best program when West Virginia jumped ship to the Big 12. Many have been calling for the Big East to lose its status as an automatic qualifier for the BCS, and given the conference’s overall performance in recent years, it’s tough to argue with the critics. The Big East is under a microscope, and while school presidents and officials try to bolster the conference by adding teams, the eight current teams have plenty to prove. Here is a look at how the Big East stacks up for the upcoming college football season.

2012 Big East Football Conference Odds and Predictions

The Favorite

With West Virginia off to the Big 12, the Cincinnati Bearcats become the most consistent program remaining in the Big East. Last year’s 10-win season was proof that Cincinnati can make some noise without Brian Kelly, and even with quarterback Zach Collaros and running back Isaiah Pead moving on, the Bearcats still have plenty of talent at the skill positions. The defense also improved dramatically last year under new coach Butch Jones. Quarterback Munchie Legaux is raw but exciting, and being forced to play for an injured Collaros last season will only help his development. In this mess of a conference, the Bearcats are best equipped to emerge as the champs.

The Dark Horses

The Louisville Cardinals were forced to play a ton of freshmen last year, but it could pay dividends this season. Defensively, eight starters are back for a unit that was very stingy last year. The Cardinals love to blitz early and often, and the attacking defense is going to give Louisville a chance in every conference game. The offense is the real question mark, and while this team is deep at running back and receiver, the lack of experience was very evident last year. Ultimately, the Cardinals’ chances at a conference crown depend on how far the offense has come since last season. If Louisville starts putting points on the board, watch out.

With workhorse running back Ray Graham returning and an always-solid defense, the Pittsburgh Panthers will jump back into the Big East mix this season. Graham is arguably a top five back in the country, and Pittsburgh’s offense line is massive, averaging almost 320 pounds. The Panthers will be able to pound the ball. The quarterback situation is a bit unsettled but returning starter Tino Sunseri should improve now that Paul Chryst is head coach. Chryst helped make Wisconsin an offensive juggernaut, and the Panthers have the power running game he likes to build around. There is a lot of transition going on, but if everything clicks, the Panthers could win the Big East as soon as this season.

Last year, the South Florida Bulls seemingly found every way possible to lose close games. They ended up losing five games by six points or less, including heartbreakers against Cincinnati and West Virginia. With all 22 starters back on both sides of the ball, the youth and inexperience that showed all too often in crunch time last year should no longer be an issue. Quarterback B.J. Daniels is an improving dual-threat weapon for the offense, and the offense has looked much more explosive in spring practices. Coach Skip Holtz will make sure the defense is solid, and while out-of-conference games against Florida State and Miami (Fl) may be tough, the Bulls won’t be overmatched against any Big East opponent.

The Sleeper

Two years ago, the Connecticut Huskies were in the Fiesta Bowl. Last year, they won five games. Poor offensive play and inconsistent quarterback play were a big part of the problem, and while the QB spot is still up in the air, the offensive line returns five players that have started at some point in their career. That is good news for a ground game that is led by running back Lyle McCombs. He ran for more than 1,100 yards last year as a freshman, and with better blocking, McCombs should give the Huskies an offensive identity. Defensively, the linebackers all return, and the young secondary that was torched at times last year will be better. No, Connecticut still doesn’t look amazing on paper, but they return the second-most starters in the conference and have one of the best young rushers in the Big East. Without a dominant team at the top, Connecticut has a chance in a wide-open Big East.

Odds to win the Big East Conference
7541 Cincinnati +350
7542 Connecticut +3000
7543 Louisville +250
7545 Pittsburgh +600
7546 Rutgers +800
7547 South Florida +300
7548 Syracuse +2500
7549 Temple +2000

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