The Big East as Bulls fans knew it was a great conference for the Bulls to cut their teeth in big time football. There was talk of expanding the conference from time to time, but in the end the bigger conferences took 4 of the Big East’s teams and caused the conference to fold and even sell off their name to a basketball conference.
A look at the results of the teams who jumped ship to go to P5 conferences is interesting. The first team to Bolt was WVU after the 2011 season. WVU was always a front runner for the BE title when they left for the Big 12. Their record in the Big 12 (including through 8 games in 2016) is 33-26. The Mountaineers have had a winning record every year except 2013 when they went 4-8. 2016 is their best season since joining the Big 12 at 7-1. WVU has been a middle of the league team until 2016.
Louisville left for the AAC after the 2013 season. Louisville was also one of the top teams in the BE. The Cardinals have had a winning season in all of their 3 seasons in the AAC with 2016 being their best season so far at 8-1 and ranked 6th in the polls. Louisville’s 3 year record through their first 9 games of 2016 is 25-10 and they have been to a bowl all 3 years.
Rutgers was a tough BE team but a shade lower then WVU and Louisville. They joined the Big 10 2013 season. They have been on a downward spiral since joining the P5 level. Their 2014 record was 8-5, 2015 was 4-8 and 2016 is 2-7 thus far.
Syracuse was the doormat of the BE and they left for the AAC after the 2012 season. Basketball had to be a big factor in the ACC taking the Orangemen. Syracuse was 7-6 in 2013, 3-9 in 2014, 4-8 in 2015 and so far in 2016 Cuse stands at 4-5. This gives Cuse the worst cumulative record of the 4 former BE teams at 18-28.
So two of the teams are worthy opponents and two other of the teams are doormats. The doormats may be bringing in more money from being in P5 but at the price of losing their self worth.
This is why I’m glad the B12 delayed their decision to expand. USF needs to win an AAC title or two before taking the jump to P5. USF has grown immensely under CWT and for the first time in a while, the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. The Bulls have to find a way to win the eastern division first and then the conference championship and then a major bowl. Our opponent just 90 miles east on I-4 is moving at a faster rate than everyone thought, so staying ahead of them won’t be easy.
GO BULLS !!!!!
A look at the results of the teams who jumped ship to go to P5 conferences is interesting. The first team to Bolt was WVU after the 2011 season. WVU was always a front runner for the BE title when they left for the Big 12. Their record in the Big 12 (including through 8 games in 2016) is 33-26. The Mountaineers have had a winning record every year except 2013 when they went 4-8. 2016 is their best season since joining the Big 12 at 7-1. WVU has been a middle of the league team until 2016.
Louisville left for the AAC after the 2013 season. Louisville was also one of the top teams in the BE. The Cardinals have had a winning season in all of their 3 seasons in the AAC with 2016 being their best season so far at 8-1 and ranked 6th in the polls. Louisville’s 3 year record through their first 9 games of 2016 is 25-10 and they have been to a bowl all 3 years.
Rutgers was a tough BE team but a shade lower then WVU and Louisville. They joined the Big 10 2013 season. They have been on a downward spiral since joining the P5 level. Their 2014 record was 8-5, 2015 was 4-8 and 2016 is 2-7 thus far.
Syracuse was the doormat of the BE and they left for the AAC after the 2012 season. Basketball had to be a big factor in the ACC taking the Orangemen. Syracuse was 7-6 in 2013, 3-9 in 2014, 4-8 in 2015 and so far in 2016 Cuse stands at 4-5. This gives Cuse the worst cumulative record of the 4 former BE teams at 18-28.
So two of the teams are worthy opponents and two other of the teams are doormats. The doormats may be bringing in more money from being in P5 but at the price of losing their self worth.
This is why I’m glad the B12 delayed their decision to expand. USF needs to win an AAC title or two before taking the jump to P5. USF has grown immensely under CWT and for the first time in a while, the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. The Bulls have to find a way to win the eastern division first and then the conference championship and then a major bowl. Our opponent just 90 miles east on I-4 is moving at a faster rate than everyone thought, so staying ahead of them won’t be easy.
GO BULLS !!!!!
