OK, we're 1 week away. Lets see your predictions for the first week of Big East football...
Eastern Michigan @ Cincinnati
Buffalo @ UConn
Rutgers @ Illinois
USF @ Penn State
Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh
WVU @ Syracuse
EMU 23 @ UC 27: Cincinati lost many of its starters, and EMU took out CMU and WMU for the first time in quite a while. That said, UC's talent is still superior.
Buffalo 10 @ UConn 35: The huskies play 2 sets of bulls this year, but the ones from new york will not pose much threat. UConn will not need a big time QB to make plays...the run game should open up gaping passing windows for the mismatched secondary.
Rutgers 16 @ Illini 10: Head coach Ron Zook looks to open at his new school with a win. However, the Zooker isn't known for calling games too well (The outback bowl following the 02 season comes to mind). Illinois will get GREAT talent over time, but whether it will ever translate into winning remains to be seen. Right now, they dont even have the talent.
USF 16 @ PSU 13: With a highly talented backfield for running, expect USF to use 2 back sets and truly take advantage the help a spread offense can bring for blockers. Neither team is known for its offense, and both have had historically good defenses. The main ? mark remains can USF's get back to 2002 and 2003 form?
ND 21 @ Pitt 28: 2 coaches get a new start at major football programs. Pitt's returning talent, particularly at QB, should help carry the panthers to victory. Expect ND to play less sloppy on offense, but running a new offensive set is never easy, and Palko looks to do it better than Quinn
WVU 14 @ SU 28: A harsh pick against the mountaineers, who lost their best at each offensive skill position. WVU is a young team that will improve considerably over the year, but opening up in the loud house against a good running back and a new head coach known to bring some power to defenses is a tall order. WVU has the talent to win this but not the experience.
what Pdiddy said. Except I think that Cincy will be better than 4 points over Eastern Michigan. Dantonio is known for his defense. I dont think EMU will score 2 Td's against Cincy.
USF and PSU is a tough one to call. USF has a lot of talent, but I dont know if they will gell together this season. Next season for sure. I dont think that PSU is a whole lot more talented, but they are playing in happy valley.
RUmojo Wrote:OK, we're 1 week away. Lets see your predictions for the first week of Big East football...
Eastern Michigan @ Cincinnati
Buffalo @ UConn
Rutgers @ Illinois
USF @ Penn State
Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh
WVU @ Syracuse
You forgot one other Big East Game in Louisville vs. Kentucky.
Here is my predictions for week 1.
EMU @ UC UC 21 EMU 17
Buffalo @ UConn UConn 24 Buffalo 13
Rutgers @ Illinois Rutgers 27 Illinois 24
USF @ Penn State Penn State 30 USF 10
Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh Pittsburgh 30 Notre Dame 21
WVU @ Syracuse WVU 31 Syracuse 28
Louisville @ Kentucky Louisville 40 Kentucky 17
Maize Wrote:RUmojo Wrote:OK, we're 1 week away. Lets see your predictions for the first week of Big East football...
Eastern Michigan @ Cincinnati
Buffalo @ UConn
Rutgers @ Illinois
USF @ Penn State
Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh
WVU @ Syracuse
You forgot one other Big East Game in Louisville vs. Kentucky.
Here is my predictions for week 1.
EMU @ UC UC 21 EMU 17
Buffalo @ UConn UConn 24 Buffalo 13
Rutgers @ Illinois Rutgers 27 Illinois 24
USF @ Penn State Penn State 30 USF 10
Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh Pittsburgh 30 Notre Dame 21
WVU @ Syracuse WVU 31 Syracuse 28
Louisville @ Kentucky Louisville 40 Kentucky 17
UL 38 @ Kentucy 7: The wildcats have been outmatched in this series for a while. The idea of an SEC team being a warmup for a team so recently joining a BCS conference may seem laughable to SEC fans. Nobody else is laughing, however. UL is far more talented. Do not expect them to open up their playbook here.
UC 28 EMU 20
UConn 30 Buffalo 10
Illinois 28 Rutgers 17
Penn St. 24 USF 10
Pitt 34 Notre Dame 28
Syracuse 28 WVU 24
UofL 41 UK 20
Cincinnati 24 E. MIchigan 21
Buffalo 17 UConn 20
Rutgers 7 Illinois 24
Penn St 17 USF 14
Pitt 35 ND 34
LVille 42 Kentucky 17
'Cuse 28 WVU 27
I'm going to change a few of my predictions from last week
Cincinnati 17 E. MIchigan 21
Buffalo 10 UConn 24
Rutgers 14 Illinois 21
Penn St 10 USF 14
Pitt 35 ND 7
LVille 56 Kentucky 24
'Cuse 28 WVU 24
Cincinnati
U Conn
Illinois
Penn St.
Pitt
WVU
UofL
If USF puts 27 points on the board they win.
Cincy-38
Eastern Michigan-35
EMU is getting better and can be potent offensively at times, but their defense should be bad enough for even Cincy's inexperienced QB to light it up. I think this will be very touch and go, but Cincy pulls it out at home.
UConn-28
Buffalo-7
Shouldn't really be a close match, but I can see UConn being a little rusty offensively w/out their outstanding QB from the last several seasons. But the home crowd should be enough to get the offense the juice they need to beat Buffalo.
Rutgers-23
Illinois-34
Until Rutgers proves it to me on the road, I just can't pick them. I hope I am wrong, but it seems like EVERY year, Rutgers is supposed to turn the corner. Well, maybe this is the year, but... on the road in the Big 10 is not a great place to start, even if it is Illinois.
South Florida-13
Penn St-24
This is reputed to be the best Penn State team in years, but I think USF is going to be a surprise this year. But the game is at Happy Valley, and it will be tough for the Bulls to win there.
Pitt-41
Notre Dame-20
I see Pitt rolling in this one. Tyler Palko is going to be a household name by mid-season, and they are going to have a tough defense. I think they will be much better than last year, and this game at home - on prime-time TV - their new coach's debut - and against ND - - there is no way they lose. They will be fired up beyond belief. It pains me to predict it, but I see Pitt winning the BE this year.
West Virginia-24
Syracuse-19
I picked WVU to lose this game in my league predictions, but now i'm feeling a little better about it. I think they will have more talent than Syracuse, and, despite it being on the road, should be able to get the running game going enough to rely on their defense against an Orange offense that hasn't shown much. The crowd will be a huge factor, but Rich's teams have done fairly well on the road, including at Syracuse 2 years back. They won pretty easily over the Orange last year, and I just don't see a huge dropoff for WVU or a huge gain for the Orange. The 'eers in a tight one.
Louisville-44
Kentucky-14
I don't think this game SHOULD be competitive, but the fact that its on the road kinda makes me nervous - and i'm not sure about UL's defense. But Kentucy is so inept, its hard to predict anything other than a blowout.
cuseroc Wrote:what Pdiddy said. Except I think that Cincy will be better than 4 points over Eastern Michigan. Dantonio is known for his defense. I dont think EMU will score 2 Td's against Cincy.
USF and PSU is a tough one to call. USF has a lot of talent, but I dont know if they will gell together this season. Next season for sure. I dont think that PSU is a whole lot more talented, but they are playing in happy valley.
I dont know if you know much about Eastern Michigan but they have a very good offense that averaged over 400 YPG and 29PPG. They return there QB Matt Bohnet who can run and pass, an all-conf RB in Anthony Sherrell, possible NFL draftee Eric Deslauriers at WR. As well as a talented TE in Ken Bohnet.
The reason the Bearcats will beat EMU is because EMU doesnt have a defense. If Cincy holds EMU to under 2 TD's i will be amazed, and very afraid of facing the bearcats because thats gotta be a very good defense.
<a href='http://www.collegefootballnews.com/mac/2005_Previews/EasternMichigan_Preview.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.collegefootballnews.com/mac/200...gan_Preview.htm</a>
UC over EMU. EMU's defense, already bad, only returns a handfull of starters.
UConn over Buffalo. Even though UConn loses a lot, they should be able to beat Buffalo.
Rutgers over Illinois. Rutgers has too much returning experience to continue underachieving.
Penn State over USF. I wish I had a better feel for USF's erratic QB situation.
Pitt over Notre Dame. Hopefully entertaining as last year's matchup, but Wannstadt should be victorious in his debut.
Syracuse over WVU. I also will consider the home field. Should be a good one.
UL big over UK. Obvious.
LET'S KICK OFF!!!
I hate to say this, but I really believe EMU will beat Cincy. It has all the looks of an upset. EMU coming off one of their best years in history, a pretty good QB and offense, and upperclassmen on defense.
I also believe EMU will beat Cincin. The bearcats simply suck at football.
We'll meet you on the court kitties!
uconnbaseball Wrote:I also believe EMU will beat Cincin. The bearcats simply suck at football.
We'll meet you on the court kitties!
Oct 15 in Nippert before that. I look for more of this:
Quote:Nov. 3rd, 2001 Connecticut 45 - 28 W
UConn fan saying someone else sucks at football :roflol:
We've won ourselves a bowl game so HA.
BTW just playin with you bearcat folk :fish:
uconnbaseball Wrote:We've won ourselves a bowl game so HA.
BTW just playin with you bearcat folk :fish:
I'm sure you are.
Both our FB teams lose a lot of seniors so it should be interesting this season.
B-Ball, good team, but I don't think our interim coach can out coach Calhoun.
I like it, you r all picking against nd...the only problem 4 pittsburgh is that wienstat can look at all the patriot videos that he wants, he just will never know what's comming,
Quote:Weis was talking with Romeo Cornell recently when Cornell asked who was on Willingham's staff. Weis told him the names, then Romeo asked who is on Wies's staff and Weis gave him the names. At this point Cornell said, "You just replaced a mall security team with a top notch S.W.A.T. team"
food 4 thought, A member of that "swat team" is cinci's old coach, (the coach that gave them winning seasons)
NJ Irish, BTW how do you guys like your new coach?
That was a hell of a game last year, and it's interesting... both teams have new coaches. Lots of unknowns going into this one. I took Pitt because it's at home, but really the road team seems to be winning this one lately.
First off, the Gimmes
Louisville 41, Kentucky17
UConn 30 Buffalo 17
I do expect these to be interesting in that teams will be trying different personnel, schemes, etc. Otherwise there should be little doubt as to the outcome.
PSU 31 USF 6
IIRC, PSU's defense averaged 13 ppg against, and most of them return. The lions are still feeling themselves out, but I'll be shocked if USF breaks the 13 point barrier. Should USF win, Paterno should retire immediately.
- - - - - - -
Cincy 31 EMU 28
This reeks of upset but I'll hold faith with Cincinatti. The Bearcats lost a lot of talent but I appreciate what the staff is doing. They should know they need this one and will hit with all cylanders gunning.
Syracuse 27 WVU 17
Maybe it's me pulling a "homer," but I think the signals are there. Coach Gregg wants the Cuse to be hungry on defense, and what the team lacks in talent it should make up in discipline and aggression. Simply the wrong place and time for WVU to go to Syracuse, but that's the luck of the draw.
Pitt 31 ND 21
From an outsiders stance, when was the last time a Pitt opener had this much hype and substance? Pitt's secret weapon is the angst they're feeling after the Fiesta Bowl, now ready to prove they belonged and, most importantly, want to get back. I belive Weis will do well at ND, but his players will need time to adapt.
Rutgers ?? Illinois ??
Schiano's players should be better prepared, but I'm not sold (yet) that Rutgers has turned the corner. Win this and the others that they're supposed to, then I'll buy in.