2007 Big East Composite Schedule
|
Cincinnati
|
Connecticut
|
Louisville
Pittsburgh
| Rutgers
| South
Florida |
Syracuse
|
West Virginia
|
Toughest schedules
Based on home games as
well as who the teams play. when
1. West Virginia
2. Pitt
3. Louisville
4. Syracuse
5. South Florida
6. Cincinnati
7. Rutgers
8. Connecticut |
Cincinnati
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 7-5
New head man Brian Kelly has a
chance to get off to a fast start if everything breaks right. A home
upset over Oregon State could lead the way to a 5-0 record before
October kicks in, and then things get interesting with at Rutgers,
Louisville, at Pitt and at South Florida. If the Bearcats can get out of
that stretch with a win, consider it a success. Wins over UConn and
Syracuse late in the year are a must.
| Aug. 30 |
SE
Missouri St |
| Sept. 6 |
Oregon
State |
| Sept.
15 |
at
Miami Univ. |
| Sept.
22 |
Marshall |
| Sept.
29 |
at San Diego St |
| Oct. 6 |
at Rutgers |
| Oct. 13 |
Louisville |
| Oct. 20 |
at
Pitt |
| Nov. 3 |
at
South Florida |
| Nov. 10 |
Connecticut |
| Nov. 17 |
West
Virginia |
| Nov. 24 |
at
Syracuse |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
Connecticut
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
The Huskies will have a chance to make a huge move this year with a
manageable road slate and most of the big boys coming to Storrs. A win
at Duke in the season opener would mean a 3-0 start (with Maine and
Temple to follow) before the Big East opener at Pitt. After
non-conference dates with Akron and at Virginia, the key stretch kicks
in with a three-week home stretch against Louisville, South Florida and
Rutgers. Sweep those three and the Big East title is there for the
taking. Win one of the three and there'll be work to do for a bowl game
with November road trips to Cincinnati and West Virginia to deal with.
| Sept. 1 |
at
Duke |
| Sept. 8 |
Maine |
| Sept.
15 |
Temple |
| Sept.
22 |
at
Pitt |
| Sept.
29 |
Akron |
| Oct. 13 |
at
Virginia |
| Oct. 20 |
Louisville |
| Oct. 27 |
South
Florida |
| Nov. 3 |
Rutgers |
| Nov. 10 |
at
Cincinnati |
| Nov. 17 |
Syracuse |
| Nov. 24 |
at
West Virginia |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
Louisville
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 11-1
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 10-2
Steve Kragthorpe's first season should be easy early and brutal late.
Outside of a near-certain shootout at Kentucky and a
nastier-than-it-looks home game against Utah and a road date at
Cincinnati, it should be relatively smooth sailing through the first two
months of the year on the way to an 8-0 record before the season really
kicks in. Pitt, at West Virginia, at South Florida and Rutgers will make
or break Big East title hopes needing to win three of the final four to
likely get back to the BCS. Win all four and the national title shot
might be in view.
| Aug. 30 |
Murray
State |
| Sept. 8 |
Middle Tennessee |
| Sept.
15 |
at
Kentucky |
| Sept.
22 |
Syracuse |
| Sept.
29 |
at NC
State |
| Oct. 6 |
Utah |
| Oct. 13 |
at
Cincinnati |
| Oct. 20 |
at
Connecticut |
| Oct. 27 |
Pitt |
| Nov. 8 |
at
West Virginia |
| Nov. 17 |
at
South Florida |
| Nov. 29 |
Rutgers |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
Pitt
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 6-6
Realistic record: 7-5
A big start is a must with a tough finishing kick. Forgive the team for
taking it easy over the first two weeks against Eastern Michigan and
Grambling with road tests at Michigan State and Virginia coming before
the end of September. There's no margin for error in Big East play
against Connecticut, Cincinnati, Syracuse and South Florida, all home
games, with road dates at Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia over the
second half of the year.
| Sept. 1 |
Eastern Michigan |
| Sept. 8 |
Grambling |
| Sept.
13 |
at
Michigan State |
| Sept.
22 |
Connecticut |
| Sept.
29 |
at
Virginia |
| Oct. 13 |
Navy |
| Oct. 20 |
Cincinnati |
| Oct. 27 |
at
Louisville |
| Nov. 3 |
Syracuse |
| Nov. 17 |
at
Rutgers |
| Nov. 24 |
South
Florida |
| Dec. 1 |
at
West Virginia |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
Rutgers
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 11-1
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 9-3
The schedule can't be used as an excuse if the team doesn't build on
last year's breakout campagin with South Florida, West Virginia and Pitt
all coming to New Jersey. The non-conference schedule is more than
manageable with four of the games at home and the only challenge of the
four (no offense to Navy) to come against Maryland. The one non-Big East
road game is at Army; a layup if the team's head is on straight. In all
there are only four games going to Syracuse, Connecticut and Army before
finishing up the year at Louisville. In other words, 11-0 is possible
before the showdown against the Cardinals.
| Aug. 30 |
Buffalo |
| Sept. 7 |
Navy |
| Sept.
15 |
Norfolk State |
| Sept.
29 |
Maryland |
| Oct. 6 |
Cincinnati |
| Oct. 13 |
at
Syracuse |
| Oct. 18 |
South
Florida |
| Oct. 27 |
West
Virginia |
| Nov. 3 |
at
Connecticut |
| Nov. 9 |
at
Army |
| Nov. 17 |
Pitt |
| Nov. 29 |
at
Louisville |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
South Florida
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 5-7
Realistic record: 8-4
It's not bad, but there are just enough brutal road games to prevent a
truly special season. The Bulls get West Virginia and Louisville at
home, but have to go to Rutgers and Pitt. A non-conference date at
Auburn comes just early enough that an upset is possible if everything
breaks right, but that's a likely loss going into a two-week layoff and
a must-win home game against North Carolina. In-state games against
Florida Atlantic and UCF in mid-October aren't just must wins, they're
vital blowout games to get the first look at the mid-level Sunshine
State prospects.
| Sept. 1 |
Elon |
| Sept. 8 |
at
Auburn |
| Sept.
22 |
North Carolina |
| Sept. 29 |
West
Virginia |
| Oct. 6 |
at
Florida Atlantic |
| Oct. 13 |
UCF
|
| Oct. 18 |
at
Rutgers |
| Oct. 27 |
at
Connecticut |
| Nov. 3 |
Cincinnati |
| Nov. 10 |
at
Syracuse |
| Nov. 17 |
Louisville |
| Nov. 24 |
at
Pitt |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
Syracuse
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 7-5
Barring total disaster worst case record: 3-9
Realistic record: 5-7
It would've been nice if there were more near-certain wins instead of
challenging non-conference dates against Washington, at Iowa and
Illinois to start the year, but victories in two of the three could
serve as a confidence booster before starting off the Big East season at
Louisville. West Virginia, Rutgers and South Florida have to come to the
dome, so if the program is planning on making a big jump this year, wins
against two of the bigger boys is a must. The second half of the year
isn't all that bad playing Buffalo, at Pitt, South Florida, at UConn and
Cincinnati.
| Aug. 31 |
Washington |
| Sept.8 |
at
Iowa |
| Sept. 15 |
Illinois |
| Sept. 22 |
at
Louisville |
| Sept. 29 |
at Miami Univ. |
| Oct. 6 |
West
Virginia |
| Oct. 13 |
Rutgers |
| Oct. 20 |
Buffalo |
| Nov. 3 |
at
Pitt |
| Nov. 10 |
South
Florida |
| Nov. 17 |
at Connecticut |
| Nov. 24 |
Cincinnati |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |
West Virginia
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 11-1
Barring total disaster worst case record: 8-4
Realistic record: 10-2
It's all about surviving the early barrage. After warming up against a
good Western Michigan team, the Mountaineers have to survive a brutal
stretch of four road games in five weeks and five away games in the
first eight going to Marshall, Maryland, South Florida, Syracuse and
Rutgers. If the team is BCS title worthy, it shouldn't have a problem
winning four of the five, but it might be too much to ask to go
unscathed in all five. Things don't exactly ease up in November, but at
least Louisville, Connecticut and Pitt have to go to Morgantown.
| Sept. 1 |
Western Michigan |
| Sept. 8 |
at Marshall |
| Sept. 13 |
at
Maryland |
| Sept. 22 |
East
Carolina |
| Sept. 29 |
at
South Florida |
| Oct. 6 |
at
Syracuse |
| Oct. 20 |
Mississippi State |
| Oct. 27 |
at Rutgers |
| Nov. 8 |
Louisville |
| Nov. 17 |
at Cincinnati |
| Nov. 24 |
Connecticut |
| Dec. 1 |
Pitt |
-
Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way |