Buzzmaster

  (12:03 PM)

Good afternoon SportsNation!

Buzzmaster

  (12:04 PM)

We've got a special chat lined up here. The Big East Football Media Day is underway and we're going to be chatting right here for the next little bit.

Buzzmaster

  (12:05 PM)

Then check out the HotList on ESPNEWS at 2 p.m. ET, because they'll be running coverage of the press conferences, while using your comments from this chat!

Buzzmaster

  (12:05 PM)

Let's get it started!

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

NJ Football is back!!!

Eric (DC)

Coach Rod, I love you.

justin okmulgee oklahoma

I was wondering if you had to pick the team in the big east who had the best shot at making a national title run, what team would you pick? thank you, and by the way i love espn...

Buzzmaster

  (12:07 PM)

So, who are the teams to watch out for in the Big East?

rerun (SU)

the resurrection of SU football has begun...like a phoenix rising from the ashes of suckdom...Andrew Robinson will be our savior!

James (Boston)

Watching my Cuse has been dreadful since McNabb left. I don't understand how such a big football program has not been able to recruit bigtime players anymore. How does this happen?

Steve (San Diego, CA)

What is the starting secondary for WVU's defensive unit going to look like?

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

It's a 3 horse race in the Big East this year. Rutgers will give WVU and the LOU a run for it!

rerun (SU)

i hear ya james in boston...pathetic...we can't even recruit in our own backyard anymore...

Paul (Winston-Salem, NC)

This will be the year that Rich Rodriguez brings a BCS Title home to Morgantown!

Patrick (Calgary,AB)

WVU will win the big east

Mike (Maple Shade, NJ)

It looks like it's going to be a 4 team battle between UL, RU, USF, and WVU. If the top four holds serve at home, RU wins in a tiebreaker over USF.

Dan (Cincinnati, OH)

With Brian Kelly calling the shots at Cincinnati now, what is the sky the limit for the Bearcat program? Seriously, can he take UC to a BCS game within the next five or six years?

Harris (NYC)

All I can say is that Rutgers is overrated..And a home loss vs. Maryland will put them back into place

Patrick (Louisville)

The Big 2 in the Big East (WVU and UL) over the past 3 years will be in the hunt. This year Rutgers and/or South Florida may play the role of spoiler, but I don't see either of them running the table. It will take a team running the table to get a shot at the championship game. Anyone remember how much grief the Big East got last year for competition, and then how well they did in the bowl games? Go Cards!

Ben (Columbus)

The Big East is extremely overrated.

Adam (ORegon)

WVU will have a tough road to a big east title but ultimately, they just have too much talent to be stopped in this conference.

Bill (Baltimore)

If anyone is delusional enough to think that anyone but WVU will win this conference, you're out of your mind. Louisville has the second-best QB in the conference, btw.

Nick (KY)

Kentucky will wreck Louisville's season on the 15th.

Chris (Louisville, KY)

Definitely the Cards again this year. Brohm is a legitimate Heisman candidate, Harry Douglas is the best receiver no one in the country will talk about, and we may have our best defense in a decade. It's all up to Coach Krag.

AJ (Morgantown, WV)

Rutgers and Louisville will be tough...but please. WVU's backfield is plain sick. Pat White, Owen Schmitt, Steve Slaton, Darius Reynaud, and now bring in Noel Devine? As long as the secondary holds no one will stop WVU this year

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

Harris is just mad your state has no home team. Be like the rest of NYC and jump on the bandwagon. Go ahead and claim RU.

Dave (Bethesda, MD)

I like South Florida alot this year. They play both Louisville and West Virginia at home, they have a very good QB in Matt Grothe, and they have a legimate Big East newcomer of the year in former 5 star recruit RB Mike Ford, and there defense didn't loose many starters. I think they finish second behind Louisville this year in the Big East.

Andrew (Philadelphia, PA)

What penalties and implications will occur with the charge of domestic dispute on the Rutgers assistant coach?

Matt (Hoboken, NJ)

WVU will be the champs. With the OL coach Alex Herron (former captain at USF) they will run circles around Big East defenses

Buzzmaster

  (12:15 PM)

What about the "other teams"? Any UConn, Cincy fans out there? How about Pitt?

Russ (Louisville)

why haven't the cards recieved any national title buzz with most of thier defensive starters back and with EVEN MORE options on their UNSTOPPABLE offensive attack? i'm reading news saying they might not even make the BCS bowl picture... with their schedual, they might go undefeated for the first time in school history, but not even get to the BCS title game? and whats this i'm hearing about a "plus-1" system, anytime soon?

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

the Big East is underrated Ben. Wisconsin beat nobody. And we saw what happened to Mich and OSU. I wonder who's REALLY overrated huh?

Meade (Greenville, SC)

I'd take 6 teams in the ACC over Rutgers

Scott (St. Marys, WV)

WVU's secondary last year was athletic, but young and inexperienced. They now have a year of experience under their belt plus a transfer from Michigan who should help immediately. Linebacker may be a bigger concern but the D is better overall. But, just a reminder, the offense is still incredible.

Marshall (Tampa, FL)

The Big East is not a 3 team race. You need to add the dark horse to the mix. USF would have beaten Rutgers last year if not for some of the worst officiating I've seen in years. The Bulls have a young offense with a year of experience, and plays both Louisville and WV at home this year. Look out for the Bulls.

rerun (SU)

what is the list of recruits that we have lost since mcnabb? vick, hart, brennan, the paulus brothers, ray rice, etc...

JJ(NJ)

Hey Ben in Columbus, How about you put a team on the field (or court) that could at least give a competetive effort. Talk about over-rated!

Gregg(Pompton Plains, NJ)

I think WVU will win the Big East, finish undefeated, and go on to play in the BCS Championship. Stopping, Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Noel Devine will be too tough for Big East foes. WVU could potentially have two or three 1,000 yard backs this year.

Dan (Tampa)

Oops theres another good college football program in Florida. Dont fall asleep on USF.

mike meriden ct

uconn fans are here but we know when to keep quiet

Travis (Louisville)

I think Louisville and West Virginia, but USF could be very sneaky.

Marshall (Tampa)

"Stopping, Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Noel Devine will be too tough for Big East foes." USF did it IN Morgantown last year.

Nick (KY)

USF is actually a pretty good .

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

the proves you are not a football fan Meade. the ACC was the worst major conference last year.

Michael (Connecticut)

UCONN need years and years before they can become beast of the East...

Jami, IN

Go Cards!!!

Robbie(Da Ville)

yall are crazy..brian brohm is the best QB in the country..so whoever said hes 2nd in the conference is crazy.. whos better?? pat white?? LOLOL YEA RIGHT HE CANT EVEN THROW 60 YARDS

cous:(philly)

Cuse does recruit big time players.... they just haven't worked out very well. boonah brinkley rushed for more yards than steve slaton in the philadelphia catholic league. He even broke Chris Downs' city record. Just hasn't done anything since. I think their problem is development not recruiting. They have a stud QB coming out of Malvern Prep (Ryan Nassib).... we'll see how that pans out.

lush, raleigh, nc

lousville's season will be over 9/29 when they lose to the much improved wolfpack under new head coach tom obrien

Mike (Maple Shade, NJ)

Does Maryland have a QB yet? Rutgers has the most favorable schedule - 8 home games, including MD, WVU and USF at home. The game at Louisville looks like a loss, but the games at SU, UConn, and Army are very winnable. RU has an excellent shot to be undefeated going into Louisville.

Patrick (Louisville)

UK fan has lost it. They ran away from UL the first game of the year, scheduling it where only ESPN Classic will pick up the coverage. UL offense will be clicking by the third game; UK had a better chance stealing a game at the start of the season. Fun game, but UL will prove victorious.

Boose (Louisville, KY)

WVU has the same backfield and Louisville has nearly the same defense as they had last year when Louisville dominated them. What is going to change this year other than WVU's defense went down?

Whitey (Huntington, WV)

This is the year the The Big East gets (2) BCS invites. With one of those invites being to the Big Dance. Brohm will win the Heisman, simply because he is the best player on that team. WVU has to many Big Time Players to pick just one. And dont think just because White and Slaton may go to the NFL after this season that WVU's reign is over. WE ARE RELOADING!!!! Gooooo Errrs

aj (morgantown, WV)

UCONN and SU will be the bottom of the barell this season. Cincy and Pitt may get a sneak win here and there, but as long as Wanny is in the burgh they're no real contender. I see WVU and UL of tier 1, rutgers and USF tier 2, and the rest tier 3 of the big east

Steve (Minneapolis, MN)

The Big East is way better than the crappy Big 10 (11). It's a very dull conference.

Ian (Salt Lake)

woo hoo bonus Buzz...kinda...

Marco (New Brunswick, NJ)

You guys are crazy if you don't think RU has a chance to win the Big East. WVU? ha, your mama called, you guys left your Defense at home again this year. Rutgers was a dropped pass away from the Orange bowl.

aj (morgantown, wv)

robbie, pat white doesn't need to throw a 60 yard bomb when he can run it for 70

Husky (Wethersfield, CT)

Can UConn become bowl eligible this season? Weak schedule and improvements at QB and in the kicking game could help. Still a few years away from BE title consideration in my view, but definitely a sleeping giant. Avid fan support, the best facilities in the country, and a school dedicated to success like the basketball program. That said, probably a 6th-8th place finish in 2007. Just hoping for 6 wins!

Jesus (Indy)

the Big East is overrated wvu will not make it to a bcs bowl game they will loose to UL. WVU will beat Rutgers. UL will win the big east. the pac-10 and big 10 and sec will kill these teams if they play each other.

Corey (CT)

UConn may not make much noise against the top of the Big East, but Edsall keeps bringing in some talented athletes that will beat who they're supposed to this year and be bowl eligible. They've got an extremely easy non-conference schedule and should make their second bowl.

Jeff (NJ)

Nobody ever mentions ucon football in the big east. We did make a bowl game in our second year od D 1 football. Maybe not this year but watch out in the next 5 uconn will be conteding for the big east champ.

Mike, Pittsburgh

Is there anything funnier than an Ohio State fan calling someone else 'overrated'??? Louisville would have beaten Florida in the Title game....or at least been competitive. Go 'Eers!!!

Ryan (Los Angeles, CA)

I love Big Ten fans who think everyone ELSE is over-rated. What a showing in the bowls, boys...wow! The Big East went 5-0 and have proved to be able to contend with the best of them. The Cards will run the table and show the nation the power of the Krag!

Todd D. (Charleston, WV)

Of course I have to say that WVU will win the Big East, but Louisville will give us a run for the money and could even beat us. South Florida is definitely the sleeper in the conference.

Patrick (Louisville)

White is a great running quarterback. If he can start completing passes, WVU offense will be a freight train. Now the 3-3-5 defense could use some work. Brohm picked it apart last year.

John Cena (West Newberry, MA)

Can Ray Rice accomplish what he did last year, or was last year a fluke?

Buzzmaster

  (12:23 PM)

Good question. Ray Rice, flash in the pan?

Chris (Glasgow, KY)

Louisville will plow over the Big East and go undefeated this year.

(Hagerstown,Md)

For all those people against the BIG EAST remember they went 5-0 in the bowl games last year.

Nick (KY)

Hey patrick, your just scared because UK is GOOD this year and the fact that everyone thinks Kentucky will BEAT your beloved cardinals. Go Cats !

jeremy (ohio)

FLUKE FOR SURE, GO BUCKS!!!

aj (morgantown, wv)

before you go knocking Pat White's completion percentage, please be knowledgable of it first. He was one of the most efficient QBs in the nation, he was just completing 12/15 a game instead of 30/40 like a typical throwing QB

Steve Slaton (Morgantown, WV)

I will eat all of you. UConn for breakfast, Louisville for dinner, and Rutgers as desert.

Boose (Louisville, KY)

Ray Rice will be figured out as will Rutgers' defense.

CT Hoboken, NJ

Hey Boose, The difference between last year WVU/UofL and this year is that Slaton had surgery to correct his injured wrist. He played all of last season with one arm. Wait till you see what he does with both working

Don Morgantown, WV.

I know anything can happen in college football, I remember back in 1982 when WVU went to Norman and shocked then number 1 Oklahoma 41-17. A lot of people believe that Louisville will beat WVU again this year to win the BE title, but I cant see them coming to Morgantown with a new coach and winning.

Aurelius (Louisville)

I fear no team on our schedule. Rutgers plays us at PJCS, no chance there. WVU is a great team, but I I feel like we don't even have to stop White or Slaton, juss keep 'em from scorin, like, three touchdowns a piece, and we'll win tha game, cause we'll put up plenty of points. And USF is definitely a spoiler team, but their defense has nothin for Brohm. Matter fact, no defense has anything for Brohm. One bad half last year doesn't change that. He'll take us to tha promised land for sure.

Steve (Minnespolis, MN)

Does Pitt still have a team? Or did Super Dave move it to the Mid-American Conference.

Buzzmaster

  (12:27 PM)

Ouch. Where are the Pitt fans out there? Speak up!

Eric (DC)

VT and Bell are not good. Coach Rod, I still love you!

Steve (Minneapolis, MN)

All Louisville has is Brohm, a new coach, UL 9-3 at best.

Kevin (Dayton)

UC is this years Rutgers. They will be in the race till the end with their great D and coach Kelly's new wide open offense.

J.R. (Cincinnati Ohio)

UC is just plain awful. It will come down to WVU and UL with WVU running all over the cards.

Sean (Boulder, CO)

Pitt fans are not talking because they have Dave coaching their team..

Steve (Minneapolis, MN)

Pitt fan, is there anyone who would admit to it?

josh (louisana)

big east talented but overrated only 3 games in that whole conference are worth watching. watch sec or big 12 football to see some gridiron mayhem

aj (morgantown, wv)

Pitt has a team, "they just gotta get faster". Pitt will recruit well and continue to do so under Wanny because of his NFL resume, but the man is a bust, and Pitt needs to realize that soon if they want to be back in contention in the BIG EAST.

Corey (CT)

Ever since Pitt went back to the 'Pitt' helmets, people have lost all respect for them.

Crash (ATL)

No one was going to beat Florida that night. Pick whichever night you want.

Paul (Winston-Salem, NC)

I love Wannstache. I hope he stays at Pitt forever. As long as he is there they will never be able to compete with WVU!

Dan (Tampa)

The true test for USF will be week 2 at Auburn. If they come out with a win, look out.

Scott Washinton, DC

HAHA, is that a joke or question. Who wants to admit that thier a PItt fan! Go EERS!

Adam (Middletown, CT)

1. WVU 2. UL 3. USF 4. UC 5. RU 6. Pitt 7. UConn 8. Cuse

Hilary Upton (Jackson, MS)

Look out for my Louisville Cardinals. They're cute

Scott Washignton, DC

Ray Rice benifited from the blocking Of Leonard, and will not be nearly as productive as he was a blocking force and defenses keyed on him to allow Rice more opportunities to run the ball

Steve ( Florida)

You better look behind you because here come the Bulls, hard and fast.

Jason (New York, NY)

I joined a little late, but I cannot believe the SU support. Don't expect great things this year from them. It will take about 3-4 years for that team to really mesh and work well together. We'll see if Greg Robinson is still around for it though.

Nick (KY)

It will be armaggedon when USF beats Auburn.

Boose (Louisville, KY)

I wish Louisville was in the SEC so they coudl get W's against UK, Vandy, Ole Miss and Miss St. every year. There are not 4 easy wins like that in the Big East.

Josue (Murrieta, CA)

Who cares about the Big East, Louiville is going to run away with it. Its all about the Big 10 and the Wolverines

Os (Piscataway, NJ)

Scott, you are right, we will miss Leonard. But the OL has gotten better. A great class is coming in. and Teel and our WR's are only gonna get better.

Chris (New Haven)

Uconn beats Louisville in East Hartford this fall.

Ronald McDonald (New York, NY)

Where is Connecticut's love? Ray Rice will own the Big East, and Slaton is a bust.

Mark (Richmond, VA)

Take you're shots at Pitt while you can. They have had the best recruiting classes in the conference the last two years, and and looking to make it three in a row. 2008 Big East Champs!

Baltimore, Maryland

3 words for you: Slaton, Reynaud, and White. WVU would be the best team in any conference. Go Mountaineers!!

Armando (Linden, NJ)

This is beautiful....WVU and UL is getting all this attention, the country is sleeping on Rutgers again. That's a beautiful thing, because when they are BIg East champs, people will be scratching their heads and asleep.

Jedd (Fairfield, CT

Do you think it's finally RU's time? I have been a fan forever and I just hope they weren't one year wonders last year. Thoughts?

BJ (Bronx, NY)

Just a hint for the rest of the BIG EAST. Don't focus too much on Ray Rice, RU will have a dangerous passing game!

rerun (SU)

no one is expecting "great things", but a bowl game is not out of the question...yes, rebuilding takes a while, the point is, a team with the storied history of SU should never have to "rebuild"...retool, yes. rebuild, no.

Tyler D (Cherryville, NC)

Yes, Ray Rice and co. it is Rutger's time.

Chiris (Milwaukee)

Rutgers will win the Big East, plain and simple

Jared, Murrysville PA

Amen to what Mark in VA said...take your shots while you can becasue as he said Pitt has had the best recruiting class by far in the BE the last two years...just go look on Rivals.com.

JESUS (INDY)

Ok the big east went 5-0 in bowl games last year but the teams UL played weak Wake forrest in the acc and WVU beat a weak georgia tech in the acc. No joke if UL or WVU plays USC or Florida they would get dominated.

Ben (Columbus)

How was the Big East not overrated? Rutgers was one of the best teams, and WVU has no D and Pat White can't throw against a decent secondary. Those teams would get slaughtered in a real conference. And Louisville played Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl!

Nick (WV)

Slaton a bust??? What are you talkin about Ronald....Rice is good i will give you that but Slaton will not be a bust....pass what your smoking.

Aurelius (Louisville)

All we have is Brohm? Yeah, a'ight. And tha best recieving corps in tha nation. And about four first-string caliber running backs. Which adds up to a top-5 offense. And thats not even considering our D or special teams (great d-line as usual, best kicker in tha nation, etc. etc.).

Jay (Da Ville)

Louisville should be the Big East Champ. WVU is a solid team and the biggest compitetion for Louisville this year. If that game is like any of the last few...it is going to be a good one. Can't wait

JJ (NJ)

Now Boose you have to go play: LSU, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina .....Let's see how well you do without Bobby P?

jgunn86 toledo

Yeah but Pittsburgh won't get Terrelle Pryor he's coming to The Ohio State University.

Eddie (Hoboken, NJ)

RU will prove they were not a flash in the pan!

Steve (Minneapolis, MN)

Who cares about recruiting if you can't coach them. If the kids think that Pitt is the NFL ticket they haven't been watching 6-6 Pitt.

Eric (Dalton, GA)

Cincinnati has to be the darkhorse team to be a danger of the top teams in the league. They lost very little from a Soph dominated team that won 7 of their last 9. They pounded Rutgers and South Florida into dust... nearly beat Louisville.

J.R. (Cincinnati Ohio)

WVU beat a Rutgers team without Pat White last year. Read that again

DJ Gainesville, FL

WVU beat Rutgers W/O Patt White and Steve Slaton was injured. Hmm, math says those 2 plus some D =win

Jeremy (Scottsdale Arizona)

I worry about WVU's pass rush against UL. Last year Brohm and his WR's were playing catch......

Mike (Maple Shade, NJ)

I don't know if anyone can run the West Coast Offense on the college level. I think Syracuse has another version of Terry Shea and that didn't work out for Rutgers.

Joe (Boston)

You're crazy if you think "all Louisville has is Brohm." yeah, one of the front-runners for the Heisman. Brohm will pick apart WVU's secondary, I don't care how "athletic" they are. And no chance Rutgers walks in to Louisville and wins. The 'Ville runs the regular-season table.

Scott (morristown, NJ)

Rutgers Offense will put up the points. They will be much more balanced with emerging stars at the wide out position and Teel coming into his own. I would be more worried about the defense. Having to replace 2 LB and a DT like meekins wont be easy. Still hard to imagine a season with less than 8 wins.

Kevin (Dayton)

Rutgers got blown out by UC last year. UC had a horrible offense last year too. They will be dangerous in the new spread offense.

Jonathon (Storrs, CT)

Donald Brown = best RB noone knows about. Brown and Zack Frazer make one heck of a backfield for the Huskies in 2008-2009!

R.J. (Newport, KY)

UC is a real danger if the offense can run the new offense at least adequately. That defense is staunch.

Brock Morgantown

WVUs defense is going to step it up this year and make it so the Offense doesnt have to just outscore other teams this year

Thomas, Pittsburgh

I think Pitt will definitely win the big east. Wannstedt's ability to develop players and make them run faster is second to none.

Shawn Maysel, WV

You gotta play defense to win?? As big a Mountaineer fan that I am, I am concerned over the defensive side of the ball. Throw the 3-3-5 out and but some big guys up front so we can stop the run and get some pressure on the quarterback!!!!!!!!

tom (nj)

Rutgers will win their share of games, but simply because of their incredibly easy schedule. (buffalo, army, navy, norfolk state???) It's hard to take them seriously though with a schedule like that. They'll come back down to earth when WVU and LOU simply run all over them.

Steve (Minneapolis)

UCONN, you ought to wait for Basketball season, it ain't happening in football 5-7

Mike (Maple Shade, NJ)

Pitt is a year away from contending. Next year they get UL, RU, and WVU at home.

Jerry

The SEC fans in here talking smack b/c their wounds are still fresh from the home loss UGA took to WVU two years ago.

Roger, Cincinnati

Thomas, Pittsburgh: I think Pitt will definitely win the big east. Wannstedt's ability to develop players and make them run faster is second to none. TOO FUNNY!

Brian (Naperville, IL)

I think the new coach will hurt Louisville in the close games versus Pitt and WVU. He doesn't know what a big time game feels like with two prestegious football schools.

Luis (East Los Angeles)

Bearcats always look strong in the All-Black. The inspire fear in their opponents.

Joe (Boston)

Louisville was an offsides call away from being in the national championship...with a better defense, Brohm still leading the way, and Rutgers at home, how are they not the favorites to win? WVU won't be able to stop Brohm.

Buzzmaster

  (12:47 PM)

Thanks for stopping by for this special Big East Football Media Day chat! We're going to try to do this for the other conferences as well. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for stopping by!