Predicted Order of Finish
1. West Virginia 9-2, 5-1
2. Boston College 8-3, 5-1
3. Syracuse 6-5, 4-2
4. Pittsburgh 6-5, 3-3
5. Rutgers 6-5, 2-4
6. Connecticut 6-5, 2-4
7. Temple 1-10, 0-8

Big Win
(WVU) @Va Tech 10/2, BC 11/13
(BC) Penn St 9/11
(Syracuse) --
(Pittsburgh) --
(Rutgers) Michigan St 9/4
(UConn) West Virginia 10/13
(Temple) --

Upset Loss
(WVU) @UConn 10/13
(BC) @Notre Dame 10/23
(Syracuse) --
(Pittsburgh) @Syracuse 11/6
(Rutgers) @Vanderbilt 10/9
(UConn) --
(Temple) --

Readily Rising Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights are starting to toe the line of success. Greg Schiano brought a vibrant winning attitude to New Brunswick four years ago, and slowly but surely, the wins are coming. Rutgers returns the most starters (16, plus two kickers) ever under Schiano, along with 49 lettermen. While they're still one year away from something really special, it all starts this season. Home games against Michigan State, West Virginia and UConn give them ample opportunity to steal two or three wins and quickly vault themselves into the bowl picture. Since their arrival, Schiano and his staff have been dipping into (the state of) Florida's boiling pot of recruits. Sooner than later, the Knights will propel to the top of this marginally weaker conference. The Knights possess the returning talent and the coaching staff to really come from behind. The key will be Ryan Hart. If the junior responds to challenges he and his mentors pose for the upcoming season, this will be a team in the hunt for the Big East title by the end of October. Mark it down right now.

Free Falling Temple
Somebody please put the Owls out of their misery. They haven't had a winning season in 14 years; heck, they've only had five successful campaigns in the last thirty! They've been held out of a bowl game for 25 consecutive seasons, and the last conference championship the Owls claimed was in 1964! Temple is in their last year of the Big East, and, while there's speculation as to where they'll end up next, nobody's jumping at the bit to claim them. Bobby Wallace is likely in his last season in Philly, before he'll get a second chance from somebody in Division I-AA or II, where he was a legendary coach at North Alabama.

Most to Prove Boston College
The Eagles will be given the cold shoulder by their Big East brethren. They enter their final year in the conference before jumping to the ACC, and the six other schools will certainly line up to play with some extra resentment. Still, the Eagles must prove first and foremost that they are as good as advertised. BC carries as much talent as (conference favorite) West Virginia and will be considered a disappointment if they finish any lower than second.

Chappy's 2004 All-Big East Team
QB Dan Orlovsky (sr)- UConn
RB Kay Jay Harris (sr)- West Virginia
RB Walter Reyes (sr)- Syracuse
WR Grant Adams (sr)- Boston College
WR Chris Henry (jr)- West Virginia
WR Shawn Tucker (jr)- Rutgers
TE David Kashetta (sr)- Boston College
OT Adam Terry (sr)- Syracuse
OG Jeff Berk (sr)- West Virginia
C Matt Tarullo (sr)- Syracuse
OG John Glass (jr)- Rutgers
OT Rob Petitti (sr)- Pittsburgh

DE Mathias Kiwanuka (jr)- Boston College
DT Ben Lynch (sr)- West Virginia
DT Nate Robinson (so)- Rutgers
DE James Wyche (jr)- Syracuse
OLB Maurice Lloyd (sr)- UConn
ILB Rian Wallace (jr)- Temple
ILB Adam Lehnortt (sr)- West Virginia
OLB Brian Bennett (so)- Pittsburgh
CB Adam Jones (jr)- West Virginia
FS Anthony Smith (jr)- Syracuse
SS Jarvis Johnson (sr)- Rutgers
CB Will Blackmon (jr)- Boston College

K Collin Barber (sr)- Syracuse
P Brendan Carey (so)- Syracuse
KR Adam Jones (jr)- West Virginia
PR Tres Moses (jr)- Rutgers

Offensive Player of the Year RB Walter Reyes- Syracuse
Defensive Player of the Year CB Will Blackmon- Boston College
Special Teams Player of the Year RS/ST Adam Jones- West Virginia
Freshman of the Year QB Joe Fields- Syracuse

Big East's Top Units:
Offense
Backfield West Virginia
Starters QB Rasheed Marshall, RB Kay Jay Harris, FB Hikee Johnson
Backups QB Charles Hales, QB Adam Bednarik, RB Jason Colson, RB Erick Phillips, FB Curtis Holden
Potential Help from Newcomers RB Pernell Williams, QB Pat White, QB Tyler Benoit, QB T.J. Mitchell
Next Best UConn

Receivers Rutgers
Starters WR Shawn Tucker, WR Tres Moses, TE Clark Harris
Backups WR Marcus Daniels, WR Jerry Andre, WR Donny Diaz, WR Chris Baker, TE Ray Pilch, TE Chris Loomis, TE Sam Johnson
Potential Help from Newcomers WR Keith Taylor
Next Best West Virginia

Offensive Line West Virginia
Starters OT Mike Watson, OG Dan Mozes, C Jeremy Hines, OG Jeff Berk, OT Tim Brown
Backups OT Josh Stewart, OG Travis Garrett, C Hampton Rose, OG Jeremy Sheffy, OT Garin Justice
Potential Help from Newcomers OT John Bradshaw, C Ryan Stanchek, OG Ben Iannachione
Next Best Syracuse

Defense
Defensive Line Boston College
Starters DE Mathias Kiwanuka, DT Tim Bulman, DT Alvin Washington, DE Phillip Mettling
Backups DE Jake Ottolini, DT Justin Bell, DT Daniel Zepp, DT Ryan Thompson, DT Robert Ziminski, DE Nick Larkin
Potential Help from Newcomers DE Jerry Willette, DT Ron Brace
Next Best West Virginia

Linebackers UConn
Starters WLB Maurice Lloyd, MLB Alfred Fincher, HUS James Hargrave
Backups WLB Taurien Sowell, MLB Darius Leak, HUS Kinnan Harriott, WLB Mike Hall, MLB Danny Lansanah, HUS Ryan Henegan
Potential Help from Newcomers LB Maurice McClellan, LB Johnathan Smith
Next Best West Virginia

Defensive Backs Boston College
Starters CB Peter Shean, CB Will Blackmon, FS T.J. Stancil, SS Jazmen Williams
Backups CB Brad Mueller, CB DeJuan Tribble, CB Larry Anam, FS Taji Morris, SS Ryan Glasper
Potential Help from Newcomers FS Kevin Akins
Next Best (tie) West Virginia and Syracuse

Special Teams Syracuse
Starters PK Collin Barber, P Brendan Carney, KR Damien Rhodes, PR Marcus Clayton
Backups PK Ricky Krautman, KR Steve Gregory
Potential Help from Newcomers None
Next Best West Virginia

Top Five Offenses
1. West Virginia
2. UConn
3. Boston College
4. Rutgers
5. Pittsburgh

Top Five Defenses
1. Boston College
2. West Virginia
3. Rutgers
4. Syracuse
5. Pittsburgh

Impact Games Chappy's Pick
10/16 Boston College at Pittsburgh
10/20 Syracuse at West Virginia
10/23 Rutgers at Pittsburgh
11/13 Boston College at West Virginia
11/27 Syracuse at Boston College

Chappy's Nutshell
Mike Tranghese doubles as both the Big East's and BCS's commissioner. Think it's a coincidence this lowly conference maintained their automatic BCS bid? Talk contracts all you want, there's nothing that will convince me (going into the season) that this collection of teams is more deserving of an automatic bid than the better mid-majors in the likes of the MAC, Mountain West, or Conference USA. West Virginia is in the driver's seat, though they're vastly overrated by the media. They'll win the conference, but going undefeated seems unlikely, with non-conference obstacles against Maryland (who has owned them as of late) and at Virginia Tech. Boston College will challenge, but they'll leave here as the second-best team of the litter. Keep an eye out for Rutgers, and against all odds, Syracuse, who will maintain coach P, despite season-long talks of dismissal. This conference will improves next year, with the additions of Cincinnati, Louisville, and USF.