The Big East blog poll was what we thought it was. And it would not let us off the hook. Twenty voters — commentors, contributors and my ballot to the Big East — managed to predict a tie for the top spot in the conference — it comes with a mega asterisk I’ll explain later — and a clear top-four … as well as a bottom two. Five teams got between two and eight first-place votes and only three got a last-place vote — and this is where that mega asterisk reappears.

Pitt and WVU both received 133 points in a system where a first-place vote gets eight points and a last-place vote gets one. The Mountaineers received eight first-place votes to Pitt’s five, so I should put WVU atop the poll. However, someone gave Pitt a last-place vote and that skews the poll greatly. Take out that last-place vote and Pitt received only first-, second- and third-place votes. WVU received first-place through sixth-place votes and generated this type of feedback.

mgwftw says:

I think this is the year that it falls apart…

roopoo says:

I will eat my pants if WVU isn’t in the top four of this league.

Homer says:

I think a lot of these predictions are BENDING, BENDING, BENDING…

Onto the poll!

Pitt: 

1. Pitt: 133 points, five first-place votes, picked first through eighth, most commonly picked second

Survey says: Wanney has been riding a wave since Dec ‘07, it finally crests.

Talent. Inexperienced QB will hide behind Lewis, Baldwin & strong D.

Their season could be scuttled before they get to BE play. Utah, Miami, and ND propel into a great year or crush them before they get started. I’m guessing 2-1 out of these 3 out of conference games. Two losses in conference (out of WVU, UCONN, and Cinncinnati).

Abundant talent + Dave Wannstedt = unfulfilled expectations.

Having the most talent has never meant conference championships under Dave Wannstedt.

In spite of the Stache… Lewis and a good D

It kills me to pick them, but they have the players to overcome the coaching…

2. West Virginia: 133 points, eight first-place votes, picked first through sixth, most commonly picked first

Survey says: Mullen pushes all the right buttons, since Doc is in Huntington and Mullen no longer has to fight him for the keyboard.

More offensive struggles with weak WRs and OC who wants to pass.

Unbridled enthusiasm. Militant homerism. Temporary insanity. The afterglow of a long weekend. The eternal springing of hope.

Stew finally puts it together. Geno is the real deal and Noel has his most complete season yet.

After a rough start with the worst starting QB in the Big East — Eugene Smith, who eventually goes down to injury — the Mounties look to the future by giving play time to their corps of young backups.

Even with Geno’s inexperience, I’m seeing only 1 loss in conference (out of UCONN/Pitt). Maybe a little too much Mountain Dew, but I could see 10 or 11 wins before the bowl.

Why not? All the pieces are there and they have a coach who is on Twitter – The young lads get it done this year and get back to a BCS game.

a note to jeff mullen – please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeease dont be a weirdo this year. just run the offense.

3. Connecticut: 119 points, three first-place votes, picked first through sixth, most commonly picked fourth

Edsall is a growing man…about to put on his big boy pants and finally has his eye on the prize.

Close, but no Lewinsky for Edsell

They play Pitt, WVU and Cincinnati at home and were extremely unlucky last year

Very well could win the BE this year with the 3 toughest conference games at home. One loss in conference (WVU/Pitt/Cinn) — my biggest hope for their season is a big win in week 1 in the Big House.

Solid program, solid coach, ride the momentum from their season opening victory in the Big House

Because I like Randay Edsall.

Where finishing third in a weaker conference gets your name on the short list for major job openings. Never understood that.

This is a team that learned its new offense and how to close the deal in the second half of the season. They’ll be more ready this time.

Am I nuts? Did I forget about them and am to lazy to go back and edit my comment? (Maybe) However, Beano told me in my dream that they will have a terrible year

4. Cincinnati: 112 points, two first-place votes, picked first through sixth, most commonly picked fourth 

Survey says: Butch rallies the troops, but can’t get “The Call” in Motown.

Jones/Collaros make great combo but won’t catch breaks this year.

I foresee another seamless transition from Kelly to Jones

I’m thinking 3-4 lossses in the BE and a loss to OU out of conference, as much as I hope they beat them.

Strong QB play somewhat negated by coaching transition and the absence of x-factor Mardy Gilyard.

New Coach Transitional Blues and no Brian Kelly

Butch Jones pretty much is Brian Kelly

Butch Jones steps in for Brian Kelly and keeps the momentum going, just like he did at Central Michigan.

5. South Florida: 88 points, two first-place votes, picked first through sixth, most commonly picked sixth

Survey says: Holtz wishes he could skip his first year.

maybe a little growing pains, but could surprise everyone…we’ll see.

BJ Daniels can’t win games by himself. No backs or receivers for bulls.

Tough road conference games (WVU and Cincinnati) are early, but USF always seems to fumble a game they should win away…

B.J. Daniels and Skip Holtz share some growing pains.

I think they will be a force in years to come, but see above about new coach.

Skip needs time

Treated to a roster full of BCS-level players for the firts time, Skip Holtz gets it done in mid-season, where his predecessor always flamed out.

I like Skip Holtz – they will be scary in a few years…

Skip Holtz is going to have to grab his team by their throats and slap them in their faces (figuratively speaking).

6. Rutgers: 71 points, picked third through sixth, most commonly picked sixth

Survey says: Too busy waiting for the phone to ring.

remaining stagnant at the middle of the pack. Better than the bottom where they used to be. Can we go ahead and auction them off to B10?

Savage puts up solid numbers but surrounding talent not as good.

Tom Savage’s back will be killing him from carrying the Scarlet Knights.

The Birthplace should be renamed the Graveyard of College Football. The sooner Schiano can get to Penn State, the better off he will be. Keep choppin’, brother.

They’ll be mired in a season-long funk after being stood up by the Big Ten, which may become known in Piscataway as the Big Tease.

A rebuilding year of sorts in Piscataway.

Something is wrong with this team. The talent level is much better, but they can not get over the hump.

7. Louisville: 35 points, picked fifth through eighth, most commonly picked seventh

Survey says: Love the Strong hire, but even Tebow couldn’t save this team.

New coach, new energy, same old bad talent, for now…

Somebody has to be 7th

Sorry Charlie, Vince Lombardi couldn’t pull 5 wins out of this team

This team just has too many problems right now to compete

Charlie Strong arrives with accolades and will have the Cards playing hard again, but he isn’t a miracle-worker

They will go backwards playing Strong’s guys….they will be better by the end of the year. Wish we had them earlier.

Strong is the answer, just not this year!

Chuck Strong will win a game or two this year because defensive scheme can beat offensive talent.

Strong is beginning to wonder if he will be around long enough to recruit enough players to make a team.

what happened? My God, pick up the pieces already!

8. Syracuse: 29 points, picked seventh and eighth, most commonly picked eighth

Survey says: Better, but someone has to be last.

Steady improvement, just misses bowl eligibility

The Orange do just enough to squeak into a lower-rung bowl.

The Orange manage to step off the conference’s bottom rung, but that’s about it for the once-proud program. Decidedly not tremendous from Doug Marrone’s standpoint.

They will be better this year and will win at least 2 conference games.

Are they even fielding a team?

Unfortunately for the Orangemen, Jon Scheyer does not have any eligibility remaining.

Won’t finish higher until they can find that elusive steady QB.

Still trying to undo the progress made by Michigan’s D-coach.