So do we totally forget about UCF's #10 finish and the Fiesta Bowl Victory over Baylor? East Carolina is better than Pitt, Cuse and Rutgers, although Rutgers is the most improved. I would agree that Ville is probably the best team. Houston, SMU and Tulsa should improve. Many knock the American but if they stay in tact and get a better TV deal, I can see them on a par with the ACC one day. As it's been said a Million times we need more $$$! And yes, if we got an offer from the B1G or ACC we should jump in a heartbeat. That doesn't look like it is happening any time soon so rather than be a malcontent, I am doing my best to look at the glass half full.
Nobody likes the glass being half full more than me, believe me! But what you're talking is crazy talk. And that's coming from "Mr. 13-0".
Compare our current AAC head-to-head against either the 2007 version of the Big East or the 2011 version of the Big East (to be fair in covering a larger portion of the recent history):
2007
#6 WVU vs. Memphis
#25 UConn vs. 2014 Cincy
#17 Cincy vs. UCF
USF vs. ECU
Rutgers vs. Houston
Louisville vs. Temple
Pitt vs. 2014 USF
Syracuse vs. Tulane
I won't even count the crapstorms that were 2014 UConn, SMU, and Tulsa. Head-to-head, the 2007 Big East would absolutely destroy the AAC. That WVU team beat Oklahoma in a BCS game by 20 points. UCF would have no chance against a Brian Kelly Cincy team. And I would like our 2007 version's chances against the current Cincy team without a doubt. The rest are self-explanatory.
2011
#17 WVU vs. Memphis
#25 Cincy vs. 2014 Cincy
Louisville vs. UCF
Rutgers vs. ECU
Pitt vs. Houston
UConn vs.Temple
USF vs. 2014 USF
Syracuse vs. Tulane
Not even close. That is the WVU team that laid 70 on Clemson in a BCS bowl. Cincy was way better than Cincy. The rest are self-explanatory yet again.
I don't even know if the head-to-head matchups would result in even 1 victory for the AAC in either year. That's the problem. UConn, USF, and Cincy have to get their stuff together again. And UCF, Houston, Memphis, and Temple have to keep building on their momentum. Can we be a really good conference in the near future? Yes. But we are DEFINITELY NOT the Big East...