The former Big East of the 2000s in 2025

[shizzle787]

#15 Louisville 7-2 (4-2 ACC)
#24 Pittsburgh 7-2 (5-1 ACC)
Cincinnati 7-2 (5-1 Big 12)
South Florida 7-2 (4-1 American)
UConn 7-3
Rutgers 5-5 (2-5 Big 10)
WVU 4-6 (2-5 Big 12)
Syracuse 3-7 (1-6 ACC)

 

[Coult]

No one wants more lamenting on what could have been, but I think every single school here would be happier with this grouping as opposed to where they currently are, when only considering the on field product.

 

[freescooter]

You left out BC. 1-9 (0-6 ACC).

 

[B1GEast]

No one wants more lamenting on what could have been, but I think every single school here would be happier with this grouping as opposed to where they currently are, when only considering the on field product.

I doubt that. I think they are all much happier that their universities are getting $25 million a year, scheduling bigger name teams, having decent bowl tie ins and actually being on major cable outlets.

No one on the other side is reminiscing of the old Big East

 

[Palatine]

 

[freescooter]

I doubt that. I think they are all much happier that their universities are getting $25 million a year, scheduling bigger name teams, having decent bowl tie ins and actually being on major cable outlets.

No one on the other side is reminiscing of the old Big East

I don’t know. Read BC Interruption now and then. I do it for a laugh once in a while. After losing to us they wanted to join the Ivy League where like academic institutions are (LOL) Now they are a better academic institution than Notre Dame and Georgetown! You know when you are bragging about academics on your football site it ain’t going well.

 

[Kolumbo]

I doubt that. I think they are all much happier that their universities are getting $25 million a year, scheduling bigger name teams, having decent bowl tie ins and actually being on major cable outlets.

No one on the other side is reminiscing of the old Big East

It's tough to say because we have no idea what could have been. I'm pretty sure WVU, cuse, bcu would be in a much better place right now.

Temple 5-5 (3-3 American)
bcu 1-9 (0-6 ACC)
Virginia Tech 3-6 (2-3 ACC)
Miami? 7-2 (3-2 ACC)

If the Big East had remained as a P6 there is no telling which other programs would have joined and what the tv deals would be

Boise State
SDSU
TCU
Houston
Memphis
UCF

 

[DoctorWho85]

It's tough to say because we have no idea what could have been. I'm pretty sure WVU, cuse, bcu would be in a much better place right now.

Temple 5-5 (3-3 American)
bcu 1-9 (0-6 ACC)
Virginia Tech 3-6 (2-3 ACC)
Miami? 7-2 (3-2 ACC)

If the Big East had remained as a P6 there is no telling which other programs would have joined and what the tv deals would be

Boise State
SDSU
TCU
Houston
Memphis
UCF

None of the above. I doubt if the original big east with UConn would want any of those schools had they managed to stay together. You have to think that the TV deals for both football and basketball would be better than the ACC so the Big East might have been able to pull VA, Maryland and maybe FSU. Duke and UNC would never leave because they run the conference and I don't know if the Big East would have wanted Clemson or GT if things flushed out differently.

 

[B1GEast]

I don’t know. Read BC Interruption now and then. I do it for a laugh once in a while. After losing to us they wanted to join the Ivy League where like academic institutions are (LOL) Now they are a better academic institution than Notre Dame and Georgetown! You know when you are bragging about academics on your football site it ain’t going well.

That's probably the exception. They haven't done anything since getting into the ACC except collect a nice check.

They at least were competitive in basketball in the old Big East.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

Them and Syracuse kept us out. They told the ACC that once Calhoun retired, we would go back to being in the cellar.

 

[Coult]

I doubt that. I think they are all much happier that their universities are getting $25 million a year, scheduling bigger name teams, having decent bowl tie ins and actually being on major cable outlets.

No one on the other side is reminiscing of the old Big East

I attempted to specify "on-field product" because with the politics of it all, none of the teams in a P4 would willingly depart it, even in a hypothetical. Understood on the point of bigger name teams, but I do think that is offset by more local , intense rivalries week in and week out. In addition a more consistent level of competition for the entire grouping would make each of the teams better in the long run and protect against the same teams being stuck in the cellar.

 

[B1GEast]

I attempted to specify "on-field product" because with the politics of it all, none of the teams in a P4 would willingly depart it, even in a hypothetical. Understood on the point of bigger name teams, but I do think that is offset by more local , intense rivalries week in and week out. In addition a more consistent level of competition for the entire grouping would make each of the teams better in the long run and protect against the same teams being stuck in the cellar.

I agree and understand what you are saying, but when UCLA and USC left the PAC 12 for the B1G Ten, that signaled that expansion money was more important than regional rivalries.

I could never envision a world of college football of the Rose Bowl without the original PAC 12 members competing to play in that game.

In 2026 the Rose Bowl will make arrangements with other conferences.

That traditional game has been a fixture of the PAC 12 since the late 40's

 

[Purple Stein]

Have been meaning to sim out a 2025 Big East season. Some day, when time is more free, I'll see how things shake out!

 

[jostar1]

That's probably the exception. They haven't done anything since getting into the ACC except collect a nice check.

They at least were competitive in basketball in the old Big East.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

Them and Syracuse kept us out. They told the ACC that once Calhoun retired, we would go back to being in the cellar.

I never heard that Syracuse kept us out.

 

[Jax Husky]

You'll never convince me that every school that left the Big East football conference would not have been better off having stayed in it. Every single one. A shame what they chose, now every school has no power instead of having a football conference covering the entire northeast that would have been better than the remaining ACC (led by Virginia and Duke).

ETA: Rutgers and BCU would be the only schools that benefitted more having left

 

[B1GEast]

I never heard that Syracuse kept us out.

That quote about UConn after Calhoun:s retirement came from.Jim Boeheim.

You won't find it in print media but there's a YouTube documentary on the old BE and sources claim that behind the scenes Boeheim had expressed that sentiment

 

[Scrutineer]

You left out BC. 1-9 (0-6 ACC).

Well, they are pretty forgettable......

 

[Scrutineer]

I doubt that. I think they are all much happier that their universities are getting $25 million a year, scheduling bigger name teams, having decent bowl tie ins and actually being on major cable outlets.

No one on the other side is reminiscing of the old Big East

BCU? Their alums have to have about had it with the way their fortunes have declined not only in football but also both men's and women's basketball. They were decent to good even fifteen years ago.

 

[Jax Husky]

BCU? Their alums have to have about had it with the way their fortunes have declined not only in football but also both men's and women's basketball. They were decent to good even fifteen years ago.

Yes, what has all that money gotten them? That money didn't go into the school's coffers, it just went towards them trying to keep up with the rate race. In the meantime, they have traded away every single ounce of regional cache they once had, and are an afterthought nationally. UConn is the lone shining star of all of those former foes frankly.

 

[Blades]

It's tough to say because we have no idea what could have been. I'm pretty sure WVU, cuse, bcu would be in a much better place right now.
If the Big East had remained as a P6 there is no telling which other programs would have joined and what the tv deals would be

Boise State
SDSU
TCU
Houston
Memphis
UCF

Yeah, remember when it was the Big East looking far west (and almost happened, with it's NYC welcoming) not the other way around

 

[ScottVib]

That was from last year. UConn declined, I don't believe the money was there.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

That's probably the exception. They haven't done anything since getting into the ACC except collect a nice check.

They at least were competitive in basketball in the old Big East.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

Them and Syracuse kept us out. They told the ACC that once Calhoun retired, we would go back to being in the cellar.

Interesting. I may have posted a couple times on a Massachusetts sports radio site that pops up on my FB feed lately, and may have inflamed some UMass and BC fans with my polite comments. May have mentioned 38,000 for the Duke game, and was promptly told by a couple guys that "you'll be back in the basement when Mora gets poached." Same old rhetoric. It didn't make me feel bad, though. I was OK.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

That quote about UConn after Calhoun:s retirement came from.Jim Boeheim.

You won't find it in print media but there's a YouTube documentary on the old BE and sources claim that behind the scenes Boeheim had expressed that sentiment

It must have been pretty obscure or well hidden, at least according to Google AI:

It is widely reported that Jim Boeheim made comments praising Jim Calhoun's program-building legacy, stating he did more with UConn than any other coach, but there is no evidence he ever said UConn basketball would be "in the cellar" after Calhoun left.
In fact, the search results indicate the opposite:

• Boeheim expressed immense respect for Calhoun, calling his program-building achievement the "greatest building job in college basketball history" because UConn wasn't a national power before his arrival.
• When Calhoun was absent from the sidelines due to health issues, Boeheim praised the team's continued strong play as a "great tribute to George [Blaney] and the kids themselves," not predicting their downfall.
• When Calhoun retired, he and Boeheim spoke highly of their long-standing rivalry and mutual respect.

The phrase "in the cellar" seems to be an invention or a misremembered quote, as all sourced information shows Boeheim having a high opinion of the program Calhoun built. The user's query might be a conflation of the conference realignment discussions at the time, where the stability of the Big East without key teams was a topic of conversation, but not specifically UConn's program itself being in the cellar.

 

[JwittersPAC]

BCU? Their alums have to have about had it with the way their fortunes have declined not only in football but also both men's and women's basketball. They were decent to good even fifteen years ago.

BCU has caused their own problems. Start spending money instead of pocketing the ACC fees.