HERTZEL COLUMN - Plenty of great matchups on Big East slate

By Bob Hertzel

MORGANTOWN — Perhaps a dotted line should have been included around this column, for it is certainly one of those clip-and-save pieces.

It is a keeper not for its priceless prose, for there is none, nor for the deep insight that will be presented, for it is far too early to have much insight into the way the 2009 season will play out.

It is, instead, offered as a public service, giving you a chance to plan your autumn around the biggest games the Big East has to offer this year.

Monday, Sept. 7: A good kickoff game, to be sure, with a national television audience, as Cincinnati opens its defense of the Big East championship without much of a defense against a Rutgers team that may be better than anyone believes or could be worse than anyone wants to believe.

By this time West Virginia University will be 1-0 with an easy Saturday victory over Liberty.

Saturday, Sept. 12: The spotlight falls on WVU for the first time and this is a game that will give off all kinds of signals as to just how good the Mountaineers will be. East Carolina comes to Morgantown riding the crest of last year’s upset and looking to make it two straight over WVU. WVU’s heart, determination and ability will be measured for the first time right here.

The other Big East game this day worth keeping an eye on has North Carolina, a Top 25 pick after its 31-30 loss to WVU last year in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, at Connecticut.

Saturday, Sept. 19: WVU takes its act on the road against an Auburn team looking for revenge and respect in as tough a setting as the Mountaineers will see all season. This is a five-star game on this schedule and will truly challenge the WVU offense.

Navy and Pitt rumble in a 6 p.m. game at Heinz Field in the day’s only other game of real interest.

Saturday, Sept. 26: The non-conference game of the day as the Mountaineers are off is one in which the Big East can really take a big bite out of the criticism against it as South Florida visits Florida State and Bobby Bowden. Win this one and, well, the world will see the entire conference differently.

Thursday, Oct. 1: This should be one of the fun games of the year in Morgantown, a Thursday night with Colorado from the Big 12 coming in and everyone remembering how the Buffaloes stunned the Mountaineers last year in a game that served as a wake-up call for the defense.

Saturday, Oct. 10: Connecticut plays at Pitt in a game whose outcome could be decisive. The loser will have a hard time keeping up in the Big East.

West Virginia is at Syracuse on this same day, which is a tough place to play, and they will be facing a new coach and

a team with a new attitude, but the talent gap is too much for Syracuse to overcome at present.

Saturday, Oct. 17: No one else in America really cares, but the state should be buzzing as the Mountaineers host instate rival Marshall in a game that carries future scheduling implications. Another WVU rout — WVU has won the last three since the series renewed by a combined 117-36 — and there will be cries to put an end to the greatest buffalo slaughter since Wild Bill Hickok.

The night before this game we will all be entertained by a key Big East “kick the high schools in the mouth” Friday night special with Pitt visiting Rutgers.

Saturday, Oct. 24: UConn has never beaten WVU and no one would expect they would do it this year at Milan Puskar Stadium. Probably the key game of the day is South Florida at Pitt, a game that we’re going to predict will be an easy win for the Bulls.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30: Boo! This is the scary one. Star it, circle it, maybe even open a savings account so you can end October in Tampa as the Mountaineers face South Florida in what could be the conference’s Game of the Year. You want a prediction on this one?

It will be a helluva game.

Saturday, Nov. 7: The game of the week here is South Florida at Rutgers, a true upset special. The Bulls are on the road and playing their third straight tough conference game after playing at Pitt and at home against WVU.

As for the Mountaineers, they better look out, too, as Louisville will be a dangerous foe on the rebound from the USF game and six days before traveling to Cincinnati.

FRIDAY, NOV. 13: Another scary game for the Mountaineers against a well-coached Cincinnati team that will have had all year to build a defense under the conference’s top coach, Brian Kelly. WVU has revenge for that overtime disaster last year on its side; Cincinnati has the home crowd.

Saturday, Nov. 14: Can both teams lose when Notre Dame plays at Pitt?

Saturday, Nov. 21: WVU is off and to be honest UConn at Notre Dame doesn’t exactly get the blood boiling, either.

FRIDAY, NOV. 27: WVU owes Pitt more than I owe Mastercard and this is the due date. Reeling from consecutive losses, one that kept them out of the national championship game, the Mountaineers will beat Pitt at home by whatever score they can run it up to.

In Tampa there is an interesting game as Miami visits South Florida in a battle of the beaches.

Saturday, Dec. 5: The Big East has set up a big finish as it has three nationally televised games this day with WVU playing at Rutgers, South Florida at Connecticut and Cincinnati at Pittsburgh. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe the conference championship will be decided right here?

E-mail Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com.

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