ESPN's Graham Watson blogs about CUSA and BCS

[George S. Patton]

I like her reporting and she does a good job to give the non-BCS schools solid coverage.

By Graham Watson
ESPN
East Carolina coach Skip Holtz has never shied away from a major opponent. His feeling has always been that his Pirates won't know if they can beat a team in the Top 25 unless they line up against them.

Last season, the Pirates won back-to-back games against No. 17 Virginia Tech and No. 8 West Virginia and not only thrust themselves into the national spotlight, but also Conference USA. While the spotlight ultimately faded from C-USA and cast its light on conferences to the West, C-USA got a taste of what it's like to be one of the talked about conferences, even if it was just for a few weeks.

On Monday, several C-USA coaches playing in the 15th AutoZone Liberty Bowl Golf Classic in Memphis reflected back on the first couple of weeks of last season and what that meant to the conference.

"We're all scheduling these good nonconference games, but to get the respect you want you've got to win," UCF coach George O'Leary told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "You can play well, but a week later it's still a loss. And that's what people remember. I think what East Carolina did last year -- winning two of those games -- helped East Carolina, but also helped the conference as far as respect in the conference and notoriety throughout the country."

Since the BCS began, only teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences have participated in BCS bowls. Conference USA has had teams notch double-digit wins, but they didn't have strong enough nonconference schedules to climb high enough in the BCS standings.

Last season, Tulsa was teetering on the edge of making a case for a BCS bowl, but lost its only BCS game at Arkansas and faded into the "Others receiving votes" column.

Scheduling has been the biggest knock on the nonautomatic-qualifying conferences. Either the nonconference schedule is so difficult that it can't get what has become a mandatory undefeated season for BCS bowl participation, or the nonconference schedule is too easy and the conference schedule doesn't do enough to pick up the slack.

The Mountain West has solved both problems. Its schools play tough BCS foes during the nonconference season and then face a grueling conference schedule where oftentimes at least two of the conference's teams are ranked. Last year, the conference finished with three teams ranked in the Top 25 and is expected to start with the same figure.

During the past six seasons or so, the WAC has had at least one team ranked in the Top 25. Although the conference slate isn't as strong, several teams have strong nonconference schedules and future schedules also are strong.

For the most part, Conference USA has held its own in terms of scheduling and this year won't be any different. There are 24 BCS teams on Conference USA schedules this year and all but three C-USA teams have at least two BCS teams scheduled. Tulane is the only C-USA team that doesn't play anyone from the six major conferences.

But C-USA has a long way to go to catch up to its brethren in the West. BCS pundits would claim that Conference USA as a whole isn't strong enough to earn a BCS bowl bid, but teams such as ECU and Tulsa have proved that the potential is there. And with Houston, Southern Miss and Memphis all expected to improve this season, the conference could be well on its way toward leveling the playing field.

[MustangLaxer]

Some great SMU information in this C-USA article...

[RednBlue11]

gotta give watson credit....she is all over the place but isnt sloppy and rarely glosses over subject, good reporting

[George S. Patton]

Some great SMU information in this C-USA article...

It's information that could impact the program in the future. But when you're brain is swimming around in HGH juice like yours is then it would be hard to make that connection.

[RednBlue11]

Some great SMU information in this C-USA article...

It's information that could impact the program in the future. But when you're brain is swimming around in HGH juice like yours is then it would be hard to make that connection.

HGH!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlU2KUhgMa8


a guy behind me was yelling that a pudge every time he came to the plate monday night.