Pre-season mags predicting orders of conferences and top-25s are generally speaking: simply a matter of expectations, name recognition, a quick scan of returning starters and personal biases. I like them only as a matter of setting out what the more national perspective is on expectations for Pitt and other teams.

Usually, I find more reliable and trustworthy, conference previews from beat writers of the individual teams in the conference. They may still have biases towards the particular team they cover, but they also have a better idea about the other teams that they have seen, talked to and generally paid more attention to their activities during and after the season. There are the head-to-head and more common opponents to compare.

The Big East this year, is an exception to that. This time, the beat writers know no more than the pre-season mags. There are 3 new teams to cover and no solid basis to compare them to the other teams. Add in 2 new head coaches to the other 5, and really there is just no way of knowing.

With that extended caveat, the Rutgers beat writer does a BE preview (via Knight Hawk — Rutgers blog).

PITTSBURGH

Nickname: Panthers

Head coach: Dave Wannstedt

Last year’s record: 8-4 (lost to Utah, 35-7, in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl)

Names you should know: QB Tyler Palko, WR Greg Lee, TE Erik Gill, OL Charles Spencer, LB H.B. Blades, CB Bernard “Josh” Lay, CB Darrelle Revis

Football tradition: The Panthers claim nine national championships — the most recent when Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett led Pittsburgh to a 12-0 season in 1976 — as part of their rich football history. Glenn “Pop” Warner and Jock Sutherland, two of the game’s coaching giants, applied their trade at the school, and the program’s list of retired jerseys features several of college football’s all-time greats: Mark May, Dorsett, Dan Marino, Hugh Green, Bill Fralic, Joe Schmidt, Jimbo Covert and Mike Ditka. Pittsburgh ranks 12th among Division 1-A schools with 22 inductees in the college football Hall of Fame.

Why they will finish higher than Rutgers: The cupboard certainly wasn’t left bare for Wannstedt, a Pittsburgh graduate who was the Miami Dolphins’ head coach from 2000-04. After earning a share of the Big East title and representing the league in the BCS, the Panthers return 16 starters and both kickers. Palko, a junior, blossomed into a star the second half of last season.
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FIVE GAMES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS

Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, Sept. 3

Irish usher in the Charlie Weis era just as the Panthers embark on the Dave Wannstedt era. An important opener for both.

South Florida at Miami, Oct. 1

The Bulls aren’t ready to beat Miami yet, but how much would it help the Big East’s image if USF put a scare into the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl? Miami is where South Florida wants to be some day.

Louisville at North Carolina, Oct. 8

It’s an ACC-Big East matchup and those always matter now — especially when Louisville looks to be the Big East’s best team.

Pittsburgh at Louisville, Nov. 3

The way things shape up, this should be the game that decides the Big East title and a BCS bowl berth.

Pittsburgh at West Virginia, Nov. 24

The Thanksgiving night matchup is far and away the best rivalry the Big East has to offer. The Backyard Brawl almost always seems to produce something memorable or unexpected.
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BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER

Tyler Palko, QB, Pittsburgh

The junior blossomed into one of the country’s top QBs the second half of last season, finishing the year with 3,067 passing yards and 24 TDs.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER

H.B. Blades, LB, Pittsburgh

The latest football star from the Blades family — dad, Bennie, and uncles Brian and Al all were standouts at Miami — earned first-team all-league honors as a sophomore last year.

Like everyone else he picks Louisville and Pitt 1 and 2.

The piece also picks Rutgers to have their first winning season since 1992.

An interesting companion piece discusses how all the Big East schools have just completed, are working on, or are about to upgrade their overall athletic facilities. I take that to mean these are programs that will not be losing the Big East’s auto BCS bid without a major fight that I don’t think the rest of the conferences want to happen. Too many documents that could come out in discovery that would not be good for most conferences.