A look at the Big East in projected order of finish:

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1. West Virginia

Coach: Bill Stewart, 1st season, 1-0;

2007 record: 11-2 (5-2 in Big East, co-champs)

Key players: QB Pat White; TB Noel Devine; C Mike Dent; LB Mortty Ivy; K Pat McAfee

Big game: Dec. 6 vs. South Florida.

The skinny: The Mountaineers are again the pick to win the Big East and they are loaded on offense. White and Devine are both a threat to take it to the end zone every time they touch the ball. The big challenge for first-year coach Bill Stewart is to rebuild the defense, which lost seven starters. However, given the strength of the offense, the Mountaineers will repeat as conference champions if the defense just plays reasonably well.

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2. South Florida

Coach: Jim Leavitt, 12th season, 79-47

2007 record: 9-4 (4-3)

Key players: QB Matt Grothe; WR Carlton Mitchell; TB Mike Ford; LG Ryan Schmidt; DE George Selvie.

Big game: Dec. 6 at West Virginia

The skinny: The Bulls have one of the best defenses in the country and are blessed with speed and athleticism at all of their skill positions. And with 17 returning starters, including 10 on offense, there is no reason to believe they can't contend for the Big East championship. However, the Bulls were favored to win the conference last year and saw their hopes melt under a barrage of silly penalties, turnovers and other key mistakes. If they can avoid those mistakes this year, the Bulls should win the championship as they are probably the best overall team in the conference.

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3. Pitt

Coach: Dave Wannstedt, 4th season, 16-19

2007 record: 5-7 (3-4 in the Big East)

Key players: QB Bill Stull; TB LeSean McCoy; WR Oderick Turner; DE Greg Romeus; DT Mick Williams; MLB Scott McKillop

Big game: Nov. 28 vs. West Virginia

The skinny: The Dave Wannstedt era is headed into its fourth season and yet the Panthers are still in search of their first bowl game under his watch. This is the year, however, that everyone has pointed to as the breakout season as Wannstedt has recruited well for three seasons and almost the entire roster is filled with his players. The Panthers will have an excellent defense and McCoy is one of the best running backs in the country. And if they can catch a few breaks and stay healthy, and if the passing game develops, there is no reason they can't win the conference. Anything less than a trip to a bowl will be a disappointment.

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4. Connecticut

Coach: Randy Edsall, 10th season, 50-55

2007 record: 9-4 (5-2 in the Big East, Co-champs)

Key players: QB Tyler Lorenzen; TB Donald Brown; LT William Beatty; DE Cody Brown; DT Rob Lunn; CB Darius Butler

Big game: Dec. 6 vs. Pittsburgh

The skinny: The Huskies are the dark horse to win the conference - which wouldn't be that much of a surprise given that they were co-champs last season. There are 19 returning starters (17 of 22 on offense and defense and two specialists) and the defense will again be fast, physical and aggressive. The Huskies benefitted from a few lucky bounces last year but this year won't likely have to rely on lucky breaks to win games. An early season trip to Louisville will be a good indication of whether the Huskies will be in the hunt for the Big East title or not. Still, this is no doubt a team that should be headed to a bowl.

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5. Rutgers

Coach: Greg Schiano, 8th year, 38-46

2007 record: 8-5 (3-4 in the Big East)

Key players: QB Mike Teel; WR Tiquan Underwood; WR Kenny Britt; OG Caleb Ruch; DE Jamaal Westerman; LB Kevin Malast; FS Courtney Greene.

Big game: Nov. 3 at Connecticut

The skinny: The Scarlet Knights have been to three consecutive bowl games and are likely to continue that streak this year as they have 16 starters returning, including Teel, who was one of the top passers in the conference. Still, replacing all-conference tailback Ray Rice is not an easy task as he carried -- literally -- the offense at times last season. But Schiano's teams are always built on great defense that pressure the passer and creates turnovers and the schedule is manageable so seven or eight wins and a trip to a bowl should be expected.

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6. Cincinnati

Coach: Brian Kelly, 2nd year, 11-3

2007 record: 10-3 (4-3)

Key players: OT Jeff Linkenbach; LG Trevor Canfield; WR Dominick Goodman; DT Terrill Byrd; LB Corey Smith; CB DeAngelo Smith

Big game: Nov. 14 at Louisville

The skinny: The Bearcats won 10 games last year but were hit hard by graduation, particularly at quarterback and running back. The quarterback situation could improve if Ben Mauk is awarded a sixth-year by the NCAA but so far that is not looking like it will happen. Without Mauk to run Kelly's wide-open spread offense, the Bearcats could struggle on offense and with only six returning starters on defense it could be a long season. However, the non-conference schedule should produce four wins so a third consecutive bowl trip is not out of the question.

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7. Louisville

Coach: Steve Kragthorpe, 2nd year, 6-6

2007 record: 6-6 (3-4)

Key players: QB Hunter Cantwell; C Eric Wood; OT George Bussey; WR Scott Long; DE Maurice Mitchell; CB Woodny Turenne

Big game: Nov. 8 at Pitt

The skinny: Kragthorpe inherited a loaded team which was picked by most to repeat as Big East champions -- and watched as it fell to a disappointing 6-6 season. Now many of the Cardinals top players have graduated, particularly at the skill positions, and it appears as if Kragthorpe is in the midst of a rebuilding project. Louisville has major questions at tailback and receiver as well as the offensive line, which is not good news for Cantwell. The schedule is a little easier than it has been, but the Cardinals will still face an uphill climb to even duplicate last year's record.

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8. Syracuse

Coach: Greg Robinson, 4th year, 7-28

2007 record: 2-10 (1-6)

Key players: QB Andrew Robinson; TB Curtis Brinkley; OG Ryan Durand; NT Arthur Jones; LB Jake Flaherty

Big game: Nov. 8 at Rutgers

The skinny: Greg Robinson has recruited poorly, his teams have not played well and he has guided the Orange into one of their darkest periods. He is clearly on the hot seat and with only 12 returning starters, the Orange don't appear capable of winning much more than three or four games. Barring some sort of a surprise, this team will finish last in the Big East for the fourth consecutive season and the school will go back to the drawing board and search for a new coach.