College Football Question: The Big East

Before I get to my question of the week, I'd like to congratulate Mizzou's Chase Daniel for another spectacular performance in which he passed for 439 yards and completed a Big 12 best.  As it stands right now, Daniel looks to be the clear cut front runner for the Heisman (based on stats alone, mind you).  I don't want to get too anxious yet, however, because It is fairly easy to put up those kinds of numbers when the toughest team on your schedule to this point was Illinois.  The next three weeks will be very interesting, and could make or break Daniel's ligitimacy, as Mizzou travels to Nebraska, heads back home for Oklahoma State, and then travels to Texas to take on the Longhorns.  I'll consider Daniel ligit if and when he comes away with wins from those teams.

As for this edition of College Football Question, I hail from outside of Pittsburgh, and with Pittsburgh being part of the Big East, I thought I'd gear my question towards that conference.  As it stands right now, the only team ranked in the top 25 is the University of South Florida.  Yes, you heard me right, USF.  The Mountaineers of West Virginia University keep laying eggs against teams that they should flat out beat.  Pittsburgh isn't doing so well.  Even though they did win on Saturday against Iowa, they won by a point, and had to battle back to do so.  Additionally, the Panthers already have a loss against Bowling Green.  Right now, it seems to me that the Big East is the weakest conference in college football, which is why I pose the question how strong is the Big East conference?  Do you think that it can rebound from its near complete departure from the world of "rankedhood?"