Practice here, Big East is hot

USF's first fall football practice is just hours away, and get this -- the Big East is getting positive press from the national media. No, really -- Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com, running through the "What's Hot and Not" for college football this season, has the Big East as his "hot" conference, with the ACC in the not column.

"The conference has more cream at the top than a triple latte," Schlabach writes. "Louisville and West Virginia are loaded. The Cardinals have Brian Brohm and Michael Bush. The Mountaineers have Pat White and Steve Slaton. The league title and corresponding BCS spot might be decided when the teams play at Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 2 (ESPN, 7:30 ET)."

Notice the sneaky way they bolded the type of their own network? I might have casually skimmed right over it had they not done that. If both Louisville and West Virginia can go into that game undefeated -- I'd say Louisville's Sept. 16 date with Miami is the biggest obstacle in the way of that -- that Thursday night showdown should get a large amount of national play.