If USF wins this (or if Pitt loses their last 2 games), there's an outside chance that the Big East AQ team will be determined by some messy tiebreaker among four teams with 4-3 conference records.
It is impossible for the Big East AQ team to have a losing record overall - but I believe a 6-6 Pitt team in the Fiesta Bowl is still possible.
The chaotic dream scenario: Three teams tie at 5-2, and they all have 1-1 records against each other. This is possible with Pitt-WVU-Syracuse. The next tiebreaker is the BCS Standings, but none of the 3 teams are ranked in the BCS top-25. I think the formula would still be used, even if they end up taking a team that's about 35th in the BCS rankings.
There can't be a 3-way with 3 conference losses. If 4-3 is the best record in the conference, the math forces there to be four 4-3 and four 3-4 teams.
This 4-way tie could happen with Pitt-Syr-USF-Cincy. In one scenario, Pitt and Syr are 2-1 among that group, and the others are 1-2, and Pitt has beaten Syracuse, so I think 6-6 Pitt would win the 4-way tiebreaker based on that. But the Big East Media Guide doesn't detail a 4-way tiebreaker, so I'm not positive about that.
It is impossible for the Big East AQ team to have a losing record overall - but I believe a 6-6 Pitt team in the Fiesta Bowl is still possible.
The chaotic dream scenario: Three teams tie at 5-2, and they all have 1-1 records against each other. This is possible with Pitt-WVU-Syracuse. The next tiebreaker is the BCS Standings, but none of the 3 teams are ranked in the BCS top-25. I think the formula would still be used, even if they end up taking a team that's about 35th in the BCS rankings.
There can't be a 3-way with 3 conference losses. If 4-3 is the best record in the conference, the math forces there to be four 4-3 and four 3-4 teams.
This 4-way tie could happen with Pitt-Syr-USF-Cincy. In one scenario, Pitt and Syr are 2-1 among that group, and the others are 1-2, and Pitt has beaten Syracuse, so I think 6-6 Pitt would win the 4-way tiebreaker based on that. But the Big East Media Guide doesn't detail a 4-way tiebreaker, so I'm not positive about that.
