EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Miami is gone and the Big East is moving on with less star power and - it hopes - more competitive balance.

"Every team can legitimately say that we have a shot at being in a BCS game," Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said Wednesday at Big East media day.

The Hurricanes and Virginia Tech, the league's other heavyweight in recent years, have relocated to the Atlantic Coast Conference after winning or sharing a combined 10 Big East titles since 1993.

Boston College will join Miami and Virginia Tech in the ACC next season and Temple is also in its last year as a Big East school. The Owls were ousted from the league and are preparing for life as an independent.

Syracuse was also courted by the ACC, but decided to stay put.

To replace the departed, Connecticut joins the Big East this season a year ahead of schedule and Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida will come aboard next season.

For now, the Big East is a seven-team league without a marquee program but with a guaranteed spot for its champion in the Bowl Championship Series.

So while the Hurricanes and Hokies will be missed in some ways, the teams they're leaving behind aren't exactly broken up about it.

"It was always fun to play against Miami at Miami," Pittsburgh tackle Rob Petitti said. "Seeing them run out with their smoke and their fans, it was like a dance club in there. I am going to miss playing against them because I never got to beat them."

On the other hand, "I've been working my butt off for four years. If it got a little easier for our team to make it (to the BCS), that's fine," Petitti said. "I don't care how we make it to the BCS. If we're in the Sugar Bowl, we're in the Sugar Bowl. That's all that matters to me."

The Mountaineers bring back much of last year's team and - despite all the parity talk - have been dubbed the clear-cut favorite to win the Big East.

West Virginia earned 25 of 28 first-place votes in the Big East's preseason media poll. Boston College got the other three first-place votes and was the overwhelming choice to finish second, followed by Pittsburgh, Syracuse, UConn, Rutgers and Temple.