Nobody's picking Rutgers to win its first Big East football championship this fall. In fact, the conference preseason writers' poll had the Scarlet fifth in a down conference. But this is the start of training camp, and hope springs eternal. So here are five reasons that Rutgers will shock the world this year, win the Big East and head to a BCS bowl (Okay, some seem more likely than others). Read these reasons and then post your top five list in comments.1) The Big East is rebuilding: Cincinnati loses much of its awesome defense, West Virginia doesn't have Pat White, UConn lost stud RB Donald Brown -- so teams will beat each other up all year

2) True freshman Tom Savage emerges at quarterback: Studying pays off, and he eventually becomes a big, tough team leader - a freshman QB who looks like an NFL prototype and plays like a senior. (No pressure, kid.)

3) Favorable home schedule: Pitt, WVU and Cincy just aren't that good this year, and Rutgers takes advantage of home games against all three, their stiffest competition.

4) Homefield advantage: Fans showing up in droves to the newly enclosed Rutgers Stadium make it a house of horrors for opponents. It's so loud opposing offenses can't operate. RU wins every home game, except for an inexplicable letdown against FIU (Isiah Thomas in the house), to the delight of a fully converted Rutgers 1000, who now endorse Division 1 athletics and further stadium expansion at the New Jersey state university.

5) The big picture: The improved jumbo video screen at Rutgers Stadium helps a referee (despite the rules) correct a botched call on the last play of the regular season against West Virginia. After a zebra huddle, Rutgers wins the game, snaps the WVU jinx and takes the Big East, thanks to the fine print way down the tie-breaker list.

Okay, those are my top five reasons. Rutgers fans, post your top five reasons Rutgers is going to win the Big East this season.