To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/9iAYS3

ESPN announced 14 of its BIG EAST Conference college football selections for the 2010 season, including four Thursday night and three Championship Saturday telecasts, two games on the Friday after Thanksgiving, four Friday night matchups and a Wednesday prime-time contest. Additional games will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:

• The early selections include four telecasts featuring defending BIG EAST champion Cincinnati, coming off an undefeated regular season, highlighted by a matchup against Pittsburgh on Championship Saturday, Dec. 4. Cincinnati won last year’s matchup against Pitt 45-44 – the final regular-season game for both programs — to secure the conference title. Cincinnati is ranked No. 14 and Pittsburgh No. 15 in an ESPN.com early preseason poll for 2010.
• ESPN’s popular Thursday night ESPN College Football Primetime series will feature four telecasts involving BIG EAST teams, all at 7:30 p.m. ET, highlighted by:
  • Pittsburgh against former BIG EAST foe Miami on Sept. 23, marking the first time the teams have played since 2003. Miami is No. 17 in the ESPN.com early preseason poll.
  • USF, led by new head coach Skip Holtz, at West Virginia on Oct. 14.
• Two BIG EAST games will be featured the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, including West Virginia at Pittsburgh in the 103rd Backyard Brawl. West Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 19-16 in last year’s game.
• ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise four Friday BIG EAST showdowns in prime time, including two each for Cincinnati (at Louisville Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. on ESPN and against USF on Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2) and Connecticut (at Rutgers Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and against West Virginia Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2).

 2010 BIG EAST Schedule as of Feb. 10 (additional selections will be announced):

* Previously announced 

-30-