Big East Report Card, Week 14: Bearcat Perfection

It is the reason we love college football, the kind of game we won't soon forget. No matter which side you were on, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh was one incredible college football game, certainly worthy of being called the Big East title game. Here are the grades from this final weekend of the regular season:

Cincinnati (12-0, 7-0) 45, Pittsburgh (9-3, 5-2) 44

Let's hear it for both teams! What a game, what an effort by both teams. Huge plays by incredible playmakers. Mardy Gilyard's NFL stock went soaring. Dion Lewis is our 2010 preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy.

No losers in this game. Perfect setting at Heinz Field, home of two storied teams, Pitt and the Steelers. Big East title and a perfect season on the line for Cincinnati. Damaging body blows by Pitt early, huge plays by Cincinnati late.

Gilyard was spectacular with 263 return yards and 118 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tony Pike shook off the constant pressure from Pitt's defensive line and came through when it was time.

What can you say about Lewis?  FORTY-SEVEN carries for a freshman? Rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns! Holy Barry Sanders! Can't wait to see what he'll do as a sophomore.

The sad part of this one was it came down to a botched hold on a PAT for the Panthers. Otherwise, they might still be playing in overtime.

Plenty of accolades to go around in this one.

Yes, Cincinnati got its perfect season but there were only winners on that snowy field on Saturday.

Grades

Cincinnati: A+ and a date with Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Pittsburgh: A- and a spot in the Meineke with North Carolina .

Connecticut (7-5, 3-4) 27, South Florida (7-5, 3-4) 26

Another last minute thriller. Who says the Big East doesn't play good football? This was a very good football game as well.

You have to give major credit and kudos to Randy Edsall and his team. This was really a pretty good season when you consider the NFL stars they lost from last year's team and the Jasper Howard tragedy.

This was not South Floorida's kind of game. There are probably players on the team who have never seen snow before.

It was a decent rebound for the Bulls after the beating they took from "The U" last week. When B.J. Daniels dove into the end zone with 40 seconds left, it was looking pretty good for the Bulls.

Heck of a drive by the Huskies and what a great kick by Dave Teggart with time gone om the clock. That ball hit the first "T" on the Allstate end zone net. Dead center.

Until that point, it was an even battle and a great effort from Daniels and the USF offense.

Still, USF when into its normal season stall, losing five of its last seven games. Nothing new there.

Grades

Connecticut: A and an invite to the PapaJohn's Bowl to play South Carolina.

South Florida: B and sentenced to travel to Toronto for the International Bowl.

West Virginia (9-3, 5-2) 24, Rutgers (8-4, 3-4) 21

This was another really good game but went up against the Cincinnati-Pitt contest.

West Virginia dominated early and led 14-3 at the half, not much happening for Rutgers. But the Scarlet Knights rallied and looked like they had a chance until a late interception by J.T. Thomas sealed it for the Mountaineers.

Great job by the Rutgers defense, held Noel Devine to 65 yards. Both team struggled on third down in this game, COMBINED they were 3 of 29.

Good season for both teams with Rutgers getting eight wins with a freshman quarterback, Tom Savage. Mohamed Sanu will be a huge star in the Big East.

Grades

West Virginia: A and a berth in the Gator Bowl for Bobby Bowden's final game .

Rutgers: B and an invite from the St. Petersburg Bowl to face UCF .

There you have it. Great weekend and six of the eight teams in the conference will play in bowl games. We'll be previewing those shortly. Professor Tom will also grade each team's overall regular season performance shortly, so stay tuned.