Big East: Ranking Mediocrity Is a Challenge
How do you rank teams in an eight-team conference when seven avoided BCS competition and the one squad who played a BCS team lost? Only three Big East members played opponents from FBS conferences and just one of those teams won. This was supposed to be the season the Big East silences its football critics, 2010 started off as possibly the weakest year for conference teams since the short-handed 2004 season. Big East Commissioner John Marinatto can take a break. He doesn't need to send flowers to anyone this week.
Pitt Is Tied For 1st In Conference
1 of 8
A sloppy game at Utah included many opportunities for the Panthers to win or lose big. As it was, Utah snuffed out a gritty Pitt comeback in overtime. Dave Wannstedt's Pittsburgh critics bemoan the fact that he went for the tie with a field goal rather than a win before the end of regulation play. Conservative coaching from Wannstedt, what's next? A U.S. budget deficit? Maybe next time the Pitt QB can avoid a debacle by not throwing an interception in OT. Some fans had never seen a quarterback so blatantly cost his team the game.
Tied For #1: Big East Vs. MAC: Syracuse Tops Akron
2 of 8
A Big East team beating a MAC team may not seem like a big deal, but remember Bowling Green vs. Pitt in 2008? BG won then went on to have a mediocre year. Syracuse is unbelievably the only Big East team to beat a FBS team on opening day. Making the Orange's 29-3 victory more impressive is the fact the game was played in Akron. The Orange play another FBS opponent this week in Washington, 0-1.
Tied For #3: USF Beats Up On Stony Who?
3 of 8
Wow, how did the Bulls even find Stony Brook - actually the State University of New York at Stony Brook. What a rousing debut for only the second coach in USF's history. Skip Holtz had just the kind of opening performance that buys goodwill. He will need that good will as he takes his team to Gainesville next week to meet the Gators. In this one, though, it was all Bulls. Joel Miller, who was involved in incident that got Jim Leavitt fired, scored a touchdown and QB B.J. Daniels threw for over 200 years.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Tied For #3: WVU Beats a Carolina Regional School
4 of 8
There's just not much to brag about here. WVU played a ho-hum game and beat a Carolina college aptly named for its location to the tune of 31-0. The game marked WVU's first shutout in five years. After playing dead in the first half, the Mounties came alive in the second. It must be difficult being a WVU fan these days as the Mounties play another yawner next week against Marshall. Marshall, you recall, is on the government dole for college football scheduling. Marshall-WVU would never happen on its own. This one took the interference of state politicos to force the Mounties' hand. WVU has no interest in this pseudo-rivalry. Hmm, aren't there issues like mine safety that should be taking up the state politicians' time? Just a thought.
Tied For #3: Rutgers Majors In Scheduling FBS Opponents
5 of 8
The idea of Rutgers playing in the Big Ten should elicit loud, boisterous laughter. Add to that thought the notion of the Scarlet Knights bringing in the NYC market and you may fart and pass out from laughing too hard. Did you know Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, has developed a new major? It's called Upselling Down. Students are required to develop a plan to maximize revenue from conference and television rights while down-scheduling to the maximum number of inferior/FCS opponents the rules allow. Past week: Norfolk State; Next week: Florida International.
#6: Louisville Avoids Rout In Strong's Debut
6 of 8
I guess it's safe to say Kentucky won't be wiping the Cardinals off future schedules because Louisville is just too tough. In winning the Governor's Cup for the fourth straight year, Kentucky played with more flash and desire than Louisville could muster in the first half. A lack of intensity sounds an awful lot like a criticism of Kragthorpe's teams and certainly could not please Card fans..Did Louisville's defense come alive in the second half or did Kentucky just run out of gas?
#7: Cincinnati Jeopardizes Renewed Media Interest In Program
7 of 8
The Cincinnati Bearcats don't need any reminders Brian Kelly has moved on to Notre Dame. The 18-game regular season winning streak is history. Fans will recognize the porous Cincy defense. The weakest link on the 2009 squad, the defense gave up four touchdown passes to Fresno State's Ryan Colburn. Starting off fast, Butch Jones' squad could not maintain their effort and intensity through four quarters of play in mid-90s temperatures.. UC was held to just 15 yards rushing. The Cats' spread offense showed some obvious flaws despite posting an initial 14-0 lead. Next week should be better as Indiana State visits Nippert Stadium.
#8: Connecticut Embarasses Big East In 30-10 Loss To Michigan
8 of 8
How did the dark-horse favorite for the Big East title go down in a blaze of smoke at newly expanded Michigan Stadium? Denard Robinson. A crowd of 113,000 saw Denard Robinson blow the Huskies away running for 197 yards and setting a new rushing record by a Michigan QB. After trailing by 21 early, the Huskies pulled within a touchdown but USC transfer D.J. Shoemate fumbled and Michigan took over. Perhaps Michigan was better prepared for this contest than Edsall's Huskies. With Rich Rodriguez's summer of discontent, the embattled coach was well aware he had no margin for error against the Huskies with Notre Dame coming up next week.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
