College Football Rankings: Power Ranking the Big East Teams

We're back for the second week of the Big East Power Rankings, and there won't be a whole lot of change.

We are two weeks into the season, and the Big East is still without a quality win from its teams. Only West Virginia and Rutgers have started the season 2-0, yet neither has beaten a quality opponent, so they get no love in the rankings.

They are the two schools that haven't tried to play good competition yet, so their rankings will be affected.

Remember the criteria. The eye test is very important. So is the competition. A team that plays a quality opponent likely will gain more in a tough defeat then a team beating up on inferior competition.

If a Big East team or two could win a big game, then this would be easy. Until then, I'm sticking to the formula.

Having said that, let's jump right into this week's Power Rankings.

1. Pittsburgh Panthers (1-1, 0-0)

Pitt remains at the top of the rankings. They have the non-conference schedule, and their overtime loss at Utah has been the best showing to date from a Big East team.

The fact is that no other team in the conference has done a thing to knock them out of the top spot.

The Panthers are still the team to beat in the Big East, and until someone does something to prove otherwise, Pitt remains No. 1.

The offense got on track a little against New Hampshire, and the defense played well. Pitt still looks like the most well-rounded team in the conference.

I mentioned they have the schedule to build a very good resume. Now they have to start winning those games.

Next up: Sept. 23 vs. No. 17 Miami

2. Connecticut Huskies (1-1, 0-0)

UConn is back up to No. 2, as I still feel they are the second best team in the conference. It has nothing to do with their 62-3 beating of Texas Southern, but more to do with the fact that West Virginia did not look good despite winning.

The fact that Michigan's Denard Robinson gashed Notre Dame for over 500 yards makes the Huskies' loss at Ann Arbor seem a little bit better.

UConn likely doesn't stay at No. 2 next week. They have a soft game, and eventually a Big East team has to show something.

Next up: Sept. 18 @ Temple

3. No. 23 West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0, 0-0)

Despite the come-from-behind win at Marshall, West Virginia drops a spot to No. 3. Quite simply, they don't pass the eye test.

Yes, they did win, and yes, they are 2-0, but it's a very unimpressive 2-0.

The fact is that Marshall did as much to lose that game as West Virginia did to win it. The defense and offensive line are not very good. Geno Smith looks like he could become a decent quarterback though.

The Mountaineers have serious issues to work out. If West Virginia played two decent programs to open up, they are very likely an 0-2 football team. Instead they opened with Coastal Carolina and Marshall.

If they wanted two easy wins, well, they got them, but it does very little for the program.

Next up: Sept. 18 vs. Maryland

4. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-1, 0-0)

The Bearcats rebounded with a win against Indiana State. They move up to No. 4 due to a big drop from Rutgers.

Cincinnati struggled in the first half offensively, but they are in the top half of the rankings because they have talent all over the place. The offensive line could present major issues for them along the way though.

Next up: Sept. 16 @ North Carolina State

5. South Florida Bulls (1-1, 0-1)

South Florida looked like it would be the first Big East school to get a big win when the Bulls played the Florida Gators to a 7-7 tie at the half on Saturday.

Then B.J. Daniels and the Bulls showed they aren't quite ready for the big stage. Five turnovers doomed South Florida and ultimately cost them a 38-14 defeat.

There is still a good bit of talent here though, and South Florida could have some big wins up its sleeve.

Next up: Sept. 25 vs. Western Kentucky

6. Syracuse Orange (1-1, 0-0)

After two weeks of the season, the Orange have likely the best win for a Big East team to date. What's sad is that win was against Akron, which shows how little the rest of the conference has accomplished so far.

Syracuse had a tough road test at Washington that they couldn't pass on Saturday, but it's not the end of the world for the Orange. Syracuse was in the game for a half, but its secondary got exposed in the second half.

There are still some positives to take out of this, and I still like the Syracuse front seven defensively.

Next up: Sept. 18 vs. Maine

7. Rutgers (2-0, 0-0)

The Scarlet Knights suffered the biggest drop in this week's Power Rankings, all the way down to No. 7. They've played the weakest two opening games of any Big East school.

The Norfolk State and FIU first two games of the season make West Virginia's first two opponents look strong.

Rutgers definitely doesn't pass the eye test. The offense looks awful, and the defense doesn't look much better.

Only eight first downs and 176 total yards against FIU? The Scarlet Knights have more talent than that. They have to start showing it soon. Their next test is much tougher.

Next up: Sept 25. vs. North Carolina

8. Louisville Cardinals (1-1, 0-0)

Louisville stays at the bottom of the rankings, because quite frankly they aren't very good.

Charlie Strong got his first win as Louisville head coach against Eastern Kentucky, but the wins will likely be few and far between for his team this season.

Next up: Sept. 18 @ No. 25 Oregon State