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A LOOK AHEAD TO WEEK #5 IN BIG EAST FOOTBALL

The last time we visited conference play…

By Raphielle Johnson

Every other FBS conference has played at least one conference game since Cincinnati whipped Rutgers on Labor Day so it may be good to remind people that the defending champions lead the Big East with a 1-0 league record. Tony Pike has emerged as a possible Heisman candidate, a defense that many questioned in the preseason has played well and head coach Brian Kelly is once again a hot name when it comes to jobs that may open in the near future. But as fate should have it the national media can’t focus on just one team when discussing the conference; the Big East performed quite well in September.

There weren’t many “marquee” games for the Big East, but the combined non-conference record of 21-7 featured good wins, close losses…and no embarrassing defeats, something that some other BCS conferences can’t claim. But of course perception and reality are hardly bedfellows in college football, so the Big East has just one more ranked team (Cincinnati) heading into October than they did before the season started.

What happens to the conference once the members begin beating on each other in regards to national perception is something to keep an eye on, but there’s little disputing the fact that the Big East is a better league than many gave it credit for in the preseason.

The first weekend in October provides a mix for the Big East: two non-conference games that members should win combined with a pair of conference tilts. Look for national eyes to focus on South Florida (4-0), who heads north to take on a Syracuse (2-2) team that’s won back-to-back games (Noon on the Big East Network). B.J. Daniels will be more than used to going on the road having led the Bulls to a landmark victory over Florida State, but the key this week is to be a more accurate passer.

Despite throwing for more than 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns the redshirt freshman was just 8-for-21 on the afternoon, and were he more accurate things could have been a lot worse for the Seminoles. Defensively the Bulls ran the show with their front seven, and that group could be in store for more if the Syracuse offensive line continues with its inconsistent play.

QB Greg Paulus has played much better in wins over Northwestern and Maine than he did in a rough loss at Penn State and the emergence of WR Mike Williams has played a large part in that. The senior didn’t make much of an impact in losses to Minnesota and Penn State, but he won Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors for his play against the Wildcats two weeks ago. But the key on Saturday for the Orange will be how well they run the football; if the Bulls render them one-dimensional and force Paulus to win the game with his arm the game could get out of hand.

Below is the remainder of the Big East schedule for Week 5 with West Virginia kicking things off when they host Colorado on Thursday night. Connecticut and Rutgers are off this week, with the Huskies playing at Pittsburgh on the 10th while the Scarlet Knights host Texas Southern on the same day.

Colorado (1-2) @ West Virginia (2-1), Thursday 7:30 PM on ESPN

Job number one for the Mountaineers during their bye week was to work on ball security; ten combined turnovers against East Carolina and Auburn earned Bill Stewart’s team a split when in all honesty they should be undefeated. The sight of the Buffaloes should serve as extra motivation since Colorado beat WVU last year in Boulder. But the biggest playmaker for Colorado on that night (QR Josh Smith) has since transferred and the heat is on Dan Hawkins due to the team’s poor play.

It was one thing for the Buffs to be popped in the mouth by in-state rival Colorado State; the Rams have always gone into that game with a chip on their shoulder. But to be torn apart by Toledo on national television a couple of weeks ago meant one of two things: either Gary Barnett left more of a mess behind than anyone thought or the changes made by Coach Hawkins weren’t working.

The running backs are deep with Darrell Scott, Demetrius Sumler and Rodney Stewart all back, as is WR Scotty McKnight. But the offensive line has played poorly and QB Cody Hawkins has taken an absolute beating as a result. It’s tough to be consistent as a quarterback when you have to worry about where the next “look out” block is coming from. Add in the fact that Colorado’s defense has been among the worst in the Big 12 and it’s easy to see why they’re 1-2.

Jarrett Brown and company should be able to take advantage of the disparity in speed when matching up with the Colorado defense provided they take care of the football. No disrespect to Auburn but the Mountaineers beat themselves on that night; if anything the Tigers provided West Virginia with a picture of what they’re capable of provided they play with more discipline. Defensively Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5 could bring about some confusion for the Buffaloes, and the key will be to stop the run.

Pittsburgh (2-1) @ Louisville (1-2), Friday 8 PM on ESPN2

Before their home win last season the Panthers had lost seven straight in the series and if they don’t defend better they’ll be in for a tough night in Louisville. Pittsburgh has essentially had two problems: second-half offense and a defense that hasn’t played as well as it was projected to in the preseason. The Panthers rank 87th in pass defense and 91st in pass efficiency defense and that could be an area that the Cardinals can take advantage of.

However, Louisville ranks sixth in the conference (85th nationally) in sacks allowed per game, giving up 2.33. The Louisville offensive line will need to be effective in neutralizing a Panther pass rush that ranks fourth in the nation in sacks per game (4). If Justin Burke can stay upright he may be able to make some plays down the field provided Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell are productive on the ground. As a matter of the fact two of the best backs in the Big East will be on display in Anderson and Pitt’s Dion Lewis.

The true freshman has been extremely productive in filling the hole left by the departure of LeSean McCoy, leading the conference and ranking fifth nationally in rushing yards per game (123.3 yards). Bill Stull ranks seventeenth nationally in pass efficiency and moving the football hasn’t been a huge issue in the first half of games. It’s the second half that’s been the issue, but Pitt hadn’t been made to pay for it until their loss at NC State last week.

Pitt has been outscored in the fourth quarter 28-24 this year, and opponents have held the ball an average of just under six minutes more per game. Jumping out to leads isn’t a problem; being efficient enough in the second half to seal the win is something the Panthers need to figure out if they’re to win the Big East.

#10/11 Cincinnati (4-0, 1-0) @ Miami (Ohio) (0-4), Saturday 1 PM on ESPN 360

To be honest this game will likely get out of hand. Mike Haywood’s Redhawks are winless and the smallest margin of defeat is ten points. Quarterbacks Daniel Raudabaugh and Zac Dysert have combined to throw four touchdown passes and nine interceptions over four games, and that’s a good reason why Miami is 111th in pass efficiency. They’re dead last in scoring offense, averaging just over eleven points per game, and second-to-last in scoring defense.

The one area in which the Bearcats could be attacked is on the ground, with UC ranking 54th in rushing defense. But Miami isn’t very good at running the football, averaging 93.5 yards per game, so you can likely rule that out as well. Defensively the Redhawks allowed twenty-nine in their loss to Kent State last week and that’s the fewest they’d allowed in a game this season. The previous three games: 42 (Kentucky), 48 (Boise State) and 48 (Western Michigan).

And they return home after a three-game road swing to take on a Cincinnati team that ranks 12th nationally in total offense and fifth in both scoring and passing offense. WR Mardy Gilyard is the reigning Big East Offensive Player of the Week due to his performance against Fresno State, and the entire Cincinnati offense could put up video game numbers on Saturday. This game could represent a good opportunity for backs Jacob Ramsey and Isaiah Pead to boost their numbers; it’s unlikely that Cincinnati doesn’t have this game well under control by halftime.