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BIG EAST MONDAY MORNING QB: WEEK #5

by MICHAEL PINA

Finally Big East conference play is underway. While none of the games were actually, you know, close, we finally can catch a glimpse of how good (or bad) some teams actually are. South Florida jumped into the AP Top 25, joining Cincinnati as the only two Big East teams on the list, the Bearcats and West Virginia both saw out of conference success, which has been a consistent theme of the Big East’s young season. And Rutgers and Connecticut both had the week off.

Now onto the weekends games….

#23 South Florida (5-0) vs. Syracuse (2-3) (34-20, USF win)

It was a one point game at halftime, but then B.J. Daniels absolutely broke the Orange’s back with an 85-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage of the second half. The story of this one was the defensive domination by South Florida’s front four. Everybody knows about George Selvie, but junior defensive end Jason Paul-Pierre looked like a dominating force. Reading a Syracuse screen pass perfectly, the 6’ 6” Paul-Pierre snatched a Greg Paulus lob out of the air and took it untouched 18 yards for a score. Paul-Pierre was recruited by Florida, Florida State and Miami (Fl.), can do a standing back flip in his pads and looks like he’ll be playing on Sundays in a couple of years.

Looking at Syracuse, who held their own for a half, it has to be said that Mike Williams might be one of the most valuable offensive players in the conference. Where would they be without him? He single-handedly kept the Orange in Saturday’s game with shoe string catches, a refusal to let any cornerback sniff any ball in his vicinity and 186 yards receiving with two touchdowns.

On South Florida’s end offensively, their 6’ 2”, 225 pound horse of a running back Mike Ford looks like a mini Brandon Jacobs. He had two touchdowns on the day and couldn’t be taken down by just one Syracuse defender. South Florida is a confident team that’s currently riding a tumbling snowball of momentum into the heart of their season. Their next game will be a nationally televised home game against #8 Cincinnati on Oct. 15, a Thursday night. This is the game of the year if you’re a fan of Big East football.

Pittsburgh (4-1) vs. Louisville (1-3) (35-10 Pitt win)

One week after a very tough loss to North Carolina State, the Panthers traveled to Louisville and flexed their muscles. Either Bill Stull is turning into one of the more pleasant surprises in the conference, or Louisville’s secondary is that bad. Stull absolutely torched the Cardinals in the second half with three touchdown passes, all on game breaking, deep balls.

Most of Pittsburgh’s big names are on the offensive side of the ball, but their defense was just as impressive, recording six sacks and holding Louisville to zero points in the second half.

The story here is less the Cardinals, who were expected to struggle this season and have so far lived up to their bill, and more about the Panthers who besides a bump in the road last week where they gave up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, are playing like one of the best teams in the Big East. They haven’t been ranked yet this season, but they will be if they can win their next three games, the third being a home contest against #23 ranked South Florida.

West Virginia (3-1) vs. Colorado (35-24 win)

If Darren Sproles, Ray Rice and Kevin Faulk can have success in the NFL then so can Noel Devine. The quicker than quick speedster had a career high 220 yards rushing and one touchdown.

A performance like this from Devine really shouldn’t shock anybody who has seen his 5’ 8” frame run with a football, but 10 Mountaineer turnovers in the past two games should. West Virginia fumbled the ball four times in the first half alone and are a team that can’t be considered at the top of the Big East until they find more consistent quarterback play and a major reduction of the turnovers.

#8 Cincinnati (5-0) vs. Miami (OH) (37-13)

Starting the season on the outside looking in, the Bearcats now find themselves in the drivers seat for a BCS Bowl game. They’re ranked in the top 10, undefeated and playing in a conference that should receive more respect than was given to it a few months ago.

This contest showed the pass happy, high octane Cincinnati offense in rare form, winning the ballgame on the ground. Heisman hopeful Tony Pike had a lackluster 23 for 42 performance with two touchdowns and one pick while receiver Mardy Gilyard managed to find the end zone once again.

Cincinnati didn’t play their finest game this week and still won by 24 points. A testament to the class of the conference.

Quote of the week

“We kept our foot on the pedal in the second half. I think our defensive line is the best in the country.”
-Pittsburgh Linebacker Adam Gunn

Top Performers:

West Virginia RB Noel Devine- He took it 77 yards to the house on the Mountaineers second play from scrimmage and didn’t slow down from there. Without him and his ridiculous 7.4 yards per carry, West Virginia would be in serious trouble

Syracuse WR Mike Williams- His second appearance on the top performers list. Williams is the best wide receiver in the conference and possibly the nation. Better than Mardy Gilyard, better than West Virginia’s Jock Sanders. Williams is playing like a first-round pick with more receiving yards than Georgia’s A.J. Green and Notre Dame’s Golden Tate.