Notre Dame News

BIG EAST ADDS FIVE NEW MEMBERS

Three in all sports, Boise State & SDSU in football

Press Release

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The BIG EAST Conference formally announced the addition of five prestigious universities to its ranks today, bringing its football membership to 10 and securing a strong core group of FBS schools as it expands into two divisions and works toward its goal of staging an annual conference football championship game.

The University of Central Florida, University of Houston and Southern Methodist University have accepted full membership into the BIG EAST while Boise State University and San Diego State University will compete as members in the sport of football. The BIG EAST Conference Board of Directors, by a unanimous vote of its Presidents, extended the invitations for membership. UCF, Houston and SMU will begin competing in all BIG EAST-sponsored sports in the 2013-14 academic year, while Boise State and San Diego State will start competing in football in the 2013 season.

“Over the last 32 years, the BIG EAST Conference has constantly evolved along with the landscape of college athletics,” said BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto. “The inclusion of these five great Universities, which bring a unique blend of premier academics, top markets, strong athletics brands and outstanding competitive quality, marks the beginning of a new chapter in that evolution. We are proud to welcome these schools to the BIG EAST family.

“Much like the conference as a whole, the BIG EAST name — though derived 32 years ago based on the geography of our founding members — has evolved into a highly respected brand that transcends borders, boundaries or regions. It’s national. Our membership makeup is now reflective of that.”

“Over its history, the BIG EAST has changed and adapted as needed to maintain its place and leadership in the world of college athletics. And it has always done so with great respect and reverence for its heritage and legacy,” said Judy Genshaft, University of South Florida President and Chair of the Conference Board of Directors. “And so it is today. Boise State, Houston, San Diego State, SMU and UCF are all fine schools that will enhance every aspect of the BIG EAST.”

This expansion clearly moves the Conference far beyond its origins in the Northeast. With these five new members, the Conference will continue to have the single largest media footprint in college football, spanning literally from coast to coast and all the major regions in between. In effect, the BIG EAST will be the first truly national college football conference.

The creation of a western division is a bold and innovative step that will provide fans with two distinct divisions in football – East and West – which will produce new rivalries, accommodate further expansion flexibility and, eventually, set the stage for an annual football championship game.

The addition of these five new marketplaces boosts the number of the BIG EAST’s potential TV households by more than six percent and up to 28 million.

Four different time zones will also allow the Conference and its television partner the potential to schedule four games on a given Saturday back-to-back-to-back-to-back without any overlap. It is a powerful model and one that will be unmatched by any other conference.

These expansion efforts will create a very unique synergy within the Conference and allow creative football scheduling for the future given that the league will have schools in four different time zones under its auspices.

Central Florida is the second-largest university in the United States with an enrollment of 58,587. Located in Orlando, Fla., UCF was founded in 1963. The Orlando television market is the nation’s 19th largest. UCF has been named one of the “50 Best Value Public Universities” by USA Today and the Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report has ranked the school as a “Top Up-And-Coming” university for the past three years.

The Knights compete in 16 men’s and women’s sports. The UCF football team has won two conference championships in the last five seasons and played in four bowl games over the last six years. Last year, the Knights won the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and finished No. 25 in the final Bowl Championship Series ranking. Going into the 2011-12 academic year, UCF athletic teams have made 86 NCAA Division I team tournament appearances and 92 NCAA Division I individual championship appearances.

Houston, a university with an enrollment of 39,825, was founded in 1927 in Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the U.S. and the 10th largest television market. The University’s student body is the second most ethnically diverse among major research institutions in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report.

Twenty-two Houston athletes have competed in the Olympics and have combined to win 39 medals, including 20 gold. The men’s basketball program has made five Final Four appearances. The football team has made 20 bowl appearances and won 10 conference championships. This year, the Cougars have enjoyed of their best seasons in history. They finished the regular season with a 12-1 record and a No. 19 ranking in the final BCS standings. One of the top men’s golf programs in the nation, the Cougars have captured 16 NCAA titles.

SMU is the only Division I program in Dallas, Texas, the nation’s ninth largest city and fifth largest television market. The school has an enrollment of 10,981 and was established in 1911. According to U.S. News & World Report, SMU is the best overall undergraduate college in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. SMU is one of only 77 institutions in the U.S. with an endowment of over $1 billion.

SMU sponsors 17 sports. The Mustangs have been ranked as the top school in their conference 11 times in the past 14 years in the Director’s Cup overall athletic standings. The men’s basketball team has won 14 conference championships and made one Final Four appearance. The men’s soccer team has advanced to the NCAA Championship in 16 of the last 18 seasons, including two Final Four appearances. The football team will appear in its third straight bowl game in January at the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.

Boise State is the largest university in Idaho with an enrollment of 19,664. The campus is home of 11 Idaho Professor of the Year honorees since 1990 and the 2011 national champion debate and speech team.

The football program has been one of the nation’s best in recent years. Since 2002, the Broncos have won eight conference titles and earned eight top 25 finishes in the national polls, including a top 10 finish in each of the last four seasons. Boise State won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in 2010 and 2007. The Broncos, who play in Bronco Stadium with its distinctive blue turf, have finished in the top 10 of the BCS standings for the last three years and are ranked No. 7 this week. Off the field, the football program won the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award. The Bronco football team had a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its student-athlete class of 2004.

San Diego State is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region and fifth largest in California. Founded in 1897, the university has grown to become a nationally ranked research university and has an enrollment of 32,396. Increasingly recognized for innovative research, San Diego State has achieved the prestigious designation of “Research University” with high research activity granted by the Carnegie Foundation. The San Diego market is the 28th largest in the U.S.

The SDSU football program has enjoyed recent success with a 9-4 record in 2010 and a win in the Poinsettia Bowl. This year’s team owns an 8-4 mark and will play in the New Orleans Bowl. The Aztecs play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium, the home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers. San Diego State has had 134 players become NFL Draft picks, including 13 since 2004.

The five new schools join Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Rutgers and USF as the teams competing in football in the BIG EAST Conference and UCF, Houston and SMU join DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova in all other sports. With the addition of the five new schools, the BIG EAST will have the largest footprint of any college football conference in the nation, with a coast-to-coast presence spanning eight states in five different regions of the country.

WVU SUES BIG EAST; LEAGUE MOVES FORWARD

Marinatto given go-ahead to invite schools

By Raphielle Johnson

The never-ending saga that is the long-term stability of the Big East Conference moved a little closer to a solution on Tuesday as the 13 presidents gave commissioner John Marinatto the go-ahead to invite new members. The goal of the Big East is to get to 12 football members, with a couple of those institutions being “football-only” members. Three are expected to be full members of the conference, and there have been plenty of rumors in recent weeks about which schools are in line for the spots. Following the meeting at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott, Commissioner Marinatto issued the following statement:

“We had a very productive meeting and were able to discuss the great progress we have made in the last few weeks regarding conference realignment.

“Our Presidents voted unanimously to extend invitations to specific institutions, including both football-only and all-sport members to join the BIG EAST Conference. I will be speaking to representatives of those schools shortly and look forward to announcing with them their acceptance into the BIG EAST. The addition of these members will extend our reach, bring us to exciting new markets, strengthen our status within the BCS, and lay the foundation for possible further expansion, all while maintaining the high quality and standards our Conference is known for.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto (Photo Credit: William Perlman/Newark Star-Ledger)

“In light of the lawsuit filed by West Virginia yesterday, the Presidents also discussed and confirmed our continuing commitment to enforce the Conference’s 27-month notification period for schools choosing to leave. The Conference believes these claims to be wholly without merit and will explore all its legal options to protect its interests and to ensure that West Virginia lives up to its obligations.”

Obviously the other key aspect of his statement was the portion on the league’s response to West Virginia filing a lawsuit on Monday, with the hope being that they’ll be allowed to leave the conference for the Big 12 following this academic year as opposed to being subject to the 27-month notification period as written in the conference’s bylaws. The suit can be read here (.PDF file), and a very good explanation of the lawsuit and it’s validity was given by Brian Ewart of VUHoops.com.

The question now likely isn’t when the Mountaineers get to leave but rather how much this will cost them. Whether or not any of the parties involved want this to go to trial is debatable, especially if the Big 12 were to find themselves dragged into the litigation, but this doesn’t look to be a situation that will be solved immediately. It’s also relevant to both Pittsburgh and Syracuse, who cast their lot with the ACC, and could have an idea of what a possible settlement could look like should they attempt to take that route.

ACC commissioner John Swofford stated at the league’s basketball media day in Charlotte that the league is ready for the two schools whenever they can join, be it in 2012 or the expected 2014. But unlike the Big 12 their TV deals are in good shape with their current membership. Since the Big 12 signed their deals with a 10-member league in mind, dropping below that number (should Missouri actually move to the SEC) would cut the value of their contracts (the Big 12 was able to get ESPN and FOX to agree to paying as if the conference were still a 12-member league following the departures of Colorado and Nebraska).

These are definitely interesting times for the Big East, who will more than likely announce new members within the next week or so.

TELECONFERENCE ADDRESSES SOME ISSUES

Withdrawal fees conditionally doubled for football members

By Raphielle Johnson

Big East Conference commissioner John Marinatto held a teleconference this afternoon in hopes of answering some questions on the path the conference was headed. With the news last night that Missouri could well be on their way to applying to join the SEC, some wondered if that would speed up the Big East’s expansion timeline. According to Marinatto that won’t have an effect on how the Big East goes about identifying and inviting prospective members.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto hopes to hold the league together (Photo Credit: William Perlman/Newark Star-Ledger)

“Stay tuned (on time frame),” said Marinatto. “We’re not rushing ourselves to meet anyone’s deadline. The sooner, the better.”

One thing that the conference members did agree to in their conference on Monday night was the conditional raising of the league’s exit fee for football members from $5 million to $10 million (the basketball members will remain at $5 million). That fee increase will be triggered by the acceptance of an invitation to join the Big East by one institution (according to Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com this would stand for either Navy or Air Force; fee remains the same in the case that another school is the first to join), as opposed to when the league gets to its established goal of 12 football-playing members (the number is at six with Pittsburgh and Syracuse heading to the ACC and TCU going to the Big 12).

“This development is a significant step forward, as well as a positive demonstration and acknowledgement of the continued benefits of being in the BIG EAST Conference,” said Marinatto. “It sends a message to those institutions we are talking to about joining us. In addition, our members have given us their support to move towards a 12-team football model. Each of our member schools is behind this effort, and we are confident we can achieve it. We hope to have an announcement soon concerning new members.”

As for possible candidates Marinatto could not go into specifics or identify the schools that the Big East has had discussions with, but he did state that he was pleased with the candidates. Marinatto also stated that no invites have been handed out, which contradicts the Houston Chronicle’s report late Monday that the University of Houston received an invitation to join the conference.

“When the dust settles, we will emerge stronger than ever,” said Marinatto. “It’s our commitment to meet the standards to meet our BCS qualifications.”

The question of whether or not the new exit fee figure was considered to be “low” when compared to that of other conferences, Marinatto said, “I don’t think there’s a magic number to prevent schools from leaving a league.” In regards to whether or not the low fee was an issue, Marinatto also stated that the figure wasn’t an issue for the schools that he’s had discussions with.

The conference will communicate with the leaders of conferences in which prospective members currently reside, and Marinatto added that “I don’t think anyone will be blindsided or feel bushwhacked when the process is complete.”

No conferences have contacted the Big East about discussions with their members since the Big 12 inquired about TCU, and there is a chance that the football conference could consist of 14 teams in 2013. Marinatto stated that Pitt and Syracuse will be held to the 27-month notice even if the Big East has its 12-member configuration, and he would like for a possible football championship game to be played in New York City in hopes of having success similar to the basketball tournament.

WEEK 4 BIG EAST RECAP: MOUNTAINEERS FALL AT HOME

LSU shows their class in Morgantown

By Raphielle Johnson

Saturday night was a big occasion in Morgantown due to the national media attention that come with playing the number two team in America. But unfortunately for #16 West Virginia (3-1) they found out the hard way what it takes to win such contests, falling to #2 LSU (4-0) 47-21 in front of a sold-out crowd at Milan Puskar Stadium. The differences were simple but costly: special teams, tackling and turnovers. The Mountaineers were able to move the football in the air against one of the country’s best defenses, racking up 463 yards passing on the night.

LSU made quite the statement on Saturday night (Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

“They were a smarter football team than we are,” said head coach Dana Holgorsen. “We had four turnovers and they had none. We had twice as many penalties and the special teams were completely one sided, so those three things pretty much got them the victory.”

But they were a minus-4 in turnover margin, with LSU scoring 21 points off of those mistakes. Les Miles’ team set the tone on their first drive, going 58 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 11-yard pass from Jarrett Lee to Rueben Randle. Brandon Taylor would pick off Smith to end WVU’s third possession of the game, and the Tigers would convert that into a touchdown to take a 13-0 lead. One quarter in and Coach Holgorsen’s team was in trouble against a defense littered with ball hawks (Tyrann Mathieu clearly stands out).

But West Virginia would answer early in the second quarter as Smith connected with Stedman Bailey to cut the LSU lead to six. After both teams ended their next drive with a punt LSU moved ahead 20-7 on a 52-yard pass from Lee to Odell Beckham with 6:53 left in the half. The Mountaineers wouldn’t do much with their ensuing drive, and they very nearly shut the door on themselves for good in the final seconds of the half.

Mathieu, coming on a blitz, was able to pick off a Smith pass and return it 16 yards to the Mountaineer 1. LSU would score two plays later on a pass from Lee to Chase Clement to make the score 27-7 at the break. WVU outgained LSU 163-85 in the quarter but because of turnovers and missed assignments they found themselves down three scores at the half. To say the least that won’t get it done against the nation’s best.

After a Drew Alleman missed field goal from 30 yards out West Virginia began to make their run back into the game. Smith led the Mountaineers on a six-play, 80-yard drive to cut the lead to 27-14 on a 12-yard pass to Tyler Urban. The WVU defense would ride the momentum, but every time they got a stop there was LSU punter Brad Wing. Wing averaged 48.7 yards per punt and all six of his punts were inside of the 10-yard line.

Compare that to WVU punter Corey Smith, who averaged 10 fewer yards per punt with the average bolstered by a 50-yarder. That was just one part of the special teams edge for LSU. The other would come just when the Mountaineers and their fans thought they had a chance to win. After another touchdown cut the deficit to six points, LSU’s Morris Claiborne returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to make the lead 34-21.

That six-point margin would be as close at West Virginia would get, as the defense missed tackles and could not get off the field in dealing with such a physical unit. There were also penalties, ten of them to be exact with some coming in key areas of the field (there were two different illegal procedure calls on wide receivers). So while the Mountaineers saw that they have the skill to compete on a higher level, the simple mistakes will need to be eliminated if they’re to become a championship-caliber team. LSU is there, but WVU still has some steps to take.

“We did some good things offensively and defensively, but you can’t beat a good team by doing that,” noted Holgorsen. “You can talk about 500 yards if you want to, but the only thing I’m going to talk about tomorrow is four turnovers.”

Notre Dame 15, Pittsburgh 12

In a matchup of two teams that have found ways in which to beat themselves this season it was Notre Dame that came up with the big drive late. Tommy Rees led the Irish on an 11-play, 85-yard drive in the fourth quarter, connecting with tight end Tyler Eifert for a six-yard touchdown pass to make the score 13-12. The two connected again on the subsequent two-point conversion, and with Notre Dame sacking Tino Sunseri twice on the Panthers’ final drive the Irish won 15-12.

“I think Tommy was 8-for-8 in his last drive and Tyler Eifert was huge, he went up in traffic two or three times, got hit and held onto the ball,” said head coach Brian Kelly. [It was] just guys making plays on the last drive is really what stands out.”

Rees and the Notre Dame (2-2) offense went through their fair share of difficulty throughout the game, turning the ball over two more time to push their number to 15 in four games. But the defense came through for the visitors, as they limited Pitt (2-2) to 103 yards rushing and 268 yards of total offense. Ray Graham led Pitt with 89 yards on the ground, but 42 of those came on one carry. Tino Sunseri didn’t turn the ball over but he was sacked five times and threw for just 165 yards and a touchdown.

Pittsburgh was able to capitalize off of a Notre Dame fumble late in the first quarter as Kevin Harper connected on a field goal from 39 yards out. But penalties and missed assignments for both teams turned the game into a defensive struggle following a Jonas Gray 79-yard run to put the Irish up 7-3. Pitt would add another field goal and go into the half down a point, and then put together their best drive of the game to start the second half.

The Panthers went 80 yards in 19 plays, chewing up more than eight minutes on the clock, scoring on a three-yard pass from Sunseri to Hubie Graham to make the score 12-7. Pitt head coach Todd Graham decided to go for two at a point in the game where many would refuse to “chase points” and it came back to bite them. The conversion attempt failed, leaving the door open for the Irish to take the lead on a touchdown and make the margin three with a conversion of their own.

Once again closing the game was an issue for Pittsburgh, who committed nine penalties to offset the eight for Notre Dame. That’s something that will have to get better in a hurry, because league play begins for the Panthers on Thursday night against USF. “That’s the thing that’s so frustrating right now in our locker room,” said Sunseri. “We feel like we are inches away from really busting this open and really being in that uptempo offense and understanding it, and being able to put points on the board.”

Syracuse 33, Toledo 30 (OT)

Syracuse (3-1) found a way to escape against the Rockets at home but not without controversy. Following Ryan Nassib’s touchdown pass to Alec Lemon with 2:07 remaining in regulation kicker Ross Krautman hooked the PAT, only to have the officials rule that he made the kick. The play was reviewed, with the replay official ruling that the play should stand as called. Toledo (1-3) would go down to tie the game on the final play of the fourth quarter, but Syracuse would pick off Austin Dantin on the first play of overtime and go on to win on a Krautman field goal. But while they have a good argument for being robbed, Toledo head coach Tim Beckman did no such thing.

“I don’t know anything other than what they tell me in the [coaches] box,” said Beckman. “They said it was a little bit off to the left. When you come into these games, you learn as a team and coaching staff that it’s us against the world. We have to make sure we don’t give the touchdown up, so they can’t kick that PAT.”

What many thought to be a tricky contest for the Orange (3-1) leading up to the noon kickoff got off to an ominous start, as Toledo went 80 yards on 22 plays to start the game. The Rockets only got a field goal out of the drive but they set the tone early in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse would turn the ball over on their first possession, and three minutes after their first score Toledo made it 10-0 on a Morgan Williams touchdown run.

The Orange rallied in the second quarter, scoring 13 unanswered points beginning with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Nassib to Nick Provo. Krautman made two field goals but Toledo’s Jeremiah Detmer responded with a 52-yarder as time expired. The two would each score a touchdown in the third quarter, setting the stage for an action-packed fourth. Morgan Williams answered a Krautman field goal with his second touchdown of the day, putting Toledo up 27-23 with 10:54 left.

Syracuse would score eight minutes later, beginning the sequence that many will ultimately remember from this game. Defensively the Orange had their issues with All-American Eric Page, who finished with 13 receptions for 158 yards. But Antwon Bailey and Prince-Tyson Gulley combined to rush for 180 yards and Ryan Nassib threw for 213 yards and two scores in the win. Syracuse opens Big East play next week as they host Rutgers.

Rutgers 38, Ohio 26

Ohio showed up in New Brunswick hoping to get off to their best start since 1976. But unfortunately for the Bobcats (3-1), Rutgers had wide receiver Mohamed Sanu who put forth a record-setting performance in the Scarlet Knight victory. Sanu caught 16 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns, with the receptions setting both Rutgers (2-1) and Big East records.

Chas Dodd completed 21 of 32 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers, but the bigger development came at running back. With many expected Savon Huggins to take over following the bye week (and transfer of De’Antwan Williams), it was actually Jawan Jamison who led the team on the ground. Jamison rushed for 97 yards on 29 carries as head coach Greg Schiano stuck with the hot hand.

“I think it will be a good mix but I thought Jawan ran it really well today,” said Schiano. “There were a couple plays that were negative plays that he made a guy miss in the backfield. Those are the plays that don’t get a lot of notoriety but they are key.”

Tyler Tettleton was outstanding for Ohio in a losing effort, throwing for 339 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. But Ohio lost four of five fumbles, which gave Rutgers the boost they needed at critical junctures in the game. Marcus Cooper’s 4-yard fumble return late in the first half gave Rutgers a 21-7 lead, and while the Bobcats would close to within four (21-17) they couldn’t get over the hump. Next up for Rutgers is a trip north to take on Syracuse in the league opener for both.

Connecticut 17, Buffalo 3

It wasn’t pretty from an offensive standpoint for either team, but the Huskies (2-2) found a way to get out of Buffalo with a much-needed win. And they may have found themselves a playmaker on offense as well. Nick Williams, known for his abilities in the return game, turned two slants into huge gains for UConn. A 64-yard connection with Johnny McEntee went for 64 yards, setting up UConn’s first score on a pass from McEntee to Mark Hinkley. Williams’ second reception was a 49-yard touchdown that shut the door on the Bulls (1-3).

McEntee once again received the majority of the snaps at quarterback, and while he didn’t put forth a legendary performance he was good enough. McEntee completed 12 of 21 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Huskies win despite a disappointing showing on the ground (42 attempts for 80 yards). And despite the absence of safety Jerome Junior (violation of team rules) and the loss for Blidi Wreh-Wilson due to injury, the UConn defense survived giving up a couple big plays through the air.

Next week the Huskies host a tough Western Michigan team in their final non-conference game, and there are a couple questions to answer offensively. Is McEntee the man head coach Paul Pasqualoni will go with for the long haul? With Michael Nebrich attempting just one pass that may be the case. And how healthy is D.J. Shoemate? Shoemate caught a pass but didn’t get any carries, so maybe the ankle is still a concern for the coaching staff. But to say the least, UConn needs good answers to these questions sooner rather than later.

#18 USF 52, UTEP 24

USF (4-0) had a field day on the ground, rushing for 373 yards (four yards short of the school record) and four touchdowns in their blowout win over the Miners. B.J. Daniels, who also threw for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns, kicked off the scoring with a 71-yard run three minutes into the game. But the Miners (2-1) were able to answer almost immediately, getting a good kickoff return and going 33 yards in less than two minutes to tie the game. USF was good against the run, but once Quenton Washington was lost the pass defense struggled.

“Defensively I thought our run defense was good, they were stout,” said head coach Skip Holtz. “Our front seven played well. I thought our pass defense was poor. I thought it was very poor tonight. I think you know all of a sudden we were down a starter in Q [Quentin Washington] and I say it all the time, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”

The Bulls would score two more rushing touchdowns in the first quarter, and they would lead 31-17 at the intermission. The first of two Lindsey Lamar touchdown receptions (54 yards) made the score 38-17 with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter. The Miners were able to come back with Carson Meger connecting with Kevin Perry on a 25-yard scoring strike, but that would be their final points of the night.

Daniels connected with Lamar for a second touchdown pass with 6:46 left in the game, and just 14 seconds later Sam Barrington’s 30-yard pick six closed the scoring. USF has scored directly off of a turnover in each of their four games this season but there’s still plenty of work to be done going into Thursday’s conference opener at Pittsburgh, especially from a depth standpoint.

“I think some guys are coming along and some guys are emerging, but we’re not where we need to be right now,” said Holtz of his reserves. “We are a work in progress and we got to get better than what we are right now.”

WEEK 4 BIG EAST SATURDAY PREVIEW

Mountaineers look to make a statement

By Raphielle Johnson

It’s been a tough week for the Big East Conference due in large part to the expansion talk that’s taken over the entire nation it seems. But the conference got off to a good start to this week as Cincinnati blew out NC State 44-14 on Thursday night. But Saturday offers the marquee opportunity for the league to make a national statement, as #16 West Virginia (3-0) hosts #2 LSU (3-0) in front of a national audience (8 PM, ABC).

WVU quarterback Geno Smith (Photo Credit: Dan Friend/MSN SportsNet)

The ESPN show “College Gameday” makes its first-ever trip to Morgantown, and what’s normally a frenzied environment should be even more excited for this contest. But this is a steep challenge for the Mountaineers, who lost in Baton Rouge last season 20-14. There may not be any grass for the superstitious Les Miles to munch on (WVU’s field is FieldTurf) but he’s got one of the nation’s best defenses to rely upon.

The Tigers are second in the SEC in total defense, allowing 207 yards per game, second in rush defense and third against the pass. The defensive line is deep and talented, and in sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu the Tigers have one of the nation’s best. The key for the Mountaineers on offense will be to get something of consequence going on the ground in order to slow down that front four. WVU is sixth in the Big East in rushing with an average of 78.7 yards per game, so that will be easier said than done.

“They are wherever the ball is,” said WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen about the LSU defense. “They get there really fast, and they’re pretty impressive once they get there. You can study their personnel all you want to, but they’re all capable of making plays.”

So how will the Mountaineers move the football against the talented LSU defense? They’ll need a big night from quarterback Geno Smith and his receiving corps, led by Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Ivan McCartney. This trio has caught five of Smith’s seven touchdown passes, and Austin is also dangerous in the return game. Last year’s meeting turned on a Patrick Peterson punt return for a touchdown, so both teams will need to be at their best on special teams.

Offensively LSU is led by quarterback Jarrett Lee, who has been entrusted to simply not make mistakes with Jordan Jefferson serving a suspension. Lee will also have the services of a key weapon in receiver Russell Shepard, who was suspended for the first three games of the season. Along with Rueben Randle the Tigers will have a tandem that can test the WVU secondary, but Lee won’t be a gunslinger.

“It’s a physical nature,” said Holgorsen of the LSU offense. “They’re going to put in a fullback and a tight end and they’re going to get after you. If you put too many people in there, then they’re going to one-on-one you on the outsides with their talented receivers.”

The Tigers are a very physical offensive team, with an experienced offensive line opening holes for a committee of running backs who can move the ball down the field. Spencer Ware and Michael Ford combine to average 148 yards per game and have scored a combined seven touchdowns. The battle up front is one that Julian Miller, Bruce Irvin and the Mountaineers have to win if they’re going to have any chance.

To be frank, this is the contest where we’ll see how much Irvin has progressed. Considered to strictly be a “sack master” last season, the personnel losses forced Irvin to step into a larger role in Jeff Casteel’s scheme. If the front three can do their jobs players such as leading tackler Najee Goode will have the opportunity to run and make plays. But if not it could be a long night against an LSU team that’s won their last 35 regular season non-conference games.

Few are giving West Virginia a chance of winning this game, due to the disparity in conference pedigree and the fact that LSU posted one of the most impressive performances thus far in their win over Oregon. The crowd could be a factor, but the Tigers have played (and won) in front of hostile environments many times before. If the Mountaineers can stand up to the physical test they’ll run into in the trenches they’ve got a shot to pick up a huge victory.

Pick: West Virginia +5.5 (27-24)

Notre Dame at Pittsburgh (Noon, ABC)

Pittsburgh (2-1) looks to rebound from a stunning fourth quarter collapse, and recapture the local fans’ attention who seem more interested in the Week 3 NFL Odds at this point, in their loss at Iowa last week, but that will be tough to do with Notre Dame (1-2) coming to town. The Fighting Irish may have picked up their first win of the season last week but don’t be fooled by the record. Brian Kelly’s team could very well be 3-0, but the reason they aren’t is a simple one: turnovers. The Irish have turned the ball over 13 times in three games and are a minus-8 in turnover margin, with five turnovers in each of their losses.

“We try to correct everything that occurs as we move forward,” said Kelly of how the Irish deal with their 1-2 start. “So we don’t go back to those things relative to what happened in the past, other than we try to correct those mistakes and then move forward.”

Tommy Rees, who took over for the ineffective Dayne Crist in the loss to USF, has completed 69.7% of his passes despite throwing five interceptions. Rees has six touchdown passes on the year, and there’s no mistaking who the top target is. Michael Floyd, one of the best receivers in the country, has caught 31 passes for 397 yards and two touchdowns in three games and slowing him down will be the priority for the Pitt defense.

But Floyd’s not the only weapon that Notre Dame looks to. Running backs Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray will both see action, with Wood being the primary ball-carrier (299 yards, 4 TDs). Pitt can look to their defensive line led by Chas Alexcih, Myles Caragein and Brandon Lindsey in slowing down the run as they’ve allowed just 80 yards per game on the ground. But the Panthers have given up 336 yards per game through the air, by far the worst in the Big East. If they can’t get to Rees up front it could be a long afternoon for that secondary.

“One thing that has hurt us is we have given up a lot of big plays on pressures and were not a team who has done a lot of that in the past,” said head coach Todd Graham earlier this week. “We are too loose in a lot of situations especially when we lost the momentum against Iowa. We had moments where blitzes were called and guys just didn’t go and execute.”

While Pitt needs to clean that up on defense, the bigger concern remains the play of quarterback Tino Sunseri. While the senior has completed 62.5% of his passes he’s thrown four interceptions to just three touchdowns. The speed at which Sunseri makes his progressions in an offense that’s supposed to specialize in quickly getting rid of the football has been an issue.

If Pitt can get things going in that area they’ll be a tough team to stop thanks to running back Ray Graham. Graham has rushed for 419 yards and six touchdowns in three games, and his versatility makes him a difficult matchup for just about anyone. Manti Te’o and company will look to slow him down and make Sunseri beat them. The question now is whether or not the senior can get the job done.

Pick: Pittsburgh +7 (Notre Dame 31-28)

Toledo at Syracuse (Noon, Big East Network)

On the heels of their first defeat of the season, Syracuse (2-1) returns home to take on a tough Toledo squad. The Rockets (1-2) have already taken Ohio State down to the wire, but they came back to earth last week as Boise State blew them out 40-15. Tim Beckman’s group will pose quite the challenge for a team that struggled at home to beat Wake Forest and Rhode Island, and the combo of running back Adonis Thomas and receiver Eric Page is a big reason why.

“They have an excellent player in [Eric] Page, who’s one of the best players in the country and an All-American candidate,” said Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. “There is a lot of experience on the football team that is coming in here, and we’re going to have to play extremely well to beat them.”

Thomas is averaging 75.7 yards per game and is second on the team in receptions per game to Page, who catches 8.3 passes for 91.3 yards per game. Page’s ability could be an issue for the Syracuse secondary, which has struggled at times this season. The Rockets will play two quarterbacks, with Austin Dantin and Terrance Owens, with Dantin getting the start and Owens coming in off the bench.

Offensively Syracuse could be in good shape thanks in large part to quarterback Ryan Nassib, who played well in defeat last weekend. Receivers Van Chew and Alec Lemon were productive against USC and in tight end Nick Provo the Orange have one of the best in the Big East. But Syracuse needs to get their running game going, as it ranks 109th nationally.

Antwon Bailey gets the majority of the carries but he’s been under 50 yards in each of the last two games. If Syracuse can get their running game in order they’ll be that much better offensively. But that’s a big “if”, and combined with the Rockets’ not being afraid of the competition could spell trouble. Don’t be surprised if this game is close late.

Pick: Syracuse -2 (28-24)

Ohio at Rutgers (2 PM, ESPN3)

Rutgers (1-1) returns to the field following a bye week and they’ll be short a running back as De’Antwan Williams has decided to transfer. Freshman Savon Huggins was expected to see more reps beginning with this contest against Ohio (3-0), but there will also be carries for Jawan Jamison and Jeremy Deering. The Bobcats, who are looking for their first 4-0 start since 1976, rank at or near the top of the MAC in a number of statistical categories including total defense (lead the conference).

Ohio ranks 2nd in the MAC in rushing defense, which should make things tougher for the Scarlet Knights on the ground. That could put more on the shoulders of quarterback Chas Dodd and his receiving corps, as they’ll take on a defense that’s 6th in the MAC against the pass. Nose guard Neal Huynh leads Ohio with 20 tackles, and linebacker Noah Keller is solid at the middle linebacker spot.

Offensively the Bobcats list three possibilities to start at quarterback, and Tyler Tettleton has started all three games to date. In fact he’s gotten so many more chances to both throw and run with the football that it’s tough to say that it’s an “either or” situation at the position. Donte Harden and Ryan Boykin have been the leaders on the ground yardage-wise but it’s Tettleton who has rushed for three scores.

Ohio may not throw a great deal but LaVon Brazill is one player Rutgers will need to keep track of in the passing game. Defensively the Scarlet Knights have been good; despite giving up 24 points at North Carolina they did force five turnovers. They may not reach that number against Ohio, a team that’s disciplined and takes care of the football. Given the optimism surrounding the Bobcats it would not be a surprise if Rutgers were to lose. In order to avoid the upset however, they must get something from the ground attack.

Pick: Ohio +4 (Rutgers 21-20)

Connecticut at Buffalo (6 PM, Big East Network)

The focus goes from the hunt for an ACC invite to a trip to Buffalo for UConn (1-2), and they could very well head back to Storrs 1-3 if they don’t get improved play from the quarterback position. Johnny McEntee has seen the majority of the snaps but he’s completing just 44.9% of his passes, and the position as a whole has a completion percentage of 44.2%. Regardless of what Lyle McCombs and D.J. Shoemate can get done on the ground it’s difficult to move the football when you’re one-dimensional.

And the lack of offense could prove to be a problem as the Bulls (1-2) have moved the ball well behind Cincinnati transfer Chazz Anderson. Anderson’s done a solid job of running the offense, having already connected with ten different receivers in the first three games. Running back Branden Oliver has rushed for 358 yards and five touchdowns, but despite Buffalo’s talent on offense the UConn defense hasn’t been the problem despite some big-play breakdowns.

Wide receiver Isiah Moore played well in the loss to Iowa State, and if the quarterbacks can get the ball to Moore and his fellow receivers in positions where they can go on to make plays the Huskies will move the football. But as it’s been seen in three games that’s easier said than done for this group. The Huskies can’t afford to turn the ball over (eight giveaways) especially early. Look for them to narrowly avoid Buffalo’s upset bid.

Pick: Buffalo +9.5 (Connecticut 27-20)

UTEP at USF (7 PM, ESPN3)

One final tune-up for the start of conference play for USF (3-0), who has arguably been the most impressive team in the conference. B.J. Daniels tied the school record for passing yards in a game last week and could very well break it this week. UTEP (2-1) struggled last week in their win over New Mexico State, and it goes without saying that the Miners can’t afford to have their quarterback complete just 9 of 28 passes.

The Miners will likely go with freshman Jay Hall again this week, which could prove to be problematic given how well the USF defense has played. Offensively the Bulls can look to Daniels and running back Darrell Scott, who played the best game of his young USF career last week. UTEP could make things interesting for a half or so, but by the fourth quarter look for a few USF players getting some extra rest for next week’s meeting with Pittsburgh on a short week.

Pick: USF -29 (48-17)

RECORD TO DATE: 18-6 overall, 12-8 ATS

WEEK 1 SATURDAY RECAP: BULLS BEAT NOTRE DAME

Young program capitalizes on Notre Dame turnovers

By Raphielle Johnson

Things didn’t look good for Skip Holtz’s USF Bulls on the opening drive of the game against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish offensive line was having its way with the Bulls in the trenches, and running back Cierre Wood found large holes as the Irish moved the ball down the field. Thanks in large part to the running of Wood the Irish found themselves with a 3rd and goal from the USF 1, but Wood was replaced by Jonas Gray due to fatigue. What would happen on the ensuing play turned the tide of the game for the remainder of the first half.

This play turned momentum early for the Bulls (Courtesy: USF)

In fighting for the final yard Gray was eventually stripped of the football by USF safety Jerrell Young, and Kayvon Webster picked up the loose ball and sprinted 96 yards for the opening touchdown of the game. Many showed up thinking that Notre Dame would take their first step towards a BCS bid but the defensive score quieted the masses at Notre Dame Stadium and rattled the Irish. Dayne Crist struggled to move the offense in the first half and the Irish set up more USF points with mind-numbing mistakes.

Six hours and two weather delays later the Bulls had a 23-20 victory, handing Notre Dame their fifth loss in their last six games against Big East teams. And even if the Irish don’t have the great on-field product that they had for years this is a watershed moment for a program that was established back in 1997.

“We talked about what a great challenge this was for us coming in here as a young program being that only 13 years ago we didn’t own a pair of cleats or a helmet or football at South Florida,” said head coach Skip Holtz after the game. “And to be the youngest program in the BCS and to have an opportunity to have a couple wins on the road with Clemson in the bowl and Miami, and then having the opportunity to come up here to Notre Dame and win.”

Turnovers made all the difference in the game, as Notre Dame handed the ball over five times to USF’s none. That’s quite the departure for junior quarterback B.J. Daniels, who finished 2010 with 13 interceptions and 12 touchdown passes. While he was hardly spectacular (18-30, 128 yards 1 TD) Daniels avoided the turnovers and that proved crucial as the Bulls were unable to convert other Notre Dame turnovers into touchdowns. USF was out-gained 508-254 but turnovers are the ultimate equalizer, and that’s exactly what happened to the Irish as the miscues added up.

“We’re in the red zone ready to put one in and we threw another interception,” said Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. “It was the accumulation of mistake after mistake after mistake. It wasn’t that one particular play.”

USF took a 16-0 lead into the locker room at the half but found themselves on ice for two hours due to the inclement weather in the area. And once the teams returned to the field there was a change as Kelly pulled Crist in favor of Tommy Rees. Rees played well in the second half, throwing for 296 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had a pair of interceptions to his name. The first of the two interceptions hit receiver TJ Jones on the shoulder and popped up in the air, with USF linebacker Michael Lanaris making the diving interception at the 4-yard line.

Notre Dame would eventually get the ball back and score, but that was it for the third quarter from a scoring standpoint. Daniels would wake up the USF offense with a touchdown pass to Evan Landi early in the fourth quarter, and Notre Dame cut the lead to 23-13 on a Wood rushing touchdown. Shortly after that came the second weather delay of the game, and on the first play back on the field Young picked off Rees. USF could do nothing offensively, resulting in the Irish getting the ball back late in the fourth quarter and eventually cutting the lead to 23-20. But they couldn’t recover the onside kick, and the Bulls took a knee.

Darrell Scott and Demetris Murray shared the duties at running back, combining to rush for 73 yards on a day that saw the Bulls struggle to string together long drives. But given Notre Dame’s generosity they really didn’t have to. Maikon Bonani made three of four field goal attempts with the miss coming from 52 yards out, and Sterling Griffin (8 catches, 75 yards) had a solid performance after missing all of last season due to injury. But while this is certainly a big victory for the USF program, their ultimate goal for this season is not to beat Notre Dame. There’s more on the table for the Bulls and from the head coach on down that’s understood.

“What we have not done is we have not been able to line up and play consistently throughout the course of a year and win a Big East Championship, and that’s the No. 1 goal that we have as a football team right now with what we’re trying to do,” noted Holtz.

*quotes courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Connecticut 35, Fordham 3

Unbeknownst to many in attendance (including media) at Rentschler Field until minutes before kickoff, running back D.J. Shoemate sprained his ankle in Thursday’s practice. That gave freshman (and listed co-starter) Lyle McCombs the opportunity to start and did he ever take advantage of the chance. The Staten Island native rushed for 141 yards and scored four touchdowns as Connecticut beat Fordham 35-3.

“My hat goes off to Lyle McCombs who played very well with D.J. Shoemate out with an injury,” said head coach Paul Pasqualoni. “We found out before the game that D.J. wasn’t going to be able to play so we started Lyle and he really had a big day, scoring four times.”

The win was also the 108th as a Big East head for Pasqualoni, who moved into a tie for the record with Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer. But the position that most fans took a keen interest in was quarterback, where UConn played three players and while there were flashes there’s still a lot of work to be done. Johnny McEntee got the start and was accurate, connecting on 8 of 12 passes for 113 yards. Scott McCummings was used almost in a “Wildcat” role for many of his reps, rushing for 27 yards on seven carries.

But McCummings also connected on the group’s lone touchdown pass, a 55-yard strike to tight end Ryan Griffin to make the score 21-0 just before the halfway point of the second quarter. Michael Nebrich completed 3 of 8 passes for 60 yards and an interception, and while the Huskies did account for 228 yards in the air there’s plenty of work to be done. There still seems to be a lack of playmakers on the outside and the offensive line had issues pass blocking at times.

The defense did what was to be expected against an overmatched opponent, limiting the Rams to 20 yards rushing on 30 attempts and dominating the point of attack. Next up for Connecticut is a trip to Vanderbilt next weekend.

*quote courtesy of UConn Athletics

Pittsburgh 35, Buffalo 16

The opening game of the Todd Graham era did not get off to the riveting start that the fans at Heinz Field expected, as the Panthers struggled moving the ball and taking a shaky 7-3 lead into the locker room. But Pittsburgh also had running back Ray Graham, who finished with 201 yards and three touchdown runs on 29 carries in leading the Panthers to the 35-16 win. Buffalo had two possible touchdowns in the hands of wide receiver Ed Young, only to have both dropped. Pitt did some good things but they dodged a bullet in the opener, with a Chas Alecxih interception turning the momentum for good.

“Ed Young is going to have the opportunity to go back in there and show his teammates that he is a reliable and dependable guy,” said Buffalo head coach Jeff Quinn. “Not one player felt worse than Eddie after tonight. He did not make the mistakes on purpose. He lacked concentration and I think those missed catches could have resulted in two touchdowns, potentially.”

Tino Sunseri threw for 178 yards, completing 16 of 28 passes without an interception while also rushing for 20 yards on seven attempts. His preferred target? Mike Shanahan, who caught a team-high five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Hubie Graham was also solid for the Panthers, catching three passes for 50 yards. There are issues however, most notably Pitt’s third down conversion rate (4 for 11, 36%). But they got better in the second half, and next week’s game against Maine gives the Panthers the opportunity to fine-tune things offensively before their tough three-game stretch (at Iowa, Notre Dame and USF).

“The first half we didn’t execute as well – but in the second half once we settled in and got comfortable, I think we really started to gel and execute a lot better,” said center Ryan Turnley. “Every day we just need to go in and work to get better.”

*quotes courtesy of Pittsburgh Athletics

Cincinnati 72, Austin Peay 10

Ralph David Abernathy IV set the tone for this game on the opening kickoff, returning it 60 yards to set up an Isaiah Pead touchdown run on the next play. From that point on it was “game on” for the Bearcats, who started off their 2011 campaign on the right foot. Austin Peay has just eight seniors, and combining that with the talent disparity they were unable to stem the tide. Pead finished 87 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries while quarterback Zach Collaros threw four touchdown passes in the first half of the 72-10 beating.

“Tonight was very beneficial in the amount of reps our second team was able to get on the offense and defense,” said head coach Butch Jones. “We all know that has been a kind of emphasis, developing depth. Playing the three freshman running backs and the freshman receiver, I think we gained some valuable experience there. But we have a lot of work to do.”

Eleven of the twelve players to carry the football got at least two carries and the one who didn’t (wide receiver D.J. Woods) took his lone attempt 24 yards. Backup quarterback Munchie Legaux saw extensive duty in the second half, and receivers Woods, Anthony McClung and Kenbrell Thompkins all caught touchdown passes (McClung had two). Next week brings a trip to Tennessee, which will be a far better gauge of what Cincinnati may be capable of this season. But without a doubt the opening win is a far cry from what happened at Fresno State last season.

Vidal Hazelton went down with a torn ACL in that loss and from there it was all downhill for Cincinnati, especially on the defensive side of the ball. But on Saturday night the Bearcat defense, which returned 11 starters from last season, was far more aggressive and gained five turnovers. Austin Peay accounted for just 277 yards of offense in 33 minutes of possession on the night.

“Well they have taken great strides but again I still think we need to stop the run a little more consistently,” said Jones. “We still miss too many tackles and we were opportunistic tonight. One of the things that pleased me the most was we were able to take the ball and away and we protected the football. Our kids really took great pride in it. It is one of the things I take from this game.”

*quotes courtesy of Cincinnati Athletics

Sunday Preview

Marshall at #24 West Virginia (3:30PM, ESPN)

The first game of the Dana Holgorsen era is finally here, and while many want to see the spread attack that the offensive guru brings to the table some key veterans will be on display as well. Quarterback Geno Smith is expected by many to take the next step as a quarterback this season due to Holgorsen’s arrival, and it’s likely that he will. Smith led the Big East in touchdown passes last season, and with the likes of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey he will not lack options on the outside. West Virginia will be young at running back with Vernard Roberts (Trey Johnson is out due to injury) but they won’t lack for speed or talent.

But the questions for West Virginia are on the defensive side of the ball, where players such as Chris Neild and J.T. Thomas have moved on. Julian Miller will take over for Neild in the middle of the defensive line but all eyes will be on defensive end Bruce Irvin. Irvin was one of the best at sacking quarterbacks last season, but can he make the progression towards being an every down player? West Virginia isn’t deep enough on the line to afford Irvin the opportunity to play just passing downs. Look for Marshall to test him early with regards to stopping the run, and if he can get it done the WVU defense will be better for it.

Cornerback Keith Tandy ranks among the best in the Big East and the secondary as a whole is talented, and the same goes for the return game. Can Tyler Bitancurt become a consistent presence as the placekicker? That’s another question that will need answering beginning with today. There’s also the matter of this in-state game, one that West Virginia fans refuse to refer to as a rivalry and that fires up Marshall like no other. The Thundering Herd had last year’s game in their hands only to have Smith and company snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Keep an eye on Marshall wide receiver Troy Evans and defensive end Vinny Curry. Evans is widely regarded as one of the most versatile players in Conference USA (Hornung Award watch list) while Curry is the reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Former WVU assistant Doc Holliday went 5-7 in his first season in Huntington but with seven starters back on offense and six on defense the Herd could be in position for a bounce back year. It starts today for both teams.

Pick: West Virginia -23.5 (45-20)
Record: 7-0 (6-1 using the spread)

WEEK 1 SATURDAY PREVIEW: BULLS INVADE SOUTH BEND

Bulls in no mood for tourist attractions

By Raphielle Johnson

The first Saturday of the Big East football season features four games but there’s no mistaking which one is atop the marquee. USF, coming off of an eight-win season in the first year under Skip Holtz, makes the trip north to take on Notre Dame (3:30PM, NBC). Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish are also looking to build on a solid finish to 2010, and some analysts have gone far enough to predict that the Irish end up in a BCS game.

There’s also the off-field subplot of Holtz returning to his alma mater (Class of ‘86) for the first time as a head coach, but rest assured that neither he nor his team will show up in South Bend as mere tourists. It’s the first opportunity this season for quarterback B.J. Daniels to step forward and show that he’s ready to take the next step in his progression as a signal-caller, and it’s a big game for a young program hoping to show that it is ready to be a consistent player on the big stage.

Senior Dayne Crist will get the start at quarterback for Notre Dame, and in wide receiver Michael Floyd he’s got one of the nation’s best as a primary target. Floyd led the Irish with 79 receptions for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and by the time this year ends he’ll likely be the most productive receiver in school history. But Theo Riddick and TJ Jones will also be players the Bulls have to keep an eye on, and this matchup will provide a nice test for a stellar USF secondary that has experience as well.

But the most important player for the Bulls on Saturday will likely be Daniels, who was slowed early in fall camp by a hamstring injury but is healthy now. The junior from Tallahassee threw for more than 1,900 yards last season but he also finished with more interceptions than touchdowns. But with the offensive staff being the same as the prior season’s for the first time in his career, many think that Daniels is ready to take that step towards truly being one of the best quarterbacks in the Big East. To say the least Coach Kelly is fully aware of the physical tools that Daniels brings to the table.

“As it relates to players, you start with B.J. Daniels, the quarterback, who obviously I’ve gotten a chance to know when I was in the Big East,” said Kelly earlier this week. “He’s extremely athletic, he can throw the football, and I think if you just look at the last game he played, he was the MVP of the Meineke Car Care Bowl, so he has confidence and momentum coming into the season.”

Daniels will have more weapons to get the football too this season as well thanks in part to the return of receivers A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin. Both missed all of last season due to injury, and the receiver position is now a strength when it comes to depth. Evan Landi, who is the team’s leading returning receiver, was able to make the move to tight end and players such as Lindsey Lamar and Stephen Bravo-Brown will also have the chance to contribute.

USF should also be able to get some things done on the ground with Demetris Murray back for another season and Colorado transfer Darrell Scott ready to take the field. Scott’s talent is known given how crazy his recruitment was in high school, but after an underwhelming period at CU it’s time for the Californian to make noise. But Notre Dame is experienced defensively, and in junior linebacker Manti Te’o (133 tackles in 2010) they’ve got an outstanding player who can flat-out run and make plays. If there’s one defender that the Bulls must identify on each play it’s likely Te’o.

Notre Dame was an improved team on the defensive side of the ball last season under defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, and they’ll likely be even better this season. Can the USF offense, which has just four returning starters, do enough to net a few big plays? Yes, because despite the Bulls’ youth on both sides of the ball from a games started standpoint they’ve got guys who have played. Defensively ends Ryne Giddins and Patrick Hampton needs to make things tough on Crist in the pocket. If he’s allowed to simple stand back there and pick out receivers it’s going to be a tough afternoon for the Bulls no matter how good the secondary is.

While focusing on the storyline of Skip Holtz heading back to South Bend, many have chalked this up as the first win in Notre Dame’s quest for a BCS bid. But while they certainly are a talented football team so is USF. If the Bulls can navigate the first five minutes of the game without making any mistakes due to being either too excited or overwhelmed by the environment they’ll be fine. This is where Daniels will need to take a step as a leader, and he’ll get the job done.

Pick: USF +10.5 (35-31)

Fordham at Connecticut (Noon, ESPN3)

This game was originally slated for Thursday night but with the Connecticut National Guard using Rentschler Field as a distribution center in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene it was pushed back. Two more days of practice, and two more days for the masses to wonder who will take the first snap for the Huskies at quarterback. Michael Nebrich, Johnny McEntee and Scott McCummings are all in the running for the job, but no matter who gets on the field the fact remains that UConn needs to become a viable threat in the passing game.

“It’s the guy who can be the most productive, the guy who on paper has the measurables, it’s the guy who can get the job done and who can move the chains,” said head coach Paul Pasqualoni when asked who would get the job earlier this week.

Thanks in large part to Jordan Todman the Huskies were able to get away with being one-dimensional, getting all the way to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on the strength of the run and an opportunistic defense. But with Todman and Robbie Frey both gone, D.J. Shoemate, Lyle McCombs and the rest of the running backs will need to step up. The same goes for wide receivers such as Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore and Nick Williams, because if the Huskies struggle making plays on the perimeter it’s only a matter of time before defenses load eight or nine in the box and dare them to throw.

Defensively the Huskies welcome back nine starters led by linebacker Sio Moore and defensive tackle Kendall Reyes. The need to replace linebackers Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus is a glaring one but Jory Johnson has seen playing time in the past and Yawin Smallwood is talented as well. Fordham hasn’t picked a quarterback either but Ryan Higgins received valuable experience last season, and this is a team that’s better on the ground than in the air. Going against this Husky defense could prove tough for the Rams, but attempting to test UConn defenders in space could be the strategy. Look for the Huskies to scuffle some on offense, but thanks to the defense they’ll pull away in the second half.

Pick: Fordham +38.5 (Connecticut 38-14)

Buffalo at Pittsburgh (6PM, ESPN3)

Todd Graham begins his tenure as Pittsburgh head coach with a game against a Buffalo team that’s rather banged up on the offensive line. That fact could make the focus of this game the Pittsburgh defensive line, which is led by experienced tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih. “Panther” Brandon Lindsey will be allowed to get after the quarterback, and his ten sacks last season are evidence that Lindsey can be very effective in this role. Pitt’s move to the 3-4 scheme will get more speed on the field, and with that they should be able to force more turnovers.

Pittsburgh will see a somewhat familiar face on the other side as well, with Cincinnati transfer Chazz Anderson taking over the quarterback job at Buffalo. Anderson’s a good athlete with a good arm, and in the Bulls’ no-huddle attack he could be effective if given time to throw. The Pitt front needs to get after Anderson and force him to make throws under duress. If this happens the Panthers could take advantage in the form of turnovers, or at the very least provide help to a secondary that’s still sorting out some roles.

Ray Graham takes over for the departed Dion Lewis at running back, and this could be the season in which Graham takes off. He was 6th in the Big East in rushing yards per game, averaging 88.4 yards per contest in 2010. Wisconsin transfer Zach Brown will also be heard from at times and so will freshmen Malcolm Crockett and Corey Davis, but Saturday is also about the debut of the “high octane” attack.

Quarterback Tino Sunseri will have plenty of opportunities to get the ball to his wide receivers, led by Mike Shanahan and Devin Street. Buffalo finished 2nd in the MAC last season in pass defense, meaning that this could be an interesting matchup. But no matter what the Bulls hope to do the game from a Pitt standpoint is more about what they’re able to do. If the Panthers can play a sharp, fast brand of football it will be a good sign for the future.

“Again, they are a very dangerous football team but our focus is not on Buffalo, it is on Pitt,” said Graham earlier this week. “We have to get out there and take care of the football, run the football, play good run defense, don’t give up cheap plays, win explosives and that’s how you win football games.”

Pick: Pittsburgh -30.5 (45-10)

Austin Peay at Cincinnati (7PM, Fox Sports Ohio)

Year two of the Butch Jones era opens with a game against Austin Peay, and the focus early on will be on quarterback Zach Collaros. Collaros led Big East quarterbacks in most major statistical categories, but unfortunately for him that included interceptions (14). He and the rest of the Cincinnati offense will need to improve their ball security, especially when considering how tough it was for the Bearcat defense to force turnovers last season.

In addition to Collaros, running back Isaiah Pead and wide receiver D.J. Woods have the ability to make the opposition pay. Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins also takes the field for the first time in his UC career after missing all of last season due to injury, and while the outside focus will be on the “stars” Coach Jones doesn’t necessarily see it that way.

“Everyone understands Zach Collaros and Isaiah Pead and D.J. Woods and Derek Wolfe,” said Jones. “But it’s really your role players that really determine whether you win or lose or play winning football at every position. It’s our role players and it’s the consistency that’s needed each and every day.”

Coach Jones also stated that a number of young players will get the opportunity to play on Saturday night, and that definitely could be the case for the defense despite the return of 11 starters. Cincinnati had the worst defense in the Big East last season as the move back to the 4-3 proved to be extremely difficult. The Bearcats have to become a better football team when it comes to forcing turnovers, and linebacker JK Schaffer is one of the key cogs in the scheme. If he and Wolfe can help control the middle of the field it should be tough for Austin Peay to move the ball. But that’s a big if for this group given what happened last season. Saturday night is the first opportunity for the Bearcats to show that they’re on the right track.

Pick: Cincinnati -42.5 (56-10)

Picks record: 3-0 straight up & with the spread

BIG EAST FOOTBALL APPROACHING CROSSROADS?

Expansion possibilities threaten league’s viability

By Raphielle Johnson

The company line following the BCS meetings in Phoenix last month was that the Big Ten Conference would wait until December to issue invites to possible expansion targets, staying on course instead of accelerating the process as rumored. That may have been thrown for a loop if the report put out by 810 WHB in Kansas City on Monday has any truth to it. According to the Kansas City-based ESPN affiliate the Big Ten will invite four institutions to join the league: Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers. Is there truth to the report or is it merely speculation from “sources” that could be wrong? That’s the question and the report was followed by denials from those intimately involved with the process.

All four schools issued denials on Monday and with an issue such as this it’s difficult to find the truth in the midst of so many rumors. But well before this day the Big East had a simple decision to make. Is the league proactive, making a move with the idea of beating the Big Ten to the punch and gaining a little leverage for itself? Or does the Big East go the reactive route, acting only after it knows what the Big Ten’s course of action will be? You can’t blame Big East loyalists who’ve had flashbacks to the ACC’s calling of three schools back in 2003-04 when it comes to the latter course of action.

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BIG EAST MONDAY MORNING QB: WEEK #12 IN REVIEW

by MICHAEL PINA

My honest apologies to those who tune in each week for my Monday Morning Quarterback Column. Last week it just couldn’t get done, but I’ll do my best to make it up with in depth coverage of the three games which took place this past Saturday. We had a major upset, an expected outcome and a win for a suffering Connecticut program that was as emotional and fulfilling as one victory can possibly be.

Rutgers (7-3, 2-3) vs. Syracuse (4-7, 1-5) (31-13 Syracuse Win)

After finally cracking the top 25 for the first time this season, becoming the fifth Big East team to do so in 2009, Rutgers continued their woeful conference performances falling to Syracuse in what has to be the year’s biggest upset.

Fresh off a more than convincing 31-0 victory over South Florida, the Scarlet Knights looked terrible, specifically on the defensive end of the ball where they allowed 424 yards and 23 first downs by one of the most anemic offenses in the country.

Freshman quarterback Tom Savage played like a freshman, going 7 for 17 with 66 yards passing and two interceptions. In the end, Syracuse played like a team that wanted to win for its seniors on their day and they pulled it off.

South Florida (7-3, 3-3) vs. Louisville (4-7, 1-3) (34-22 South Florida Win)

B.J. Daniels had one of the better all around games by a quarterback this season, finishing with 304 yards passing and 141 yards rushing. He accounted for three touchdowns including a 20-yard run and a 16-yard pass. The freshman resiliently rebounded from the worst start of his career last week against Rutgers, accounting for 445 total yards (12 off of Matt Grothe’s school record) while surpassing his statistical output from last week in the game’s first two drives.

Albeit the win came against lowly Louisville. A team which has lost nine straight road games and looks as misguided as any team in the nation. The Cardinals actually managed to go up 16-14 on a second quarter punt return by Trent Guy, but a field goal at the half’s horn put South Florida up for good.

This clearly isn’t the Bulls season of dominance, but with a freshman quarterback taking his lumps, showing gradual progression and learning each week, South Florida looks like a dangerous school for the next few years and will certainly compete for the Big East title.

Connecticut (5-5, 1-4) vs. Notre Dame (6-5) (33-30 2OT Connecticut Win)

On national television, on the road, against a historic program playing on Senior Day, Connecticut was finally able to win that ever elusive close game which has been haunting them all season long.

It took two overtimes, but the Huskies managed to pull off the upset with a 4-yard Andre Dixon touchdown scamper through the left side of the line. Jordan Todman had the game’s highlight plays which included a 43-yard run in the second quarter that put Connecticut on the board and a 96-yard kick off return that tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.

Notre Dame’s Golden Tate had another fine game with nine receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown, but it wasn’t enough and all signs now point to this contest being the final nail in the coffin for Charlie Weis.

Quote of the Week- “You’ve got to understand what this team has gone through. A couple of close games, and then you lose a teammate, you lose a brother, you lose a son, and you’re trying so hard to honor him by winning on the field. We hadn’t done that.”

-Connecticut Head Coach Randy Edsall

Big East Top Performers- South Florida Quarterback B.J. Daniels- A superb day for the Bulls and specifically their young leader who, as previously mentioned, should only improve and get better over the next few years.

Connecticut Football Program- Huge win for the Huskies. No team deserved to win a game in the entire country more than Connecticut and to do it in front of the entire country made it all the sweeter.

Mike’s Big East Power Poll

Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
South Florida
Connecticut
Rutgers
Syracuse
Louisville

UCONN OUTLASTS NOTRE DAME IN OT

Dixon TD run in 2nd OT wins it for UConn leaving Weis’ future in limbo

By Raphielle Johnson

To put into perspective just how much Saturday’s 33-30 win at Notre Dame means to the Connecticut program in regards to football, here are the 1999 standings in the Atlantic 10 Football Conference:

James Madison* 7-1 8-4

Massachusetts* 7-1 9-4

Villanova 6-2 7-4

Delaware 5-3 7-4

William & Mary 5-3 6-5

Connecticut 3-5 4-7

Maine 3-5 4-7

New Hampshire 3-5 5-6

Richmond 3-5 5-6

Northeastern 1-7 2-9

Rhode Island 1-7 1-10

In ten seasons a lot has changed: the A-10 no longer sponsors football (the CAA handles that) and the Huskies have progressed to the point where they’d have the opportunity to visit South Bend. Now while Notre Dame isn’t “Notre Dame” you cannot discount what the result means for Randy Edsall’s program. Following a much-needed bye week there were numerous moments where it looked as if the Huskies were in danger of falling out of reach. The first: Jimmy Clausen’s quarterback sneak early in the second quarter to put the Irish up 14-0. At that point the Huskies hadn’t shown the ability to slow down the Notre Dame passing game.

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