Syracuse News

WVU WINS 17TH STRAIGHT OVER RUTGERS

Louisville brings Syracuse back to earth

By Raphielle Johnson

Rutgers went into Saturday’s matchup with #25 West Virginia looking to finally knock off the Mountaineers, who haven’t lost in the series since 1994. Things seemed to be falling into place for Greg Schiano’s team leading up to the game as well. Eric LeGrand was to lead the team onto the field, and a snowstorm that was expected to drop the first major snowfall of the season was expected to slow down the WVU passing game. But in a wild game that featured far more scoring that anyone would have anticipated, West Virginia (6-2, 2-1) made the necessary defensive adjustments at halftime, holding Rutgers scoreless as they came back to win 41-31 at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Eric LeGrand Leads His Rutgers Scarlet Knights On To The Field

Offensively the Mountaineers weren’t able to rely on their passing game as much as usual, but they made up for it by rushing for 210 yards on the afternoon. Fullback Shawne Alston, who saw limited carries leading up to Saturday, rushed for a team-best 110 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and Tavon Austin rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on two attempts. Alston’s first touchdown run went for 52 yards and gave WVU a 7-3 lead with 6:07 remaining in the first quarter. That lead would last for fewer than three minutes as Rutgers (5-3, 2-2) capitalized on a Mountaineer turnover and took the lead on a pass from Gary Nova to Mohamed Sanu.

But that reception would essentially be the highlight of the day for Sanu, who caught just five passes for 48 yards. West Virginia did a solid job of limiting the receiver who may be the early favorite for Big East Offensive Player of the Year, but there was also the matter of the Rutgers passing attack being out of sync for much of the afternoon. Nova completed just 18 of 46 passes on the day, and while he did have two touchdown passes there were also a pair of second half interceptions. Just as the case would be with any freshman quarterback, Nova at times struggled with the decision-making aspect of the position and Jeff Casteel’s defense was able to exploit that in the second half.

“We have to make better calls, and we have to make more plays,” said Schiano. “And we can’t make bad plays worse by turning the ball over.”

After Austin’s 80-yard touchdown run to give the Mountaineers a 14-10 lead the Scarlet Knights would answer with a 45-yard strike from Nova to Mark Harrison, and a pair of Jawan Jamison touchdown runs in the second quarter gave Rutgers a 31-21 lead at the half. West Virginia could have cut the lead before the break, but poor clock management in the final seconds led to a botched field goal attempt as time expired. Rutgers moved the ball extremely well in the first half, and their defense did a good job of containing the West Virginia attack outside of the two big runs. But after the break things bogged down offensively, with the Mountaineers closing to within three on an impressive 19-yard touchdown reception by Stedman Bailey.

Some will point to a failed fake field goal attempt on the Scarlet Knights’ first drive of the fourth quarter as a critical turning point, and while West Virginia would go down the field and score to take a 34-31 lead there was an opening for the trick play. Patrick Kivlehan’s pass to Brandon Coleman was broken up by Darwin Cook in the end zone, and the Mountaineers dodged a major bullet as a result. What killed Rutgers was a Nova fumble on the second play of the ensuing drive, setting up WVU at the Rutgers 37. Three plays later Smith and Austin would connect for the game’s final points on a 20-yard touchdown pass, with Rutgers’ final two drives ending on downs and an interception.

West Virginia converted just two of their 13 third down opportunities, but against the Big East’s best team in terms of turnovers forced they won the turnover battle with a margin of plus-3. That makes a world of difference on the road, especially when dealing with bad weather as well. Next up for the Mountaineers is a home game against Louisville while Rutgers hosts USF.

Louisville 27, Syracuse 10

Syracuse was presented with a great opportunity to build on the momentum gained last week in their emphatic win over West Virginia. But the Orange had a difficult time dealing with both prosperity and a Louisville team fired up by the return to the locker room of defensive back Anthony Conner. Conner, who broke his neck last week against Rutgers, surprised his teammates in the locker room before the game and that sparked a fire under Charlie Strong’s team. One of the key players given a boost was running back Victor Anderson, who rushed for a game-high 93 yards and a touchdown in Louisville’s 27-10 home win. The victory marks the first time since 2006 that Louisville (4-4, 2-1) has won back-to-back Big East games.

Teddy Bridgewater also played well for Louisville as he completed 17 of 24 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, setting the tone just over two minutes into the game on a 42-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker. With the Orange staggering out of the gate the Cardinals took full advantage, moving ahead 14-0 on Bridgewater’s two-yard pass to tight end Josh Chichester. Defensively the Cardinals limited Syracuse to 84 yards on the ground and made life tough on Ryan Nassib with three sacks and numerous quarterback pressures. It was a far cry from last week for Syracuse (5-3, 1-2), who seemed to be incapable of doing anything wrong at home.

“I’ve said it from the beginning that we have to build a foundation for this football team and we can be successful for a long period of time,” said Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. “I’m not going to use any excuses. Here we are in year three and it’s back and forth. To answer your question directly, we are an inconsistent football team who has to get better.”

Syracuse’s second drive of the second quarter earned them their first points of the game as Ross Krautman’s field goal from 34 yards out capping an 11-play, 61-yard drive. But that would be the most of consequence that the Orange could muster until the fourth quarter, and while neither team was particularly effective on offense in the third quarter it was Louisville who took a 17-3 lead early in the final quarter on a Chris Philpott field goal. And four minutes later Anderson, who former Cardinal Bilal Powell suggested be made “the face” of the program, essentially put the final nail in the coffin with a 61-yard touchdown run on an option toss from Bridgewater.

“It all comes from preparation,” said Bridgewater of the play. “Coach Watts does a great job of preparing me well. He just always says if you see cover zero and the safeties are matched up with the slots then the option is always the way to beat it.”

Another Philpott field goal with just under three minutes remaining made the score 27-3, and although Syracuse answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Nassib to Jarrod West it was too little too late. Eight days after doing whatever they wanted the Orange were limited to 246 yards of offense, and their 12 penalties for 99 yards didn’t help matters either. Could Louisville be rounding into form at just the right time after a slow start? It’s definitely possible, and given what Connecticut accomplished last season after a slow start anything is possible in this wide-open league. The same goes for Syracuse, because while they aren’t in the best spot for making a run at the Big East title they still have games against Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to play.

TWO LEAGUE GAMES ON SATURDAY SLATE

Key battle in New Brunswick highlights schedule

By Raphielle Johnson

With Pittsburgh beating Connecticut on Wednesday night the Panthers kept themselves in the top half of the Big East race. The question for Saturday is who else will do so, with both games featuring teams with one league defeat to their credit already. The game that will be under the spotlight is West Virginia (5-2, 1-1) heading north to take on a Rutgers (5-2, 2-1) team that could have taken control of the race last week (3:30 PM, ABC). But freshman quarterback Gary Nova was picked off three times in the 16-14 loss at Louisville, snapping the Scarlet Knights’ four-game win streak.

The Mountaineers don’t come in hot either as they were blown out at Syracuse last Friday night. West Virginia had another slow start, but unlike prior games the offense wasn’t able to flip the switch and there were multiple breakdowns in the secondary as well. Which team can bounce back in a critical contest to remain a game back of Cincinnati in the loss column? Given the state of the Big East anything can happen, but if history is to be the judge West Virginia has a major advantage in this matchup.

West Virginia has won the last 16 meetings in the series and for the most part the games haven’t been particularly close, with the Mountaineers holding a 32-4-2 series edge. Rutgers has been close in two of the last three meetings, including a 24-21 loss at home in 2009. But last year’s meeting, a 35-14 WVU win in Morgantown, featured Geno Smith throwing for 352 yards and a touchdown against a Rutgers pass defense that was more experienced than this current group. But led by corners David Rowe and Logan Ryan the Scarlet Knights have steadily improved against the pass, and if Smith isn’t smart with the football the league’s best pass defense can take advantage.

But the best way for teams to slow down the West Virginia offense is by way of the blitz, something that Syracuse did with great success last week. Smith had little time to throw the ball even in the shotgun, and that could once again be a problem. Rutgers is the Big East’s second-best team in terms of sacks with 24 through seven games, with defensive end Justin Francis and defensive tackle Scott Vallone being the leaders up front. Add in linebackers Khaseem Greene and Steve Beauharnais and you’ve got a front seven that can run and get after opposing quarterbacks.

“Rutgers is the same type of team as Syracuse. They’re well-coached and they play hard,” said WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen earlier this week. “The thing most impressive about their defense is how hard they play and how aggressive they are to attack the ball to get the ball out. They lead the nation in turnovers – they’ve got 25 of them.”

Turnovers will be critical for the Rutgers defense because it’s tough to see the offense being able to keep up with the Mountaineers in a shootout. But in wide receiver Mohamed Sanu the Scarlet Knights have one of the best offensive players in the Big East, and with 65 catches through seven games he’s by far the leading wide receiver. No matter what opposing teams have thrown at the junior he’s been able to get open, and in spite of the Mountaineers’ quality in the secondary he’s going to get his catches. The key to winning will be the other Rutgers skill position players, especially the running backs.

The Scarlet Knights have struggled mightily to run the football, ranking last in the Big East in rushing offense by a solid margin. But West Virginia has had its issues stopping the run as they’re last in the conference in rushing defense. And there’s no Chris Neild in the middle of the defensive line in Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5, which has led to openings on the ground. Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins are the players that Greg Schiano will call on to run the ball, and they have the ability to make plays on the ground. How Rutgers does in this department will likely determine the outcome of the game.

“When we line up and get hit in the mouth, what are we going to do,” asked Holgorsen. “Last week, we didn’t do anything. This week, we need guys to step up and be the ones that are going to hit people back in the mouth. That’s called football.”

West Virginia brings plenty to the table at the skill positions, especially wide receiver with the likes of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. But if Geno Smith doesn’t have the time needed to get them the football they can be neutralized. If Smith is picking himself up off the ground frequently Rutgers has a shot to beat the Mountaineers for the first time since the Doug Graber era. But if not it’s going to be more of the same at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Pick: West Virginia 31-23

Noon: Syracuse (5-2, 1-1) at Louisville (3-4, 1-1) Big East Network

The first of the two Big East games on Saturday matches teams who picked up their first conference win of the season last week, albeit in different ways. Syracuse put forth their best performance of the season in a 49-23 romp over West Virginia, but they need to have that game out of their systems when dealing with a young Louisville team that knocked off Rutgers last week. The key for the Cardinals was a running game that woke up to the tune of 187 yards, with Jeremy Wright leading the way with 108.
Wright’s effort was Louisville’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season, and if they can build off of that performance the Cardinals will be a tougher team to slow down.

Louisville ranks 7th in the Big East in passing offense and 8th in scoring offense, two areas that have been heavily influenced by their youth at quarterback in addition to the run game. Teddy Bridgewater has improved by the week under center, and he’s got some capable targets to throw to led by tight end Josh Chichester and wide receiver Josh Bellamy. But this will be a tough matchup for Bridgewater given how effective Scott Schafer’s defense was at getting to West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith. Chandler Jones made his return to the Syracuse defense and all he did was win Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Keon Lyn leads a secondary that’s improved in recent weeks despite still ranking last in the conference against the pass, made that much better by a front four that can get to quarterbacks in a hurry. Louisville’s offensive performance on Saturday likely rests on the shoulders of their offensive line, which has played better thanks in part to the return of center Mario Benavides. If the Cardinals can pick up blitzes and mix in the run there should be opportunities down the field for Bridgewater and his receivers. Whether or not he takes advantage will play a major role in the outcome.

As for the Syracuse offense, Ryan Nassib had his best game of the season with four touchdown passes and no interceptions in last week’s win. Nassib’s done a good job of taking care of the football as he’s thrown just four interceptions on the season, and in tight end Nick Provo he’s got the best in the Big East to throw to. Provo caught three touchdown passes against West Virginia, and while Vance Bedford’s defense will likely be more aware of the senior he’ll be able to make some plays for the Orange.

And there’s also senior running back Antwon Bailey, who has rushed for 100 yards or more in each of the last four games and ranks fourth in the Big East in rushing. But Louisville has done a good job in recent meetings of slowing down the Orange, and they’ve won the last two meetings in the series. The Cardinals have gotten after the Orange defensively, but this Syracuse group looks to be far better equipped to deal with Louisville than they have been the last two years.

“Pressure, man-to-man, running the football, pounding it,” said Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone on what the Cards have done against them. “It’s not a secret. Those guys have done a good job of that and they’ve been able to beat us. We’ve been inconsistent in handling those things, so those are the challenges that we’re faced with.”

The game plan for Syracuse is pretty simple: run the ball effectively while turning Louisville into a one-dimensional team on the other side of the ball. The same can be said of the Cardinals, but given the experience it may be tougher for them to accomplish that.

Pick: Syracuse 20-14

WEST VIRGINIA HEADED TO THE BIG 12…BUT WHEN?

Mountaineers to become league’s 10th member

By Raphielle Johnson

It was announced this morning that West Virginia University will leave the Big East and join the Big 12 Conference in a move that surprised no one in spite of Louisville’s efforts to become the league’s 10th member. But in comparing the statements from the Big East and Big 12 there seems to be a question of when WVU will become a member of the Big 12. The statement from the Big 12 reads as follows:

“The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors have voted unanimously to accept West Virginia University as a full conference member effective July 1, 2012. The Mountaineers will begin competing in the Big 12 beginning with the 2012-13 athletic season.

West Virginia is the second new member to join the Conference since it began in 1996 after the addition of TCU earlier this month.

“The Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors are excited to welcome another outstanding institution to the Conference,” said Burns Hargis, Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors and President of Oklahoma State University. “The addition of West Virginia, while expanding the reach of the Big 12, brings an impressive institution with esteemed academics and a proud athletic tradition into the Conference. This is another step in building a strong foundation for the future of the Big 12.”

“The Big 12 is a perfect fit for West Virginia University,” said WVU President Dr. James P. Clements. “It is a strong conference that, like WVU, values quality academic and athletic programs, and has a great tradition of success. This is a very exciting time for WVU and Mountaineer nation. I am confident that the future of WVU athletics has never been more promising.”

West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, sponsors 17 varsity sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, swimming & diving and wrestling. Women’s sports are basketball, cross country, gymnastics, rowing, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field and volleyball. The Mountaineers also boast a co-ed rifle squad. The Big 12 sponsors every sport the Mountaineers participate in except rifle and men’s soccer.

“We are excited to add West Virginia to our exceptional lineup of Conference members,” said Big 12 Interim Commissioner Chuck Neinas. “They bring an excellent overall athletic program to the Big 12 and allow the league to expand into an area that boasts a passionate group of fans and alumni throughout its region.”

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Big 12 has won 42 team national championships and 492 NCAA individual crowns. In addition, more than 3,700 student-athletes have earned All-America First Team accolades for their play on the field with more than 500 being recognized with Academic All-America honors.

Beginning with the 2012-13 season it is expected that the Big 12 Conference will be comprised of 10 Universities – Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia. The Big 12’s footprint will encompass five states with over 36 million people. More than 4,100 student-athletes from across the United States and around the World compete annually in the 23 sports sponsored by the Conference.”

Obviously the plans of the conference and West Virginia are to have the school join the conference beginning with the next academic year, with Texas A&M and Missouri (who still hasn’t announced their expected move) going to the SEC. Missouri and the Big 12 are expected to settle on financial terms, which would pave the way for the Tigers to move while also shielding the SEC from possible legal action. But there’s also the matter of the Big East’s 27-month notice, which is what Pittsburgh and Syracuse are being held to before they leave for the ACC. Commissioner John Marinatto released the following statement:

“This move by West Virginia does not come as a surprise. League officials, members of our conference and the candidate schools to whom we have been talking were aware of this possibility. We have taken West Virginia’s possible departure into account as we have moved forward with our own realignment plans. West Virginia is fully aware that the Big East Conference is committed to enforcing the 27-month notification period for members who choose to leave the conference. We are confident that in the coming weeks we will complete our own realignment program, adding a number of high-quality members to remain among the top conferences in both football and basketball.”

Everything has its price so there could be some talks involving the Big 12, Big East and West Virginia in the coming weeks with regards to a settlement that would free WVU to make the change for next season. In turn, the door likely opens for Pitt and Syracuse to negotiate their departures and ACC commissioner John Swofford has stated that they’ll be ready for the new members as soon as next season (but were willing to wait until 2014 if it came to that).

The Big East presidents will meet with Commissioner Marinatto in Philadelphia on Tuesday, where they’re expected to give him the go-ahead to invite new members. Once the membership is finalized then the talk of settlements can begin, but don’t expect the conference to budge on the 27 months until after that happens.

WEEKLY HONORS ANNOUNCED & NEW POWER POLL

Collaros, Jones and Graham honored

Press Release

BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zach Collaros • Sr. • QB • Cincinnati • Steubenville, Ohio
Collaros accounted for 410 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in a 37-34 win at USF, moving Cincinnati into sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST standings and making the Bearcats bowl eligible. He completed 26 of 41 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns (6, 21, 30) and rushed for 21 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Collaros engineered a 70-yard drive in the last 1:27 of the fourth quarter, capping it with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Bearcats the come-from-behind win.
 
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chandler Jones • Sr. • DE • Syracuse • Endicott, N.Y.
Jones had six tackles, including two sacks for a loss of 19 yards, and one pass breakup in Syracuse’s 49-23 win against No. 11/14 West Virginia. Jones led a defensive front that limited the Mountaineers to 70 rushing yards and had four sacks as the Orange defeated their highest-ranked opponent since a 50-42, triple-overtime win against No. 8 Virginia Tech in 2002.
 

BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dorian Graham • Sr. • WR • Syracuse • Plantation, Fla.
Graham returned a second-quarter kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to help Syracuse to a 21-9 halftime lead on its way to a 49-23 win against No 11/14 West Virginia. Graham’s touchdown came after the Mountaineers had closed to within five midway through the second quarter. He finished with a game-high 181 all-purpose yards and had a team-high 66 receiving yards on five catches.
 
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

JK Schaffer • Sr. • LB • Cincinnati • Cincinnati, Ohio
Had a team-high eight tackles and a fumble recovery in a 37-34 win at USF.
 
Jeremy Wright • So. • RB • Louisville • Clermont, Fla.
Rushed for 108 yards on 11 carries, averaging 9.8 yards per attempt, in a 16-14 win against Rutgers.
 
B.J. Daniels • Jr. • QB • USF • Tallahassee, Fla.
Completed 31 of 48 passes for a school-record 409 yards with three touchdowns in a 37-34 loss to Cincinnati.
 
Ryan Nassib • Sr. • QB • Syracuse • West Chester, Pa.
Completed 24 of 32 passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns with one rushing TD in a 49-23 win against No. 11/14 West Virginia.
 
Stedman Bailey • So. • WR • West Virginia • Miramar, Fla.
Had seven receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 49-23 loss at Syracuse. Registered his fifth straight game with at least 100 receiving yards.
 
Weekly Power Poll

By Raphielle Johnson

1. Cincinnati (6-1, 2-0; last week 2nd)
The team in the driver’s seat in the Big East (if anyone can hold such a distinction at this point) sits atop the power poll thanks to their 37-34 win at USF. Zach Collaros accounted for more than 400 yards of offense and Isaiah Pead had more than 100 yards of offense in the win. But the Cincinnati defense was able to come up with four turnovers, making up for allowing B.J. Daniels to throw for over 400 yards.

This week: Bye

2. Syracuse (5-2, 1-1; last week 4th)
The Orange had the most impressive win of league play thus far, blowing out West Virginia and controlling the game in all three phases. Ryan Nassib threw for four touchdown passes while Antwon Bailey rushed for at least 100 yards and a touchdown for the fourth consecutive game. And Scott Schafer’s defense attacked the Mountaineers, making life uncomfortable for Geno Smith all night.

This week: at Louisville (Saturday Noon, Big East Network)

3. West Virginia (5-2, 1-1; last week 1st)
Talk about a bad impression to make on national television. West Virginia’s lines were unable to handle Syracuse’s physicality on both sides of the football, and the staff was out-coached with numerous mistakes leading to the Orange’s highest point total in series history. The good news for WVU is that this race is wide-open, so a win a Rutgers will likely get them headed in the right direction.

This week: at Rutgers (Saturday 3:30 PM, Big East Network)

4. Rutgers (5-2, 2-1; last week 3rd)
Gary Nova had the worst game of his young career on Friday night as he threw three interceptions in the 16-14 loss at Louisville. But even more troubling for the Scarlet Knights were their issues running the football, putting up 91 yards with an average of three yards per carry. Rutgers doesn’t need a “star” to take over, but if they’re to win the Big East the ground game has to improve.

This week: West Virginia (Saturday 3:30 PM, Big East Network)

5. Pittsburgh (3-4, 1-1; last week 5th)
Having a couple extra days off couldn’t have come at a better time for the Panthers, who were dreadful on offense in their loss to Utah. Tino Sunseri will be the guy for Pittsburgh on Wednesday night against UConn, and maybe the Huskies’ pass defense is just what Sunseri needs to get going. But at the very least Pitt needs to get Ray Graham the football. Just 15 touches in the Utah loss? Not good.

This week: Connecticut (Wednesday 8 PM, ESPN)

6. Connecticut (3-4, 1-1; last week 6th)
UConn was able to do just enough on defense and special teams to beat USF a couple weeks ago, but one has to think that Paul Pasqualoni and offensive coordinator George DeLeone spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to kickstart the offense. Running back Lyle McCombs needs a sidekick and quarterback Johnny McEntee reverted to early season form after solid outings against Western Michigan and West Virginia.

This week: at Pittsburgh (Wednesday 8 PM, ESPN)

7. Louisville (3-4, 1-1; last week 8th)
The Cardinals won the turnover battle on Friday night, picking off Gary Nova three times in their 16-14 win. But the biggest development may have been the 187 yards on the ground, including Jeremy Wright rushing for 108. If the Cardinals can supplement Teddy Bridgewater with a solid rushing attack the hopes of bowl eligibility will remain alive.

This week: Syracuse (Saturday Noon, Big East Network)

8. USF (4-3, 0-3; last week 7th)
For the second straight game the Bulls did more to shoot themselves in the foot, committing 10 penalties (109 yards lost) and turning the ball over four times (three lost fumbles) in the 37-34 loss to Cincinnati. It’s pretty simple for the Bulls at this point: use the bye week to turn things around or watch this season plummet beyond the point of bowl eligibility. Leaders such as B.J. Daniels will be tested in the next two weeks.

This week: Bye

SYRACUSE WHIPS WVU; CARDS UPSET RUTGERS

Cincinnati is league’s lone undefeated- for now

By Raphielle Johnson

“I would trade Air Force or Navy for Syracuse every day of the week in terms of the quality of the football program. No disrespect, but that’s just an observation I think most would agree with who understand football.”

- West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck on October 4, 2011

Not sure if this comment was placed on a bulletin board within the Syracuse locker room in the days leading up to Friday’s matchup with the Mountaineers, but things got ugly for the visitors in the Carrier Dome. Ryan Nassib accounted for five touchdowns (four passing) with three of his scoring passes going to tight end Nick Provo in the Orange’s 49-26 romp. With the win Syracuse (5-2, 1-1) earned their first Big East win of the season and also won consecutive games in the series for the first time since 2000 and 2001.

West Virginia (5-2, 1-1), who entered the game ranked 15th in the first BCS standings, could very well fall out of the Top 25 as a result of the lackluster effort. But Friday night was more about what Doug Marrone’s team did do in all phases as opposed to what West Virginia didn’t do. Syracuse put up a season-high 443 yards of offense while also posting their highest point total in the history of the series.

“We’ll go back and look at it, and I’m sure there are a lot of things that we need to improve on as we go forward in this season, but it’s always easier to do that after a win,” said Marrone. “We really haven’t accomplished anything besides winning a football game against a very good opponent.”

West Virginia once again got off to a slow start, but unlike prior games where the opposition wasn’t able to take advantage and score points Syracuse executed their game plan. On their second possession of the game Syracuse went 84 yards on 14 plays, capping the drive on a three-yard touchdown pass from Nassib to Provo. The Orange were able to keep the Mountaineer offense off the field, putting touchdowns on the board to boot. West Virginia answered with a 27-yard field goal from Tyler Bitancurt, but the Orange went down the field for another touchdown to make the score 14-3 on a Nassib 1-yard run with 10:13 left in the second quarter.

Geno Smith was able to connect with Stedman Bailey on a 64-yard touchdown pass that included some nifty footwork along the Syracuse sideline from Bailey, but Bitancurt hit the left upright to leave the score at 14-9. Then the Syracuse special teams got involved, landing a blow that staggered the Mountaineers. Dorian Graham returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, and even though WVU would score to cut the lead to 21-16 things were starting to become far too simple for the home team.

“It was a momentum booster,” said Graham of the return. “Keep pushing forward. Get the defense out there to give us a chance to stop them. Then the offense can come out and take it down for another score.”

Shawne Alston’s run from one yard out made the score 21-16 with 10:07 left in the third quarter, but the West Virginia offensive and defensive units could do nothing to keep the momentum. Syracuse scored the next 21 points, with two of the scores coming on passes to their tight ends. Both Provo and David Stevens would capitalize on WVU coverage breakdowns, with the wheel route along the sideline wide open against Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5 scheme. Nassib’s five-yard pass to Provo with 11:29 left in the game made the score 42-16 and essentially shut the door on a Mountaineer comeback.

Smith, who threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, also threw a pair of interceptions and had a hard time finding open receivers. Two reasons why: defensive coordinator Scott Schafer dialed up the pressure, and the Syracuse secondary did its job on the back end. Smith was sacked four times and knocked down on plenty other occasions throughout the night, with the return of defensive end Chandler Jones providing a boost to the Syracuse front four. But Jones wasn’t the lone spark as linebacker Siriki Diabate was all over the field as well.

“We have a passion for our defense and how we run it,” said Diabate. “All week long during practice, we worked on getting pressure on the quarterback. I think that is what we went out there and did today.”

Smith’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Bradley Starks cut the lead to 42-23 just two minutes after Syracuse’s score, but the Orange answered right back on the ground. Bailey broke a 50-yard run on the fourth play of the drive, and just a couple plays later provided the final points with a three-yard touchdown run. This was Bailey’s fourth consecutive game with at least 100 yards rushing and a touchdown, and backups Jerome Smith and Adonis Ameen-Moore also made contributions when spelling the senior. Syracuse controlled the game in all three phases, and as a result they find themselves right in the Big East title mix. As for West Virginia, they obviously remain a contender but they need to get a lot better in order to reach their goals.

“It’s been the same thing all year: we are not a very efficient football team,” said West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen. “We make some big plays, but we’re not efficient. We knew what they were going to do. We knew they were going to play a bunch of people up and blitz half the time. We have to do a better job of recognizing that.”

Louisville 16, Rutgers 14

Rutgers went into Friday night’s game as the Big East’s best team in terms of turnovers forced and turnover margin. Of course turnovers would tell the story in their game at Louisville, with three Gary Nova interceptions contributing to Louisville’s (3-4, 1-1) 16-14 victory at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Louisville ended their three-game losing streak and Rutgers’ (5-2, 2-1) four-game win streak, and threw the Big East race for a loop as well.

Despite just 14 first downs on the night the Cardinals put forth a better offensive performance thanks to their improvement on the ground aided by some shoddy tackling by the visitors. In a matchup of the two worst rushing offenses in the Big East, Louisville gained 187 yards on 34 carries (5.5 yards per rush). Jeremy Wright led the way with 108 yards on 11 carries, with his 29-yard rush in the first quarter setting up the first touchdown of the game.

“Our goal coming into this game was just to beat Rutgers pressures,” said quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. “If we had a run play going one way and they sent pressure that way then we would just flip the play.”

Each of Rutgers’ first two possessions were ended on interceptions, the second of which set up Louisville on the Rutgers 38 yard line. And one play after Wright’s 29-yard rush Dominique Brown scored from one yard out to give the Cards a 7-0 lead with 7:41 remaining in the quarter. Rutgers looked to have an answer early in the second quarter, but the first of two San San Te missed field goals (this one from 31 yards out) squandered a 29-yard drive to the Louisville 14.

Te’s second miss was even worse, as he missed a 25-yard field goal to cap a 10-play, 71-yard drive. But while the Scarlet Knight offense was leaving points on the field the defense kept them in the game, and the special teams gave Rutgers good field position late in the quarter by way of a blocked punt. On fourth and goal from the one with just two seconds left in the half it looked as if Greg Schiano would settle for a field goal to go into the locker room down 7-3. But he went for it, and Savon Huggins’ score tied things up at the break.

Louisville would gain some separation in the third quarter, with a Chris Philpott 52-yard field goal giving the home team a 10-7 lead after the first drive of the period. And after the defense forced a Rutgers punt, Louisville went 68 yards in seven plays to take a 16-7 lead on Bridgewater’s 18-yards pass to Michaelee Harris. Bridgewater didn’t have the best game from a statistical standpoint, throwing for just 122 yards and completing 10 of 18 passes, but he made solid decisions for much of the game.

“It was in the game plan, they played the coverage we wanted so we checked to the play,” said Harris. “He [Bridgewater] threw the ball up and somehow I came down with it.”

But that touchdown wouldn’t be the end of the game, as Rutgers fought back to make the score 16-14 on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Gary Nova to Mohamed Sanu with 14:10 remaining. Sanu had another solid outing for the Scarlet Knights, catching 10 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. On the season the junior’s caught 65 passes and may be the early frontrunner for Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

But that wouldn’t be enough as the Scarlet Knights couldn’t execute at a consistent level offensively. Savon Huggins led the team with 36 yards rushing on 10 carries and as a team Rutgers rushed for just 91 yards on 30 attempts. Turnovers and the ground game proved to be the difference, and the fact that turnover margin resulted in a Rutgers loss was a surprise given their success leading up to Friday night.

Rutgers hosts West Virginia and Louisville hosts Syracuse next weekend.

- Louisville defensive back Antony Conner suffers a broken neck but has feeling and movement in all of his extremities.

WEEK 8 BIG EAST PREVIEW

Three conference games on the slate

By Raphielle Johnson

Another week of realignment speculation gives way to Big East football, but whether or not the attention remains on the field this weekend will depend on whether or not the Board of Curators at the University of Missouri can make up their minds. But that’s a discussion for another time, especially with the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy up for grabs at the Carrier Dome (Friday 8 PM, ESPN). West Virginia (5-1, 1-0) heads north in search of some payback after their loss to Syracuse helped contribute to them not earning the Big East’s BCS berth. The Orange (4-2, 0-1) are also coming off of a bye week, and they find themselves with four wins despite injury issues and some consistency issues.

Consistency has been an issue for the Mountaineers as well, especially for an offense that has struggled with slow starts this season. Head coach Dana Holgorsen refuses to be seduced by WVU’s second half performances, and he’s let it be known that he isn’t thrilled with the offensive production. Could this be “coach speak” considering the fact that the Mountaineers average 40.8 points per game while leading the Big East in both total and passing offense by wide margins? Maybe so but it’s also an acknowledgement of the fact that it takes consistent excellence to win a championship, something the Mountaineers learned first-hand last year.

“Every game is a challenge – you have to get up for every game,” said Holgorsen earlier this week. “You have to play your best every game. Every game is going to present its own challenges. We’ll know what those challenges are this week, and we’re working hard to make sure that we accomplish what we’re set out to accomplish.”

Syracuse won last year’s meeting due in large part to West Virginia’s generosity with the football. Geno Smith threw three interceptions and the Orange scored nine points off turnovers in winning 19-14 in Morgantown, their first win on the road in the series since 2000 (and their first win over WVU since 2001). But Smith has shown a higher level of maturity when it comes to decision-making, as he’s thrown for 2,159 yards and 16 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Receivers such as Tavon Austin, Ivan McCartney and Stedman Bailey have been productive in the new offense, with all three ranking in the top four in the Big East in receiving yards per game.

Syracuse’s issue on defense has been their secondary, a unit that was inexperienced to start the season but has also had to deal with injuries to key safeties Phillip Thomas and Shamarko Thomas. Both are back and corner Keon Lyn has improved his play by the game, but this is a significant challenge for the Syracuse defensive backs. Will it help that they’ve already run into USC’s Robert Woods and Marquise Lee? That’s the hope.

“We’re healthy, and it will be a great challenge for us,” said Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. “They have a very good receiving corps. When they catch the football, they can take it to the end zone any time.”

WVU also ranks fourth in the conference in rushing offense, with the spread’s threat of the pass opening up lanes for Dustin Garrison and the other backs on the ground. Syracuse allows just over 104 yards per game on the ground, with hard-hitting linebackers Marquis Spruill and Dyshawn Davis ranking among the better linebackers in the Big East. They may be asked to do a little more in pass coverage by coordinator Scott Schafer but the athletic ability to do so is definitely there.

Syracuse won’t be looking to get into a shootout but that doesn’t mean their offense isn’t capable of putting points on the board, with quarterback Ryan Nassib third in the Big East in passing yards per game. Nassib’s thrown 11 touchdown passes and four interceptions, with his favored targets being receivers Alec Lemon and Van Chew and tight end Nick Provo. The issue for Syracuse in the passing game has been the consistency of their receivers, including Dorian Graham. When they step up and make plays the Orange look every bit the team that’s scored 33 points or more in three of their four wins. But they also need the offensive line to open up holes for senior running back Antwon Bailey.

Syracuse ranks 6th in rushing offense, a point of concern when considering the fact that they aren’t the most prolific passing team either. West Virginia’s defensive strength lies in the secondary, so the success that Syracuse has on the ground on Friday night could determine the outcome of the game. Their issues on the ground have also played a role in the red zone offense, a category in which the Orange are last in the Big East. By comparison West Virginia leads the Big East in red zone offense and is third in red zone defense. Syracuse’s chances of winning hinge on their ability to convert their opportunities in the red zone into touchdowns as opposed to field goals along with turnovers. But it’s tough to see Geno Smith and company being as reckless with the ball this time around.

Pick: West Virginia 34-21

Friday 8 PM (ESPN2) Rutgers (5-1, 2-0) at Louisville (2-4, 0-1)

They’ve finally come to a conclusion at Louisville, with head coach Charlie Strong deciding that offensive coordinator Mike Sanford would not return to the program. Shawn Watson will take over, and give the fact that he was already the quarterbacks coach maybe this works out well for the Cardinals. Watson’s already said that he’ll incorporate parts of the West Coast offense into the attack, which could be a positive for an offensive line that’s struggled for much of the season. The quick passes that tend to be a part of the West Coast attack should also help out freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has shown signs of growth despite the many offensive issues.

But the Cardinals are in for a tough battle on Friday night as they host arguably the hottest team in the Big East in Rutgers. Gary Nova has done well as the starting quarterback, moving the Scarlet Knights down the field in spite of a rushing attack that’s by far been the worst in the Big East. But Jawan Jamison rushed for 101 yards last week in the 21-20 win over Navy, and he’s been their best rusher this season. If Jamison can build on last week’s performance Rutgers can put forth a more balanced attack, and the same goes for their wide receivers outside of Mohamed Sanu.

Despite the extra attention Sanu still caught 10 passes for 100 yards, and on the season he’s caught 55 passes. It’s far easier said than done to keep the football out of his hands, but at some point guys such as Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt will be called upon to make big plays. While they’re definitely talented the Rutgers receiving corps hasn’t supported Sanu to the level that Greg Schiano needs them to if the Scarlet Knights are to win the Big East. But they’ve still won five of six games thanks to a defense that’s the best in the country at taking the ball away from opponents.

“If you watch their defense, they are going to bring pressure from the field, they are going to bring it from the boundary and bring it up the middle,” said Strong of the Rutgers defense. “They are hitting the quarterback and causing balls to pop out. They are hitting receivers and causing balls to pop up. They are a pressure defense and are playing really well.”

Defensive tackle Scott Vallone and linebackers Khaseem Greene and Steve Beauharnais have been in the middle of it all, and corner Logan Ryan picked off two passes in their emphatic win over Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago. To say the least it will become apparent early if the Cardinals have improved offensively, especially up front. The return of senior center Mario Benavides helps matters, but it may not be enough against Coach Schiano’s defense.

Pick: Rutgers 27-14

Saturday Noon (Big East Network): Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0) at USF (4-2, 0-2)

Cincinnati didn’t play their best football last week against Louisville, but they did enough to win the game 25-16. The same can’t be said for USF, who fell 16-10 at Connecticut and look to be in the midst of their annual October plunge. An interesting fact about the USF program is that for all their early-season success they’ve haven’t finished Big East play with a winning conference record since 2007. If Skip Holtz’s team wants to entertain any thoughts of being a factor in the Big East race this season they have to defend their home field against a team that has the conference’s best scoring offense, not to mention a defense that’s forced the second-most turnovers in the Big East.

Linebacker JK Schaffer has led the way for the Bearcats along with defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, who was outstanding against Louisville last weekend. USF hasn’t had trouble moving the football as they rank second in the conference in total offense, but they have failed to cash in on opportunities in the red zone as they’re tied for sixth in the Big East in red zone offense. B.J. Daniels got off to a hot start following the game at Notre Dame, but that could partially be attributed to the strength of schedule. On the season Daniels has completed 61.5% of his passes with eight touchdowns to just three interceptions. The decision-making has improved, but the time has come for the points to improve as well.

Cincinnati has put up points due in part to their schedule as well, with Zach Collaros not playing his best football in wins over Miami (Ohio) and Louisville. But the Bearcats have been able to account for that on the ground, with Isaiah Pead leading the league’s best rushing offense. Collaros ranks third in the conference in total offense, behind Geno Smith and Daniels, and his legs make the senior a dangerous player to defend when he’s on. But Cincinnati needs more from him through the air if they’re to both take advantage of a talented receiving corps (D.J. Woods, Anthony McClung and Kenbrell Thompkins) and contend for a Big East title. It’s going to be tough against a USF secondary that could make a case for being the best in the conference, especially one that should have a sense of desperation.

Desperation. That’s what the game will boil down to for USF, who all of a sudden finds themselves staring at an 0-3 league record. Cincinnati’s won the last two meetings in Tampa so there won’t be any reason for them to believe that they can’t win at Raymond James Stadium. The key for USF: red zone opportunities. If they cash in on their chances the Bulls have a very good chance of winning, but that goes out the window if they can’t. The defense will also need to force Collaros to win the game with his arm by taking away the run.

Pick: USF 34-31

Record: 30-14 (2-2 last week)

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.

“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.

BIG EAST WEEKLY AWARDS & POWER POLL

Bailey, Ryan and Krautman honored

Press Release

BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Stedman Bailey • So. • WR • West Virginia • Miramar, Fla.
Bailey registered his fourth consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards to lift West Virginia to a 43-16 win against Connecticut. He had seven receptions for 178 yards, including second-half touchdown catches of 84 and 27 yards, to help the Mountaineers break open what had been a one-point halftime lead. Bailey leads the BIG EAST in receiving yards, averaging 105.7 yards per game.

 
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Logan Ryan • So. • CB • Rutgers • Berlin, N.J.
Ryan keyed a Rutgers defense that had four interceptions and six sacks in a 34-10 win against Pittsburgh, lifting the Scarlet Knights to a 2-0 start in BIG EAST play. Ryan had two interceptions against the Panthers, including a 45-yard return for a touchdown, to go with four tackles and a pass breakup. Rutgers leads the nation with 22 takeaways this season, while the Scarlet Knights lead the BIG EAST in pass defense efficiency (104.0) and scoring defense (15.2 ppg).
 
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ross Krautman • So. • K • Syracuse • Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Krautman scored 13 points, including the game-winning field goal as time expired, to give Syracuse a 37-34 win at Tulane. The gamewinner was Krautman’s third field goal of the game and his second of the fourth quarter as the Orange staved off Tulane’s comeback from a 17-point third-quarter deficit.
 
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Marcus Smith • So. • DE • Louisville • Columbus, Ga.
Had three sacks in a 14-7 loss at North Carolina. Led a defense that had four sacks, eight tackles for loss and held the Tar Heels to 264 yards of offense.
 
Justin Francis • Sr. • DT • Rutgers • Opa-Locka, Fla.
Had eight tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries in a 34-10 win at Pittsburgh.
 
Ryan Nassib • Jr. • QB • Syracuse • West Chester, Pa.
Completed 19 of 34 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown in a 37-34 win at Tulane.
 
Geno Smith • Jr. • QB • West Virginia • Miami, Fla.
Completed 27 of 45 passes for 450 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-16 win against Connecticut.
 
Jewone Snow • Fr. • LB • West Virginia • Canton, Ohio
Had seven tackles, a half-sack for a safety and a pivotal 83-yard fumble return in a 43-16 win against Connecticut.
 
Weekly Power Poll

By Raphielle Johnson

1. West Virginia (last week: 1)
The Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0) once again got off to a slow start, but a critical turnover turned the tide as they blew out Connecticut at home. If there’s any thing that Dana Holgorsen and his staff may focus on during the bye week it’s those slow starts. Remedy that situation and the Mountaineers will be tough to beat.

This week: Bye

2. Cincinnati (3)
Cincinnati (4-1) was off this week, but now the conference grind begins with the Keg Of Nails battle with Louisville. Zach Collaros has been better at valuing the football this season, but the biggest story has been the defense. The Bearcats have forced 18 turnovers, the second-highest total in the conference.

This week: Louisville (Noon, Big East Network)

3. Rutgers (5)
The Scarlet Knights (4-1, 2-0) make the jump thanks to their impressive second half against Pittsburgh. Gary Nova hit on two touchdown passes while the defense forced four turnovers and sacked Tino Sunseri six times. Rutgers goes out of conference on Homecoming weekend as they host Navy, who’s had some issues on the defensive side of the football.

This week: Navy (2 PM, ESPN3)

4. Pittsburgh (2)
Things did not go well for the Panthers on Saturday as the offense struggled throughout and the defense eventually ran out of gas in the 34-10 loss. Ray Graham’s been the one constant for Todd Graham offensively, but the passing game needs to step up. Tino Sunseri remains the starter, but the offensive line needs to do its part as well.

This week: Utah (Noon, ESPNU)

5. USF (4)
USF had last week off and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the Bulls were gashed by Pittsburgh in front of a national television audience. B.J. Daniels and company were slowed down by the Pitt defense as the game wore on, and the defense could not stop the Panthers. If they have similar issues at UConn there there should be some concern.

This week: at Connecticut (3:30 PM, Big East Network)

Syracuse (6)
The Orange (4-2, 0-1) got off to a good start at Tulane, but the offense slowed down and nearly handed the win over to the Green Wave. If one thing’s become certain with Doug Marrone’s team it’s that things will not come easy. This is a good time for a bye week with West Virginia due to visit on the 21st as the secondary still needs work.

This week: Bye

7. Louisville (8)
One gets the feeling that the Cardinals will alternate with Connecticut at the bottom of this poll for the foreseeable future. The Cardinals struggled mightily offensively once again but the defense kept them in the game at North Carolina. Mike Sanford will return to the staff although what his role will be is unknown. Will that help Teddy Bridgewater and company? That remains to be seen.

This week: at Cincinnati (Noon, Big East Network)

8. Connecticut (7)
The Huskies drop due to what happened after Johnny McEntee’s fumble. While that play was clearly the catalyst for what West Virginia did, the Huskies accounted for just seven yards of offense from that point until late in the fourth quarter. UConn, who was supposed to be able to rely on their rushing attack, averaged just 2.3 yards per rush on Saturday. It’s going to be tough sledding the rest of the way for Paul Pasqualoni’s team.

This week: USF (3:30 PM, Big East Network)

WEEK 6 BIG EAST RECAP

Rutgers wakes up in the 2nd half

By Raphielle Johnson

The battle between first place teams in New Brunswick got off to a horrific start for both offenses, with Rutgers (4-1, 2-0) take a 6-3 lead into the halftime break thanks to a pair of San San Te field goals. During the adjustment period many wondered if both the Scarlet Knights and Pittsburgh (3-3, 1-1) would bench their starting quarterbacks, and it would have been understandable if both had done so. But Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano held off on removing Gary Nova, and the decision paid off with a pair of third quarter touchdown passes in what would become a 34-10 Rutgers victory.

Pittsburgh on the other hand called on freshman Trey Anderson to start the third quarter in place of Tino Sunseri, and not much changed for the Panthers. The offensive line couldn’t protect either quarterback as the Scarlet Knights sacked Sunseri six times and harassed Anderson into just four yards passing on five attempts (two completions). Justin Francis finished the game with three sacks and Khaseem Greene and Wayne Warren chipped in with two apiece. Rutgers, who leads the nation in takeaways with 22, picked off Pitt passers four times (Sunseri three times) with corner Logan Ryan grabbing two.

“They were getting to us and we weren’t able to make them hurt on the blitz and you live and die by the sword of the blitz and they were living and getting a lot of pressure on us,” said Sunseri of the Rutgers defense. “We couldn’t get the ball out and couldn’t get it to our playmakers.”

But for as disappointing the effort was for Pitt, it was that good for Rutgers especially in the second half. Nova wasn’t great throwing the football but he didn’t turn the football over, throwing for 174 yards and the two third quarter touchdowns. Running backs Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins combined to rush for 86 yards, with Huggins’ scoring run from three yards out answering a Ray Graham score early in the fourth to make the score 27-10. Graham, who rushed for a game-high 165 yards, put Pittsburgh back into the game at the start of the fourth quarter with a 64-yard run. He capped the drive on the next play, and despite being down 20-10 it wasn’t inconceivable that the Panthers could win the game.

But Rutgers was able to answer on special teams, with the versatile Jeremy Deering returning the ensuing kickoff 73 yards back to the Pitt 19. Three plays later Huggins effectively shut the door on Pittsburgh, as they had to abandon the run in favor of a passing game that was ineffective all day. Ryan returned his second interception of the day 45 yards for a touchdown with 5:26 remaining to cap the scoring, moving Rutgers to 2-0 in Big East play for just the second time in school history (2006).

“We don’t have a championship game so every week we play, it is the championship game,” said Schiano. “You don’t know what it is going to take to win this league. We will take them one at a time and at the end of the year we will add up our wins and see where it puts us. But it is exciting to be 2-0 in a good football league.”

Rutgers hosts Navy next week on Homecoming while Pittsburgh will go out of conference for the final time this season as they host Utah at Heinz Field.

West Virginia 43, Connecticut 16

Sometimes all it takes is one play to derail an upset attempt, and that’s exactly what happened to Connecticut in Morgantown on Saturday. Driving into West Virginia (5-1, 1-0) territory in the third quarter, UConn (2-4, 0-1) quarterback Johnny McEntee fumbled the football on a scramble to his left. WVU linebacker Jewone Snow picked up the ball and ran 83 yards back to the UConn 12-yard line, and two plays later Geno Smith connected with Tavon Austin to make the score 17-9. It was still a one-possession game at that point, but the wind was gone from the Husky sails on both sides of the football. The end result: a 43-16 Mountaineer win that was closer than expected for two-plus quarters.

“Johnny tucked the ball in and didn’t have anyone to throw it so he ran it, and instead of going down he stayed up, got hit, and the ball came out,” said UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni of the fateful play.

From that point forward the Huskies didn’t gain double-digit yards until late in the fourth quarter, while West Virginia put together five scoring drives on six possessions to eventually hold a 43-9 lead. Ty-Meer Brown’s interception return of a Pat Millard pass with 7:54 left in the game got the Huskies into double figures, but that was of little consolation for a team that remains winless all-time in Morgantown. Smith had another good afternoon throwing the football despite the slow start, throwing for 450 yards and four touchdowns. He’s now over 2,000 yards passing for the season, and it’s not going to take long for the junior to surpass his 2,763 yards of a season ago.

West Virginia was able to take advantage of an overmatched UConn secondary as their protection of Smith improved, with Stedman Bailey (seven catches for 174 yards, 2 TD) and Ivan McCartney (6 for 131) going over 100 yards receiving and Austin catching seven passes for 74 yards and a score. McEntee threw for 193 yards and wasn’t picked off, but the Connecticut signal-caller was sacked five times with Bruce Irvin and Terence Garvin getting two apiece. UConn couldn’t do much on the ground either, averaging just 2.3 yards per rush on the day. The Huskies were a serious underdog going into the game, and all it took for it to head in that direction was one play. Next up for the Huskies is USF at home while West Virginia has a bye week before their trip to Syracuse.

North Carolina 14, Louisville 7

It was a tough week for Louisville in the aftermath of their disappointing loss to Marshall, with things coming to a head in the form of offensive coordinator Mike Sanford not making the trip to Chapel Hill. But the young Cardinals put up more of a fight than many expected against North Carolina, with neither team accomplishing much offensively until the second half. Ultimately the Tar Heels were able to do just enough in beating the Cardinals, who drop to 2-3 on the season going into conference play.

Giovani Bernard’s three-yard run opened the scoring with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, and he was arguably the best offensive performer on the day with 109 yards on 25 carries. But the true problem for Louisville had more to do with themselves than anything that North Carolina did. The Cardinals gave up 78 yards on nine penalties, with a few of the calls coming at the worst possible time for Charlie Strong’s team. One of those penalties kept the Heels’ first scoring drive alive UNC got Brandon Dunn to jump on 4th and 2 with North Carolina lined up to attempt a field goal.

“We started back in training camp working on that,” said UNC interim head coach Everett Withers. “We’ve got an arsenal of those kind of plays. We figure if we can get inside the kicker’s range and they jump offsides, so be it.”

The Tar Heels would score on the first drive of the fourth quarter as Bryn Renner connected with Dwight Jones on a 43-yard touchdown pass, making the score 14-0 with 12:19 remaining. Louisville wouldn’t get onto the board until 42 seconds remained in the game as Teddy Bridgewater connected with Daniel Brown on an 18-yards pass. Bridgewater completed 19 of 30 passes for 173 yards and the touchdown along with one interception while Brown led the Cardinals with 47 yards rushing on 18 carries. Louisville only allowed two sacks but the offensive line still has a long way to go as league play begins, and Sanford will rejoin the staff although Strong was unsure of what his role would be immediately after the game.

Louisville opens Big East play at Cincinnati next week with the Keg of Nails Trophy on the line.

Syracuse 37, Tulane 34

After racing out early the Orange (4-2, 0-1) made things more difficult than they had to be at the Mercedes Benz Superdome, ultimately needing a 21-yard field goal from Ross Krautman as time expired to escape with the win. Ryan Nassib got back on track for Syracuse as he completed 19 of 34 for 186 yards and two touchdows, with both touchdown passes going to Dorian Graham. Graham had his best game of the season on a night that saw Alec Lemon and Van Chew both kept under wraps as he caught four passes for a team-high 55 yards and the two scores. Antwon Bailey once again surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. The senior also caught four passes for 34 yards.

But even with the improved offensive output from Syracuse, it was Tulane who opened the scoring on an Orleans Darkwa 40-yard run just over three minutes into the game. But the Green Wave had problems stopping the Orange in the first half, as Syracuse would score the next 24 points with Nassib’s draw from four yards out making the score 24-7 with 9:06 left in the half. Darkwa scored his second touchdown of the night on a one-yard run just over three minutes later, capping a drive that saw Tulane hit on two big plays in the passing game to move down the field. Tulane finished the game with 471 yards of offense and did the majority of their damage through the air, as Ryan Griffin threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns.

Syracuse answered with a touchdown pass to Graham, but Tulane refused to back down and cut the margin to 31-24 by the half. The Green Wave refused to quit, and their defense rose to the challenge in the second half by forcing the Orange to punt on their first four possessions of the half. A Krautman field goal with 4:19 left in the game put the Orange up 34-27, but Tulane needed just three plays to tie things up as Griffin hit Xavier Rush on a 58-yard strike. But that would be the last time the Green Wave would touch the ball with Syracuse bleeding the clock while moving down the field, ultimately leading to the game-winning kick. Next up for Syracuse is a bye week before hosting West Virginia on the 21st.

“”If you don’t have any heart conditions come on out, it’s going to be fun,” said Nassib. “We play in a lot of situations that you dream of as a kid. Two minutes to go to win the game. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

WEEK 6 BIG EAST PREVIEW

Focus returns to the field, first-place battle
By Raphielle Johnson

To say the least it’s been a tough week for the Big East Conference, which found out that TCU will most likely join the geographically friendlier (and from the looks of it, more stable) Big 12. And Friday’s teleconference offered nothing more than the consideration of raising the league’s current exit fee, but nothing concrete came out of the call. There have been much better days for John Marinatto’s league, which makes this a good time for the focus to return to the field.

And the best game on the schedule this week is a conference affair with Pittsburgh (3-2, 1-0) visiting Rutgers (3-1, 1-0) in a battle for outright possession of first place. Offensively the two teams come into the matchup in New Brunswick (3:30 PM, ESPNU) in far different situations. Pittsburgh put together their best offensive showing of the season last Thursday in their 41-17 win over USF, showing off the “High Octane” attack that first-year head coach Todd Graham brought with him from Tulsa.

Rutgers on the other hand won a sloppy affair at Syracuse thanks in large part to their opportunistic defense, and freshman Gary Nova took over for starter Chas Dodd at quarterback in the second half. Who will Greg Schiano call on to start on Saturday? That remains to be seen, with the coach stating that for those outside of the program it will be a game-time decision.

“I probably won’t go public with the decision, either way, till kickoff,” said Schiano earlier this week. “Two kids that are really good football players, that are great team guys, that are fully committed to this family, to this program. I just want to make sure I do what’s right by them and by the team, and that’s what I’ll do.”

Against Syracuse Nova, who hails from Don Bosco Prep, completed 14 of 24 for 122 yards and a touchdown while avoiding the catastrophic decision that would short-circuit the comeback. Dodd threw for 166 yards but completed just 14 of 31 passes, and with the quarterback position in flux Rutgers needs to get more from a run game that ranks 117th nationally in rushing offense (75.5 yards per game).

Starter Jawan Jamison stated early this week that he feels like Rutgers is ready to break out on the ground, and that’s definitely possible with the Panthers in town. Pitt ranks 6th in the Big East in rushing defense (allowing 124.8 yards per game) and last in total defense, but their biggest issue has come in defending the pass.

Jarred Holley is one of the better defensive backs in the Big East, but the key for the Panthers will be their ability to get after the quarterback. Pitt is tied for fifth in the conference in sacks with 13 sacks, and Brandon Lindsey leads the team with four. The Rutgers offensive line has improved in this area after a rough 2010, but there are still question marks up front. If they can keep Dodd or Nova upright, Rutgers will have chances to make plays down the field due in large part to Mohamed Sanu.

“They move him around quite a bit so you can’t isolate him,” remarked Graham. “He has tremendous ability. He is able to contort his body and go get balls, and make one handed catches. He is the guy that you have to know where he is at all times.”

The key for Rutgers will be for other receivers to step up, which is what Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt did last weekend. If they can get the same from those two in addition to more from Brandon Coleman (three catches on the season) and Tim Wright, look out. The talent is defintely there for the Scarlet Knights to reach their current average of 31.8 points per game. Rutgers also brings a defense that’s tied for the national lead in turnovers forced (18; Cincinnati), but they’re going up against a tough outfit in the Pittsburgh offense.

Ray Graham was outstanding against USF last week, rushing for more than 200 yards for the second time this season, and he leads the Big East in rushing by a wide margin. The junior has eight rushing touchdowns to his credit this season, and along with Zach Brown leads a run game that’s third in the conference. But Rutgers ranks third in rushing defense, and one player who’s played a key role in that is linebacker Khaseem Greene (Ray Graham’s brother).

Greene is tied for third in the Big East in tackles per game with 8.5 but he’s not the only defender that Pittsburgh should be concerned with. Defensive tackle Scott Vallone (2.5 sacks, 5.0 TFL) has played well this season, as have defensive end Justin Francis (2.5 sacks) and linebacker Steve Beauharnais (5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks). Rutgers’ defensive area of concern is in the secondary, but even with the personnel losses from a season ago the Scarlet Knights are 3rd in the conference in pass defense and 2nd in pass efficiency defense.

That all combines to mean that Pitt QB Tino Sunseri has to make sound decisions as he did against USF, something that is more important given the opportunistic nature of the Rutgers defense. Sunseri ranks 4th in the Big East in passing yards per game but is 6th in pass efficiency as he’s thrown four interceptions. If Sunseri can get the ball to the likes of Hubie Graham, Cameron Saddler, Mike Shanahan and Devin Street on a consistent basis, Rutgers won’t be able to load the box in hopes of stopping Ray Graham.

Both teams have been solid in the kicking game, with Pitt’s Kevin Harper improving over the last three games and Rutgers possessing the ability to block kicks (blocked two last week). But the deciding factor will ultimately be turnover margin. Pitt hasn’t been particularly good at forcing them (just six forced turnovers), but the key for them will be to not hand the ball over the Rutgers and give the Scarlet Knights a short field. If they can do this, look for Pittsburgh to leave High Point Solutions Stadium 2-0 in league play.

Pick: Pittsburgh -7 (27-14)

Noon (Big East Network): Connecticut (2-3, 0-0) at West Virginia (4-1, 0-0)

Connecticut has had its fair share of problems on the offensive side of the football this season, but it was the pass defense that let them down against Western Michigan last weekend. The Broncos put up 479 yards in the air on their way to a 38-31 win, and with cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson still out with a knee injury this is the wrong time for the Huskies to have to face the Mountaineers.

Not only is West Virginia coming off its best offensive showing of the season, but they’re more than motivated for this game. The reason why: their loss at UConn last season cost them the outright Big East title and a BCS bowl bid, and it was the Huskies’ first-ever win in the series to boot. This all shapes up to be a bad afternoon in Morgantown for Paul Pasqualoni’s team, but at least QB Johnny McEntee played his best game of the season last weekend.

The junior has his completion percentage just over fifty percent (50.4%) following his four touchdown game against WMU, but McEntee and company will take on a better secondary led by corner Keith Tandy. West Virginia leads the Big East in both pass defense and pass efficiency defense, the reason why they rank 2nd in the conference in total defense despite being the league’s worst against the run. Lyle McCombs and Jonathan Jean-Louis have to be effective on the ground for UConn if they’re to entertain any thoughts of leaving with the upset win.

But the biggest problem for the Huskies is in their own secondary, with Geno Smith being the Big East leader in passing yards per game (341.8) and second in pass efficiency (148.0). Smith has a full compliment of receivers, led by Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Ivan McCartney, with all three ranking in the top five in the Big East in receiving yards per game.

It remains to be seen how Dwayne Gratz, Gary Wilburn and the rest of the Husky secondary covers the Mountaineer receivers, but it’s likely that defensive coordinator Don Brown will have to dial up the blitzes. But that could very well leave those defensive backs exposed, opening things up for a field day for West Virginia.

“You’ve got to hang your hat on fundamentals, on techniques,” said Pasqualoni of his secondary. “I think last week at times, we just tried to do too much. Let’s take care of what’s in front of us and what they’re doing.”

The Huskies will also need to account for freshman running back Dustin Garrison, who rushed for 291 yards on 32 carries in last weekend’s 55-10 pasting of Bowling Green. It was the first time this season that a running back stepped up for Dana Holgorsen, and the gaps are definitely there in this system for Garrison (or whoever else totes the football) to make things happen.

“If we hand the ball off and we’re fitting it upright and he’s hitting the hole and making people miss, he’s probably going to carry it 32 times,” said Holgorsen of Garrison. “He’s a little bit better than the others right now, but when (Andrew) Buie’s in there, we didn’t take him out. Same thing with Vernard (Roberts). All three of those guys are capable of running routes and catching screens and making things happen.”

Connecticut’s been strong up front, and in linebacker Sio Moore they have one of the Big East’s best. But there has to be a significant amount of concern as to whether or not they have enough horses to run with the Mountaineers for 60 minutes. Hard to see that being possible this season, unless West Virginia is once again reckless with the football. Hard to see that happening either.

Pick: West Virginia -19.5 (48-17)

Noon (ESPN2): Louisville (2-2, 0-0) at North Carolina (4-1)

Louisville played their first game after a bye week and threw away the momentum gained in their win over in-state rival Kentucky, sputtering offensively in their home loss to Marshall. That didn’t sit well with head coach Charlie Strong, and one would have to expect that the Cardinals had a spirited week of preparation for their trip to Chapel Hill. But for a team that’s struggled to run the football due in part to struggles up front, running into one of the best defensive lines in the country is not a good way to test their development.

UNC defensive end Quinton Coples gets a lot of the ink since he will more than likely be a high first round draft pick come April, but he’s not the only Tar Heel that Louisville needs to be concerned with. Defensive tackles Tydreke Powell and Sylvester Williams are both 300-pound road blocks inside, and ends Kareem Martin and Dante Paige-Moss can also get it done on the side opposite Coples.

UNC may rank just 6th in the ACC in rushing defense, but it needs to be noted that those numbers include against Georgia Tech. And Louisville is no Georgia Tech when it comes to running the football, which could mean bad things for the Cardinals. Dominique Brown rushed for 91 yards against Kentucky but was quiet last week, and the same goes for Victor Anderson and Jeremy Wright. If Louisville is to have any chance of winning in Chapel Hill, they must be able to run the football.

Offensively the Tar Heels are talented with quarterback Bryn Renner leading the way. In his first season as the starter, Renner is completing 75.7% of his passes and ranks 2nd in the ACC in pass efficiency. The wide receivers (Jheranie Boyd, Eric Highsmith and Dwight Jones) are solid and backs Giovani Bernard and Ryan Houston make for a good combo, but Louisville’s defense led by Dexter Heyman can hold their own with UNC.

But the offense is the reason why this is such an uphill battle. Multiple outlets have reported that offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is no longer with the program, a situation emblematic of the Cardinals’ problems on that side of the football. Shawn Watson has been named the new offensive coordinator. With their issues at running back and on the offensive line, that’s the last thing Louisville needs to deal with. Things could get ugly for either Teddy Bridgewater or Will Stein under center as a result.

Pick: North Carolina -13.5 (31-13)

8 PM (SNY) Syracuse (3-2, 0-1) at Tulane (2-3)

On the heels of their disappointing loss to Rutgers the Orange head to the building that’s housed a couple of historic moments for their basketball program to take on Tulane. A big reason for Syracuse’s loss were the five turnovers, with Ryan Nassib throwing three interceptions. But that was quite the departure for Nassib, who went into the game having thrown just one pick. The Green Wave have been good at forcing turnovers this season as they average two per contest, but if the Orange can run the ball they should be OK.

Tulane is allowing 168.4 rushing yards per game, so while Syracuse averages just 101 yards per game Antwon Bailey should be able to reach the 100-yard mark. Bailey fumbled twice against Rutgers, but with ball security being a focus in the aftermath of that loss he’ll take better care of the football. And the fact that his linemen would stand behind Bailey during Saturday’s post-game press conference shows that they have faith that he will bounce back.

“I didn’t know about that right away,” said head coach Doug Marrone. “We have great kids. Our kids are out there trying. They’re not trying to make mistakes. It goes to show you the type of communication and the type of accountability that they have and how we rely on one another.”

Bob Toledo’s team is strongest defensively in the secondary, with the Green Wave ranking third in Conference USA with six interceptions. Derrick Strozier and Ryan Travis lead the way with two picks apiece, but Tulane’s aforementioned issues against the run may be what Syracuse focuses on early. If Nassib can then connect with Van Chew, Alec Lemon and Nick Provo through the air, the Orange could approach the 33.4 points per game that Tulane’s giving up.

Offensively Tulane has a pair of running backs that Syracuse will need to be mindful of in Orleans Darkwa and Robert Kelley, with the latter leading Conference USA in all-purpose yardage (146.4 yards per game). But Syracuse has performed well against the run, with freshman Dyshawn Davis being one of the key contributors in the front seven. Their questions come in the secondary, but Keon Lyn has played well and as a group Syracuse has taken strides against the pass. And with the likes of Shamarko Thomas and Orlando Fisher possibly returning, a group that lacked depth becomes stronger.

“”I’m very excited about the progression of the younger players and how they’re coming along in the system, and I’m excited to get some of our veterans back,” said Marrone. “What that will do is create depth where we will not lose a lot from the first group to the second group no matter who it is.”

Also keep an eye on the Syracuse special teams, which suffered a few critical breakdowns against Rutgers. Ross Krautman missed just one field goal all of last season, but due in part to failed protections his percentage is down in 2011. Saturday night offers the Orange one last game before their bye week to remedy the issues in a game situation. Look for them to get the job done.

Pick: Syracuse -10 (27-14)

Record: 25-11, 17-15 ATS (2-4, 3-3 last week)

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