Blog rebuttal: Big East power rankings
BLOG POST: Big East power rankings, Week 6: Conference play can’t get any worse than non-conference performance, can it?
Brett LoGiurato
Outrageous Fun
Now that conference play is about to start for Syracuse and the rest of the Big East, it’s time to take a look at how each team stacks up based on the Big East’s non-conference play. And boy, what a non-conference season it was for the troubled conference. Just about no one performed above expectations. Some said the Big East should not get an automatic BCS bowl berth. Last week, Rutgers was worse than ‘Outsourced.’ (Yes, this blog post is where sports and pop culture collide.)
Oh, the Big East. The butt of all of college football nation’s jokes. At least the conference’s teams will mostly only be playing each other now, though, sparing the rest of us on how to judge them against out-of-conference competition. Heading into conference play, here’s my take on the Big East’s hierarchy:
1. West Virginia (3-1)
Last week: BYE
This week: vs. UNLV
The Mountaineers have perhaps the most convincing big win in the conference thus far: a 31-17 triumph over Maryland two weeks ago. Noel Devine is averaging 4.5 yards per carry also, so that’s good.
2. Connecticut (3-2)
Last week: W vs. Vanderbilt, 40-21
This week: @ Rutgers
The Huskies got shelled by Michigan and Temple, but they beat Vanderbilt last week, so good for them. Jordan Todman is also very good, and he already has 638 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, making him the most feared player in the Big East.
3. South Florida (3-1)
Last week: W vs. Florida Atlantic, 31-3
This week: vs. Syracuse
USF looked impressive in blowout victories over Stony Brook, Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic. It also looked awful in a blowout loss to Florida. They’re on a high after dispatching of Florida Atlantic last week. Bullish, if you will.
4. Pittsburgh (2-2)
Last week: W vs. Florida International, 44-17
This week: @ Notre Dame
Pittsburgh looked impressive in blowout victories over New Hampshire and Florida International. It also looked awful in a blowout loss to Miami. Dion Lewis couldn’t find a hole if you put him in front of Swiss cheese.
5. Syracuse (3-1)
Last week: BYE
This week: @ South Florida
Syracuse looked impressive in blowout victories over Akron, Maine and Colgate. It also looked awful in a blowout loss to — wait. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
6. Cincinnati (1-3)
Last week: BYE
This week: vs. Miami (Ohio)
Cincinnati gets this spot because the Bearcats managed to play fairly well against Oklahoma. Fairly well. At least they managed to make it a game by the end. Zach Collaros has been solid stat-wise, but he needs to take advantage of the multitude of options he has on offense.
7. Louisville (2-2)
Last week: W @ Arkansas State, 34-24
This week: vs. Memphis
I don’t really know what to say about Louisville. The Cardinals hung in there with Oregon State. They hung in there with Kentucky. They beat two lesser opponents by 10 points. There.
8. Rutgers (2-2)
Last week: L vs. Tulane, 17-14
This week: vs. Connecticut
This could be fun to watch. I don’t know why, but in some ways, Greg Schiano reminds me of St. John’s former basketball coach, Mike Jarvis. Schiano had one good player (Ray Rice), and it made his team. He had a bunch of other job offers he definitely should have taken, but he didn’t. Now he’s stuck at ‘just another program.’
REBUTTAL: With past history, it’s only matter of time before Big East starts playing up to its capabilities once again
Andrew L. John
Goin’ Hog Wild
Yes, Brett, Big East football does get the cold shoulder among avid college football fans. They don’t have those marquee teams that the Pac-10, SEC or Big Ten have. But until this year, the conference has scheduled tough out-of-conference opponents and actually held its own. Not that it means much to fans outside of the conference, but Big East teams went 36-10 out-of-conference in 2009, not including bowl games. Here, I’ll let Doug Marrone tell it to you:
‘I just look at the history, in the past, we’ve done well. Last year we were the second best conference in all of football non-conference schedules, and overall the last four years we’re third. What is going on this year? I couldn’t tell you about the other football teams.’
What has happened this year is a slight anomaly. Sure, the Big East has underperformed out of conference. That is cause for concern. But with in-conference play now beginning, I have little doubt that we’ll see the return of the type of football that allowed the Big East to secure an automatic BCS bowl bid. And heading into conference play, that’s really all that matters. So with that, here’s my take on who currently sits atop Big East power rankings:
1. West Virginia (3-1)
The Mountaineers’ only loss came at LSU. Yes, Louisiana State — of the SEC — in Death Valley. They also have the Big East’s best defense and, offensively, quarterback Geno Smith, Noel Devine and Jock Sanders leading the way. No contest here.
2. South Florida (3-1)
Like WVU, the Bulls only loss came on the road to an upper echelon SEC team (Florida). But that was the only legit team they have played. Still, USF has some serious game-changers on both sides of the ball.
3. Connecticut (3-2)
Sorry Brett, Jordan Todman isn’t the most feared player in the Big East. Not even close. My little brother could put up those numbers against Texas Southern, Buffalo and Vanderbilt. The Huskies defense is ‘terrible. Just terrible, Kenny.’
4. Syracuse (3-1)
I’m looking forward to seeing if SU can beat anybody better than Akron, Maine and Colgate. A win this weekend would likely put them into the top two or three in the conference, in my rankings, at least for a week.
5. Pittsburgh (2-2)
Talent-wise, the Panthers are the best team in the conference, in my opinion. They played the toughest non-conference schedule in the league and suffered two early losses as a result. But Pitt will show its true colors the rest of the way. Just watch.
6. Cincinnati (1-3)
Cincinnati is clearly not the same team that ran the table during the regular season in 2009. Like Brett, I like how they played against Oklahoma, and they get some points for that. Still, three losses this early is cause for concern.
7. Rutgers (2-2)
This is a recurring theme: wins against FCS squads, losses against any BCS conference team with a pulse. Rutgers has the conference’s best scoring defense, but also generates the least amount of offense. Wow, that’s a fun team to watch.
8. Louisville (2-2)
Louisville is just horrible. Wins against an FCS team and Arkansas State? Please. When all else fails and your favorite Big East team is having a bad year, just repeat to yourself, ‘At least we’re better than Louisville.’
