Big East Week 4 Power Rankings: Pitt rising
By Matt Shetler
Now that the college football season is entering Week 4 and most teams have played at least one conference game, it’s time to take a look at my weekly Big East Conference Power Rankings.
Thanks to a big win against Virginia Tech, the Pitt Panthers moved up, but they still have a bit of work ahead of them before cracking the upper half of the conference.
With that being said, let’s take a look at how the Big East teams stack up.
September 15, 2012; Louisville, KY USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) looks to pass against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Papa John
1. Louisville (3-0): The Cardinals avoided a scare in a 39-34 win over North Carolina, nearly squandered a 29-point halftime lead, needing a fourth-down deflection in the end zone to pull off the victory. But Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was nearly flawless in leading the Cardinals to a 36-7 lead. When the sophomore Bridgewater has it going like that, no one in the conference can stop him. Bridgewater has completed 81 percent of his passes on the season and Louisville remains the team to beat in the Big East. Last Week’s Ranking: 1. Next up: at Florida International, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET.
2. Rutgers (3-0): The Scarlet Knights move up a pair of spots after beating South Florida 23-13 in a pivotal road win last Thursday. The Rutgers defense has been very good and linebacker Khaseem Greene has recorded double-digits in tackles in all three Rutgers wins. Offensively Rutgers has finally established a running game for the first time in a very long time. Against USF, junior Jawan Jamison set a single-game school record for carries with 41 rushes for 151 yards. The Scarlet Knights have Arkansas next which now seems like a winnable game for Rutgers. Last Week’s Ranking: 4. Next up: at Arkansas, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET.
3. South Florida (2-1): A loss to Rutgers at home is disappointing on a number of levels as the Bulls can run the table in the Big East for the rest of the season and still may not earn a trip to a BCS game. B.J. Daniels had to run for his life in the 23-13 defeat to the Scarlet Knights and ultimately tossed three interceptions Last Week’s Ranking: 3. Next up: at Ball State, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET.
4. Cincinnati (2-0): Junior quarterback Munchie Legaux took a step back in his second start of the season as the Bearcats barely escaped on Saturday night with a 23-7 win over Delaware State, despite committing six turnovers (three inside the red zone). The Bearcats have a week off to solve the turnover issues before facing Virginia Tech in two weeks. Last Week’s Ranking 2. Next up: vs. Virginia Tech at FedEx Field, Sept. 29.
5. Pittsburgh (1-2): It took three weeks, but the Panthers finally got Paul Chryst his first win as Pitt dominated then-No. 13 Virginia Tech on both sides of the ball in a 35-17 win. The Panthers forced four turnovers and racked up more than 500 yards on offense, their highest total since 2000. Freshman running back Rushel Shell showed glimpses of becoming a dominating power back with his ability to shed tackles and paired with Ray Graham gives the Panthers a potentially dominant rushing attack. Quarterback Tino Sunseri managed the game nicely and threw three touchdowns en route to winning Big East Player of the Week. Don’t count Pitt out as a sleeper in the conference. Last Week’s Ranking: 8. Next up: vs. Gardner-Webb, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET.
6. Connecticut (2-1): The Huskies allowed 223 all-purpose yards to Maryland WR/KR Stefon Diggs, but UConn still pulled out a 24-21 victory over the Terps. Despite being torched by Diggs, UConn still ranks third in FBS in total defense (174.0 yards per game). Linebacker Yawin Smallwood led the way with three sacks and four tackles for losses and could be the early favorite for Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Last Week’s Ranking: 5. Next up: at Western Michigan, Saturday, 2 p.m. ET.
7. Syracuse (1-2): The Orange ended a seven-game losing streak with a 28-17 win over Stony Brook. After surrendering 172 rushing yards to the Seawolves at the half, Doug Marrone’s team allowed just 49 total yards after halftime. Wide receiver Marcus Sales had his third straight 100-yard game in the win. Last Week’s Ranking: 6. Next up: at Minnesota, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET.
8. Temple (1-1): The Owls had a week off last week to prepare for Penn State this Saturday. Penn State has defeated Temple 29 consecutive times. The Owls will need a healthy Montel Harris if they hope to end the streak, but if there were a time for the Owls to get it done, this could be the year. Last Week’s Ranking: 7. Next up: at Penn State, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET.