Big East Football Week #2 Preview

With the opening week of Big East football play in the books, its time to turn our attention to Week 2. So what did we learn with all eight teams in action last weekend?

• We didn’t learn much about South Florida, Connecticut, Cincinnati and West Virginia, as all four conference favorites beat up on Division I-AA (FCS) opposition.
• We learned that Syracuse is still bad as we remember them from 2007, and that Louisville may join them in mediocrity after not scoring an offensive point in their opening loss to Kentucky.
• We learned that Rutgers has a lot of room to improve offensively. Everyone talked about the loss of record setting running back Ray Rice, but his replacement Kordell Young did fine- when he had room to run. The problem was the offensive line - which is breaking in three new starters - didn’t effectively create running lanes for him.
• And finally we learned that no matter how much we want to believe in Pittsburgh, they’re still Pittsburgh. The Panthers scored zero second half points, losing to an underrated Bowling Green Falcons team, albeit a team Pitt should have beaten. As for that season ending 13-9 win against West Virginia last year- I guess its true what they say, any team can beat any other, on any given Saturday.

Now the opening week is on the backburner, we turn to Week 2, where some intriguing match-ups take place, including thee conference favorites hitting the road against some very difficult competition.

(** And for the record my Week 1 picks were 6-2 as I took both Rutgers and Pittsburgh to win. Luckily my hot seat isn’t as warm as Dave Wannstedt’s)

Connecticut Huskies 1-0 (0-0 Big East) @ Temple Owls 1-0 (0-0 MAC)

Saturday, September 6 - 12pm ESPNU

The Connecticut Huskies are coming off a dominating, but less than impressive Week 1 victory over Hofstra. Although the 35-3 final score may not show it, the Huskies seemed sluggish, turning the ball over five times, including three Tyler Lorenzen interceptions. They will hit the road in their second game to face a hungry Temple Owls team, which is still bitter over last year’s controversial 22-17 UConn victory.

For the Huskies to win this game, Lorenzen has to be more effective. Remember, a year ago, the lefty was one of the nation’s steadiest quarterbacks, throwing only six interceptions all year. Injury plagued senior Ellis Gaulden, who is finally on the field after missing virtually all of the last three seasons with various ailments, proved to be Lorenzen’s top target in Week 1, catching four passes for 62 yards.

On the ground, Donald Brown was fantastic for the Huskies, rushing 23 times for 146 yards and four touchdowns. The UConn offense will also get a boost from running back Andre Dixon, a second team All-Big East performer a year ago, who returns after missing the Hofstra game with an injury. It was last year against Temple that Dixon broke out- rushing for 129 yards on 21 carries.

Temple is another team whose opening game final score isn’t truly indicative of how the team played. The Owls won at Army 35-7, but had only 250 yards of total offense, scoring two of their touchdowns in Army territory after Black Knights turnovers, and returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

For the Owls to beat Connecticut, they will need Marquise Liverpool to be more effective on the ground. The sophomore got the bulk of Temple’s carries a week ago, rushing 16 times, but for only 54 yards. The Huskies rush defense was excellent a week ago, allowing only 40 yards on the ground to Hofstra.

These aren’t you’re fathers Temple Owls. They have talent on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Adam DiMichele could start for a lot of teams in BCS conferences. Add in that the Owls are still angry about the loss at UConn in 2007, when they appeared to score a winning touchdown on the game’s final play- only to see the referees award the Huskies a victory.

This game should be close early, but I expect UConn to be able to move the ball on the ground against this Temple front seven. And with Temple offense struggling against Army’s defense, the Huskies should be able to put away Temple in the second half. UConn knows better than to look past the Owls this year.

UConn 31 - Temple 13

Cincinnati Bearcats 1-0 (0-0 Big East) @ No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners 1-0 (0-0 Big XII)

Saturday, September 6 - 3:30 pm ABC

Cincinnati did everything a coach could for in a dominating Week 1 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. They moved the ball on offense- quarterback Dustin Grutza threw for three TD’s and rushed for another. The defense didn’t give up a point until late in the third quarter. The starters got repetition but second half rest, and there were no significant injuries. And the Bearcats did this without one of their top players- defensive tackle Terrill Byrd, who was suspended for the game because of an off-season run in the law.

Cincinnati however, is entering a whole new world this weekend when they travel to Memorial Stadium, to face the No. 4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

You think Cincinnati’s opening week stats are impressive? Check out what the Sooners did against their 1-AA competition- the Chattanooga Mocs. Oklahoma scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions to go up 50-0 at halftime. Their quarterbacks combined to go 31-38 for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Star running back DeMarco Murray rushed for 124 and two touchdowns, while his back-up Chris Brown rushed for three more. The always stingy Oklahoma defense gave up a total of 36- not for the first quarter, or for the first half- but for the entire game! And they did all this with their backups in for most of the second half.

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For Cincinnati to stay in this contest, they will have to try and neutralize Oklahoma’s running game. Since Bob Stoops came in, the Sooners have always had a star in the backfield, whether its Murray this year, or his predecessors Allen Patrick and Adrian Peterson. Getting Byrd back will help Cincinnati, but when your opposition returns five starters on its offensive line- all seniors mind you- the task will be tough. Sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford was excellent a year ago, but did at times get rattled when getting pressured. The Cincinnati front seven must do exactly that if they want to slow down Oklahoma’s passing attack. An interesting match-up will be Cincinnati All-American cornerback Mike Mickens against either Manuel Johnson (9 catches, 120 yards in Week 1) or Juaquin Iglesias (4 catches, 73 yards in Week 1) of Oklahoma.

Offensively, things may prove to be just as difficult for the Bearcats. The Sooners have one of the best defensive lines in the country featuring tackles DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy.

Where Grutza and the Bearcats offense may be able to expose Oklahoma however, is in the passing game. The Sooners are breaking in two new starters at cornerback, and Cincinnati was able to throw the ball effectively in Week 1. Receivers Dominick Goodman and Marshwan Gilyard need to create separation and have big nights. This of course is assuming that Grutza has time to throw the ball.

Brian Kelly coached teams are always known as blue collar, and no matter how overmatched they are, don’t back down from anyone. But Oklahoma simply has too much talent, at too many positions for the Bearcats to hang tough. The Sooners are as good as anyone in the country, and my only question is why they aren’t being discussed with Ohio State, USC and Georgia in the National Championship picture.

Oklahoma 34 - Cincinnati 17

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 1-0 (0-0 OVC) @ Louisville Cardinals (0-0 Big East)

Saturday, September 6 - 3:30 pm ESPN Gameplan

How must it feel to be a Louisville Cardinals fan? Two years ago, their team was one of the elite in college football, winning the Orange Bowl, and bringing back one of the game’s best coaches and a star at quarterback. Times sure have changed. The aforementioned coach Bobby Petrino, disappeared into the Kentucky air one night and wound up coaching the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons (he has since disappeared again, coming back to the college ranks with the Arkansas Razorbacks). And the quarterback Brian Brohm is now with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, after a senior season in which the Cardinals finished just 6-6. There is good news for Louisville fans however- its only a month until Midnight Madness.

All joking aside, the Cardinals will bounce back against Tennessee Tech. But the same problems which plagued the Cardinals in Week 1, will emerge again when they face Big East foes. Louisville was completely unable to move the ball, looking nothing like the offensive juggernaut of just a year ago. For the first time since 2000, the Cardinals did not score a single offensive point in their 27-2 lose to Kentucky. Quarterback Hunter Cantwell, who played so admirably backing up Brohm for three years, looked overmatched, turning the ball over four times in the fourth quarter.

On defense, Louisville did show signs of improvement under new coordinator Ron English- especially breaking in so many new starters. The Cardinals held Kentucky to only 205 yards of total offense and only 63 on the ground. Kentucky of course was starting a red-shirt freshman at quarterback, who only got the job after his primary competition was kicked off the team.

Like much of its Big East brethren did a week ago, Louisville will win against its 1-AA competition. This is a team in dire need of confidence as it heads into a Week 3 home game with Kansas State and the conference schedule. If the Cardinals do lose this one, head coach Steve Kragthorpe will have to disappear out of town the way Petrino did two years ago, but for a completely different reason.

Louisville 38 - Tennessee Tech 6

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Akron Zips 0-1 (0-0 MAC) @ Syracuse Orangemen 0-1 (0-0 Big East)

Saturday, September 6 - 3:30 pm

Syracuse started off their 2008 season the way they have every other in the Greg Robinson era- with a loss. Taking a “glass is half full approach,” however, yields that the Syracuse defensive line did a good job of getting pressure on Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher, running backs Delone Carter and Curtis Brinkley were effective now that they’re finally healthy, and quarterback Andrew Robinson had more time to throw than last year. The Orange actually led 10-9 in the third quarter, before giving up three straight unanswered touchdowns to close the game.

In Week 2, the Orange face an Akron Zips team which lost 38-17 to Wisconsin, but did do some things which could give Syracuse problems. For most of the game, the Zips ran a spread offense out of the shotgun- the same offense which Northwestern used to defeat the Orange. Akron quarterback Chris Jacquemain was 22-36 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. To slow the Zips offense, Syracuse will have to slow Jacquemain.

When Syracuse has the ball, logic would assume they will try to establish the run as they did against Northwestern. Brinkley, Carter and Doug Hogue all had their moments last Saturday, but the Orange still finished with only 122 yards on the ground. What proved to be the difference was that while Syracuse was able to break long runs on the outside early in the game, they never established a running game between the tackles. As soon as Northwestern began taking away the outside, the Orange never were able to re-establish their ground game. Against the Wildcats, quarterback Andrew Robinson wasn’t as sharp as he was at times last year, but did seem to have more time to throw.

If Syracuse can’t get excited for this game, they never will. It’s the home opener, after a promising Week 1 start. Realistically, it might also be their only chance to beat a Division I-A opponent this season. However, I’m going to take the Zips. They played Wisconsin tough in Week 1, and won’t be phased by Syracuse. They also return four starters on the offensive line, so they should be able to run the ball more effectively than they did against the Badgers.

Vegas may say to take Syracuse, but my gut says Akron.

Akron 27 - Syracuse 21

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers 1-0 (0-0 Big East) @ East Carolina Pirates 1-0 (0-0 C-USA)

Saturday, September 6 - 4:30 pm ESPN

Everyone is quick to point to the Bill Stewart’s first game as a success story. West Virginia won easily 48-21, and Pat White showed he doesn’t need to run the ball for the Mountaineers offense to be efficient- as he threw a career high five touchdowns. However, no one seems to be mentioning that the Mountaineers were also out-gained offensively 399 yards to 354 by I-AA Villanova. And it wasn’t just a few big plays which kept the Wildcats in the game for so long- they had several sustained drives, and controlled the ball for 37:22- roughly 60 percent of the game.

The Mountaineers don’t have nearly as easy opposition this week, as they travel to Greenville, N.C. to play the East Carolina Pirates. The Pirates were college football’s darling in Week 1, shocking Virginia Tech 22-17.

As exciting as it was to see Pat White throw for five touchdowns, if West Virginia wants to remain successful this season, they better let him run the ball as well. Villanova was effective at stopping the Mountaineers running game last week because they knew White was not much of a threat to run it. East Carolina’s defense is much better than Villanova’s as it returns nine starters including its entire front seven, and held Virginia Tech to only 104 yards rushing.

Defensively, the Mountaineers simply need to play better. They were missing linebacker Reed Williams, who will play this week. But when your defense gives up 399 yards including 266 in the air to the likes of Villanova, something needs to be fixed. East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney will show little sympathy against a West Virginia defense which lost eight starters. The senior Pinkney was 19-23 last week against Virginia Tech and could put up even bigger number against the Mountaineers.

East Carolina could very well win this game, but expect West Virginia to pull out a tight one. I don’t care how Stewart wants to run this offense- against good teams White has to run the ball. If the first year coach doesn’t put the ball in his best player’s hands, he’ll be looking for a new job awfully quick. West Virginia will win, but trouble is lurking if the defense doesn’t play better than and Stewart doesn’t get more creative with White.

West Virginia 38 - East Carolina 31

Buffalo Bulls 1-0 (0-0 MAC) @ Pittsburgh Panthers 0-1 (0-0 Big East)

Saturday, September 6 - 6 pm ESPN Gameplan

No recap is needed of Pittsburgh’s embarrassing 27-17 home loss to Bowling Green last weekend. It wasn’t so much that Bowling Green was a bad team, as much that the Panthers came in with such high expectations.

Pittsburgh will try to bounce back against a Buffalo Bulls squad which won in Week 1 convincingly 42-17 at home against UTEP.

The Panthers better be careful, or they could just as easily lose this week at home as well.

The Bulls racked up 484 yards of total offense in a dominating opening week performance. Senior quarterback Drew Willy was 10-16 for 221 yards and four touchdowns for Buffalo, one of the favorites in the MAC. The Bulls were even more impressive on the ground where both James Starks and Brandon Thermilus rushed for over 100 yards.

If Pittsburgh is to win as expected, the offense better improve in a hurry. It was only a little over a week ago that Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh was quoted as saying the Panthers might need more than one football to get all their skill position players enough touches. That was of course before the loss to Bowling Green, in which the Panthers didn’t score a single point in the second half.

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Running back LeSean McCoy, one of the nation’s best a year ago was held to 71 yards rushing, and while quarterback Bill Stull completed 29-51 passes, he missed his receivers late in the game when Pitt had to score. Both need to be better for the Panthers to meet expectations not only Saturday for the remainder of the season.

Pittsburgh can’t really lose two at home against MAC opponents can they? Well their fans should be concerned since Buffalo looks to be a more complete team than the Bowling Green squad that just won at Heinz Field. If Pitt wants to match the lofty expectations they created for themselves in the preseason, they better win this one. No team nationally has more pressure on them in Week 2 than the Panthers.

Pittsburgh 31 - Buffalo 23

South Florida Bulls 1-0 (0-0 Big East) @ Central Florida Knights 1-0 (0-0 C-USA)

Saturday, September 6 - 7 pm ESPN2

South Florida had little problem dominating an overmatched opponent in Week 1. Let’s see if they can continue the trend in a tough road game at Central Florida.

The Bulls responded to all their doubters in a 56-10 Week 1 victory over Tennessee-Martin. South Florida scored on their first four possessions, had 35 points at halftime, and accumulated 520 total yards on the game.

Central Florida - one of the favorites in Conference USA - wasn’t nearly as impressive. They only led 3-0 over I-AA South Carolina State and needed two fourth quarter Latavius Murray touchdowns to seal a 17-0 win.

For South Florida to win this game, they simply need to play the way they did in their season opener- hungry and with a sense of urgency. The Bulls didn’t really show a lot of wrinkles in their offense, as quarterback Matt Grothe only threw the ball eight times. A strong South Florida defensive front needs to get pressure on UCF quarterback Matt Greco, who was only 9-16 with 90 yards a week ago.

Central Florida isn’t as bad as the numbers from a week ago indicate, and George O’Leary coached teams are always up to a tough challenge. Grothe and the rest of the Bulls will have too much talent in this one, however.

South Florida 31 - Central Florida 16

By Aaron Torres
BigEast-fans.com Staff Writer

More of Aaron's writing at BigEast-fans.com:

• Big East Football 2008: Week #1 recap
• Big East Football 2008: Week #1 preview