Big East Football Power Rankings after Week #6

Well, well, what a week. With all eight teams in the Big East now with at least one loss, let’s try to pick through the layers, and figure out who reins supreme in this jumbled conference. Teams and rankings are listed below and make sure to take a look at our Week 6 football recap. For more Big East football coverage be sure to check the Big East football standings & weekly Big East scores.

1. Pittsburgh (4-1, 2-0): It’s hard to believe, but after the big win in Tampa a week ago, Dave Wannstedt’s boys are again ranked, and atop the Big East standings. LeSean McCoy had his second straight 100 yard rushing game, as the Panthers controlled the line of scrimmage against an injury-riddled USF frontline. This team has a history of shooting itself in the foot whenever the momentum gets going, so let’s see how they respond next week after a bye this Saturday.
2. Connecticut (5-1, 1-0): I know it wasn’t pretty in Chapel Hill this past weekend, but Connecticut still stands at 5-1, and has the single biggest offensive difference maker in the Big East, in Donald Brown. The Huskies get a much-needed bye this coming weekend, as several starters are banged up after playing six games in the first six weeks. They get Rutgers on the road, before two home games - against Cincinnati and West Virginia - that will define who this team really is.
3. West Virginia (3-2, 1-0): Give the Mountaineers credit. With their offense struggling, their defense continues to make enough stops to keep them in games. West Virginia still isn’t completely in sync on offense, but the addition of Jarrett Brown the last few weeks gives the Mountaineers the short yardage running game they’ve been missing. Look for West Virginia to get going this weekend with Syracuse coming to town.
4. South Florida (5-1, 0-1): South Florida still stands as the most talented team in the conference player 1 through player 85, but once again didn’t show up against a perceived weaker opponent. I know their defensive line was depleted against Pittsburgh, but no one- on either side of the ball- played with any intensity after the first series of the game. Championship teams come to play every weekend regardless of the opposition, and until the Bulls show me they can do the same, they won’t be ranked any higher.
5. Cincinnati (4-1, 0-0): The only team in the conference yet to play a league game, the Bearcats keep winning no matter who their quarterback is. Chazz Anderson, a third stringer making his first career start stepped in under center, and the Bearcats didn’t miss a beat- winning at Marshall by 23 points. We finally get to see what the Bearcats can do against a fellow Big East opponent, as they welcome Rutgers to Nippert Stadium this weekend.
6. Louisville (2-2, 0-0): Not much has changed since last week for the Cardinals, as Louisville had a bye to get healthy after a very physical game against UConn two weeks ago. This team is still capable of beating anyone in this conference on any given night, and should win pretty comfortably this Friday night against their old Conference USA foe, Memphis.
7. Rutgers (1-4, 0-1): The Scarlet Knights deserve their due, as they stayed close in Morgantown, but couldn’t quite make enough plays down the stretch to beat West Virginia. Unfortunately to the rest of the college football world, it’s just another loss for a team which was thought to be one of the best in the Big East this pre-season. Kenny Britt was a stud a week ago, catching 12 balls for 151 yards, but quarterback Mike Teel is still missing his big target when throwing deep. It doesn’t get any easier for the Scarlet Knights as they go to Cincinnati this weekend.
8. Syracuse (1-4, 0-1): Mark my words, the Orange will shock someone in Big East play. Unfortunately, even coming off a bye, the upset won’t happen this weekend in Morgantown.