Taking a look around the Big East match-ups this weekend:
#5 West Virginia (4-0) at #18 South Florida (3-0)
The Big East gets a marquee game a little early this year. As Louisville descends back into the pack, South Florida would love nothing more than to repeat last year's result and move to the front. Problem is, West Virginia's got revenge on the brain and...they're pretty good. "The Biggest Game in USF History" is going to end with a reminder that while the Bulls are the new power in the conference, they're not the top team yet.
Prediction: West Virginia 31, South Florida 21
Akron (2-2) at Connecticut (4-0)
Let me put it to you this way: We live in a world where Rutgers is ranked in the top ten and UConn is probably going to be 5-0. Syracuse football, now more than ever you need to be good. For the sake of the universe.
Prediction: UConn 24, Akron 17
Maryland (2-2) at #10 Rutgers (3-0)
A question was asked this week if playing eight home games is a form of cheating. It's entirely within the rules so technically its not cheating...but it certainly isn't a form of "proving your worth" either. Rutgers may indeed be 4-0 after this game but we won't really know much about them until next week against Cincy.
Prediction: Rutgers 24, Maryland 20
Louisville (2-2) at NC State (1-3)
The good news for the Cardinals is that they've got two games against teams in worse situations than them. NC State is drowning under the expectations their coach brought with him and they'll follow this up with BCS-buster has-been Utah. Louisville has problems but I expect them to get back on track this week. God help Kragthorpe if they don't.
Prediction: Louisville 38, NC State 28
Pittsburgh (2-2) at Virginia (3-1)
The Dave Wanndstedt Death March makes a stop in Virginia this week where the resurgent Cavaliers should run roughshod over them. Pitt is in danger of pulling a Syracuse, in the sense of letting all these other Big East teams like UConn and Cincy pass them by while a once-proud program settles near the bottom of the conference. It's not gonna get any easier for the Panthers this season so expect our game with them to be much more competitive than expected.
Prediction: Virginia 21, Pittsburgh 10
#24 Cincinatti (4-0) at San Diego State (1-2)
South Florida is the new power but Cincy has taken over the mantle of Team Frisky in the conference. After they dispose with the Aztecs, the Bearcats prepare for a trip to New Brunswick where I fully expect them to upset the Knights. Yep.
Prediction: Cincy 35, San Diego State 17
Syracuse (1-3) at Miami U (1-3)
The Three Idiots said this game was the most important game in Greg Robinson's Syracuse career and it's true. This matchup of 1-3 teams will have more to say about what kind of coach he is and what kind of
team he has assembled than any of the previous ones, even the Louisville game. Can a Robinson team follow up an emotional win with one they're supposed to? Can Robinson keep them grounded? Was Louisville a fluke? Is our offense really like that? Somehow, the Louisville game created more questions than before.
By all accounts, the Red Hawks are primed for us. They have a quarterback issue. Their backfield is in disarray. Their defense is as horrible as, well, ours. At worst, we are two evenly-matched teams. In such a situation, the team from the bigger conference is still expected to win.
It may all come down to who the RedHawks send out to play QB. If they send out senior Mike Kokal, he's got a better feel for the game it seems. If they send out sophomore Daniel Raudabaugh (the scoundrel!), we may be able to rattle him easier. If the offense does what we now know they're capable of, we should be able to out-pace them on the scoreboard. If we revert back into the team of old, well, you know what that means...
Prediction: Syracuse 27, Miami U 24
#5 West Virginia (4-0) at #18 South Florida (3-0)The Big East gets a marquee game a little early this year. As Louisville descends back into the pack, South Florida would love nothing more than to repeat last year's result and move to the front. Problem is, West Virginia's got revenge on the brain and...they're pretty good. "The Biggest Game in USF History" is going to end with a reminder that while the Bulls are the new power in the conference, they're not the top team yet.
Prediction: West Virginia 31, South Florida 21
Akron (2-2) at Connecticut (4-0)
Let me put it to you this way: We live in a world where Rutgers is ranked in the top ten and UConn is probably going to be 5-0. Syracuse football, now more than ever you need to be good. For the sake of the universe.
Prediction: UConn 24, Akron 17
Maryland (2-2) at #10 Rutgers (3-0)
A question was asked this week if playing eight home games is a form of cheating. It's entirely within the rules so technically its not cheating...but it certainly isn't a form of "proving your worth" either. Rutgers may indeed be 4-0 after this game but we won't really know much about them until next week against Cincy.
Prediction: Rutgers 24, Maryland 20
Louisville (2-2) at NC State (1-3)
The good news for the Cardinals is that they've got two games against teams in worse situations than them. NC State is drowning under the expectations their coach brought with him and they'll follow this up with BCS-buster has-been Utah. Louisville has problems but I expect them to get back on track this week. God help Kragthorpe if they don't.
Prediction: Louisville 38, NC State 28
Pittsburgh (2-2) at Virginia (3-1)
The Dave Wanndstedt Death March makes a stop in Virginia this week where the resurgent Cavaliers should run roughshod over them. Pitt is in danger of pulling a Syracuse, in the sense of letting all these other Big East teams like UConn and Cincy pass them by while a once-proud program settles near the bottom of the conference. It's not gonna get any easier for the Panthers this season so expect our game with them to be much more competitive than expected.
Prediction: Virginia 21, Pittsburgh 10
#24 Cincinatti (4-0) at San Diego State (1-2)
South Florida is the new power but Cincy has taken over the mantle of Team Frisky in the conference. After they dispose with the Aztecs, the Bearcats prepare for a trip to New Brunswick where I fully expect them to upset the Knights. Yep.
Prediction: Cincy 35, San Diego State 17
Syracuse (1-3) at Miami U (1-3)
The Three Idiots said this game was the most important game in Greg Robinson's Syracuse career and it's true. This matchup of 1-3 teams will have more to say about what kind of coach he is and what kind of
team he has assembled than any of the previous ones, even the Louisville game. Can a Robinson team follow up an emotional win with one they're supposed to? Can Robinson keep them grounded? Was Louisville a fluke? Is our offense really like that? Somehow, the Louisville game created more questions than before.By all accounts, the Red Hawks are primed for us. They have a quarterback issue. Their backfield is in disarray. Their defense is as horrible as, well, ours. At worst, we are two evenly-matched teams. In such a situation, the team from the bigger conference is still expected to win.
It may all come down to who the RedHawks send out to play QB. If they send out senior Mike Kokal, he's got a better feel for the game it seems. If they send out sophomore Daniel Raudabaugh (the scoundrel!), we may be able to rattle him easier. If the offense does what we now know they're capable of, we should be able to out-pace them on the scoreboard. If we revert back into the team of old, well, you know what that means...
Prediction: Syracuse 27, Miami U 24