Big East Breakdown: WVU, Pitt top weekly rankings

Conference play is finally under way in the Big East. In the two conference games last week,… Conference play is finally under way in the Big East. In the two conference games last week, Pitt surprised everyone by destroying then-No. 16 and previously undefeated South Florida Thursday night on national television, and it took Rutgers two overtimes to come away with a big road win at Syracuse.

This week, Pitt travels to Rutgers and West Virginia hosts Connecticut.

So with the Big East outlook beginning to take shape for the 2011 season, here are my rankings of the conference’s eight teams.

vv1. West Virginia – The No. 16 Mountaineers (4-1, 0-0 Big East) are the only ranked team in the conference. Considering West Virginia’s only loss came against the best team in the country, LSU, the Mountaineers still deserve to sit at the top of the Big East. Dana Holgorsen’s offense seems to be fully clicking with quarterback Geno Smith at the helm, and WVU reminded everyone that it can still run the ball successfully: Freshman running back Dustin Garrison had a debut party of sorts this weekend, going for 291 yards in the 55-10 win over Bowling Green.

2. Pittsburgh – It took four games to show up, but when it finally did, Todd Graham’s high-octane offense stole the show as Pitt (3-2, 1-0 Big East) rode star running back Ray Graham’s singular performance to a 44-17 demolition of South Florida. Quarterback Tino Sunseri and the Panthers defense both played well, but consistency will be the next thing Pitt needs to prove. If the Panthers want to be considered real contenders for the conference title, they need to pick up a win at Rutgers this weekend.

3. South Florida – After failing to show up at Pitt, the Bulls (4-1, 0-1 Big East) head into a much needed bye week. Their impressive early season performances showed that the Bulls have all the talent to compete for a Big East title, but their performance against the Panthers is worrisome. Quarterback B.J. Daniels and the Bulls defense will have an extra week to figure things out before they head to Connecticut for a must-win game next weekend.

4. Rutgers – The Scarlet Knights (3-1, 1-0 Big East) make their first appearance in the top half of my standings after they picked up a crucial win at Syracuse this weekend. After playing horrendously on offense for three quarters, Rutgers inserted freshman quarterback Gary Nova, who led a 10-point comeback to get the game to overtime where the Scarlet Knights eventually prevailed. Despite having extremely low expectations coming into 2011, if Rutgers can pick up a win when they host Pitt on Saturday, the Scarlet Knights could be real contenders in the race for the Big East title.

5. Cincinnati – The offense has put up big numbers all season for the Bearcats (4-1, 0-0 Big East), but it was the defense grabbing headlines this weekend as Cincinnati shut out Miami (Ohio) 27-0 on the road. It will be interesting to see how the Bearcats, who get a bye this week, will fare once Big East play begins for them next week against Louisville.

6. Syracuse – The Orange’s close-game luck finally ran out with the double overtime loss to Rutgers Saturday. Syracuse (3-2, 0-1 Big East) blew a 10-point lead and turned over the ball five times in its conference opener. Now the Orange head to Tulane for an interesting matchup that will serve as preparation for possibly the biggest game of their season — an Oct. 21 showdown with West Virginia at the Carrier Dome.

7. Connecticut – The Huskies just couldn’t stop Western Michigan’s passing game this weekend as UConn (2-3, 0-0 Big East) disappointingly dropped a back-and-forth 38-31 shootout at home. Close games have been unkind to the Huskies this season, as all of their losses have come by seven points or fewer. But an upset on the road against West Virginia this weekend would put the Huskies right back on track.

8. Louisville – Coming off of a good win at Kentucky and a bye week, the Cardinals (2-2, 0-0 Big East) suffered a huge letdown at home this weekend by dropping a 17-13 game to Marshall. After the Kentucky upset, I thought head coach Charlie Strong’s team might be able to make some noise in the Big East this year, but this young squad might struggle through a long season if its inconsistent first four games are anything to go by.

Offensive Player of the Week: Ray Graham, Running Back, Pittsburgh – Graham ran through, over and around South Florida this weekend in a 309-all-purpose-yards, two-touchdown performance which had Panther fans, college football analysts and NFL scouts all amazed by the ball carrier’s talent. If Pitt can string a few wins together and Graham continues to put up ridiculous numbers, he could be the Panthers’ first real Heisman Trophy contender since Larry Fitzgerald.

Defensive Player of the Week: Steve Beauharnais, Linebacker, Rutgers – Pitt safety Jarred Holley was a strong contender, but Beauharnais takes it after tallying two sacks and a fourth-quarter interception in the Scarlet Knights’ overtime win at Syracuse. Rutgers leads the nation in turnovers and Beauharnais is a big reason why.

Coach of the Week: Todd Graham, Pittsburgh – Coming off two straight losses, Graham’s Panthers responded in their conference opener and dominated USF with the most impressive performance by a Big East team all season. It’s obvious that Graham made it part of the game plan to get the ball to running back Ray Graham, and the Panthers should find success if they continue to do that for the rest of the season.

What to watch for in week six: Showdown in Piscataway – With Pitt and Rutgers both flying high after winning their first conference games, this week’s game could go a long way toward fulfilling both team’s Big East title ambitions. Running back Ray Graham returns to his home state, and I’m predicting that he’ll carry the Panthers once again to a convincing victory.