Big East Breakdown: West Virginia continues to lead conference

Another week of Big East football proved that West Virginia is definitely the best team in the… Another week of Big East football proved that West Virginia is definitely the best team in the conference — and the Mountaineers didn’t even play.

Rutgers followed up its impressive victory over Pitt by barely managing to hold off a subpar Navy team, Cincinnati struggled against one of the conference’s worst teams in Louisville, and Pitt’s offense continued to be far too anemic to suggest that the Panthers could be a contender.

This week marks the first in which three Big East matches will be played. Here are my current rankings of the conference’s eight teams:

1. West Virginia — By sitting back and watching other contenders struggle, the Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0 Big East) enjoyed a bye week that confirmed them as the best in the Big East. But if WVU wants to remain at the top, it must pass its first road conference test of the season this Friday night at Syracuse before a national television audience. The Orange have a knack for keeping things close, so they might just give the Mountaineers a scare.

2. Rutgers — Despite a lackluster performance in their 21-20 victory over Navy, the Scarlet Knights (5-1, 2-0 Big East) will say a win is a win and move on. Like WVU, Rutgers hits the road Friday night for a nationally televised matchup at Louisville. The Scarlet Knights have been the Cinderella story of the Big East this season, and another conference road win would be a huge step toward proving their legitimacy as title contenders this season.

3. Cincinnati — Speaking of lackluster, that’s exactly what the Bearcats (5-1, 1-0 Big East) were in the first half of their conference opener on Saturday, when they hosted Louisville. But Cincinnati responded to the adversity by shutting out the Cardinals in the second half, and its offense did enough to post a 25-16 win. The Bearcats could be a dangerous team in the Big East going forward, and they’ll be hoping to become bowl eligible Saturday with a win at struggling South Florida.

4. Pittsburgh — The Panthers (3-4, 1-1 Big East) hold onto this spot based on talent and potential alone — their recent play definitely merits a much lower ranking. Pitt’s offense has put up 10 points combined in its last two outings, which is even more perplexing considering the drought comes immediately after the same offense put up 44 points against South Florida. The Panthers have the weekend off to regroup and prepare for a key game next Wednesday against Connecticut.

5. Syracuse — Just like its opponent this Friday, Syracuse (4-2, 0-1 Big East) looks a little bit better in this conference in relation to its rivals’ performances this week. The Orange look like a middle-of-the-pack kind of team in the Big East this season, but if they can somehow upset the Mountaineers Friday night, everyone will take notice of this team from upstate New York.

6. Connecticut — The Huskies (3-4, 1-1 Big East) picked up a key win this weekend against South Florida in a typically ugly 16-10 Big East game. UConn hasn’t played as badly this season as its record might suggest, and the Huskies could really make a statement if they are able to take advantage of Pitt, another struggling team, next week.

7. South Florida — After a 4-0 start, the Bulls (4-2, 0-2) decided to begin their typical collapse a little bit early this season by getting beat at Pitt and Connecticut. I thought this might be the year South Florida broke through and won the conference, but instead, Skip Holtz’s team will have its eyes set on picking up two more wins and going to another mediocre bowl this season.

8. Louisville — Unfortunately for Cardinals fans, Louisville (2-4, 0-1 Big East) has been a staple at the bottom of these standings this season. This is a team in a rebuilding stage with lots of young talent under second-year coach Charlie Strong. If Saturday’s performance against Cincinnati is anything to go by, the Cardinals might make a few Big East games interesting for the remainder of the year, but I can’t see them winning many.

Offensive Player of the Week: Isaiah Pead, Running Back, Cincinnati — The senior ball carrier has been huge for the Bearcats this season and is one of the main reasons they sit at a surprising 5-1. He showed his ability Saturday when he rushed for 151 yards and broke a 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, giving Cincinnati the lead for good.

Defensive Player of the Week: Byron Jones, Defensive Back, Connecticut — One play can make a huge difference in a game, and Jones proved that Saturday when his 10-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the third quarter gave the Huskies a 16-10 win against South Florida. On a day when the UConn offense couldn’t find the end zone, Jones and the defense decided to take matters into their own hands by scoring the game-deciding touchdown.

Coach of the Week: Butch Jones, Cincinnati — Coach Jones had a tough job in replacing Brian Kelly, and he had many Bearcat fans worried after struggling to a 4-8 record last season. But Jones’ team has already improved on their win total by racing out to a 5-1 start, and Cincinnati might just be an outside contender to reclaim the Big East Championship.

What to watch for in week eight: Friday night road tests — With their crucial matchup next weekend looming, both West Virginia and Rutgers can’t afford to look ahead. With trips to Syracuse and Louisville, respectively, both teams must emerge victorious from this Friday’s road games if they want to enter their showdown undefeated in Big East play.