ACC flexes its muscle, Big East needs a gym

FORT WORTH, Texas — No matter which way the Big East Conference turns, it bumps into… FORT WORTH, Texas — No matter which way the Big East Conference turns, it bumps into criticism and bad news like a blindfolded person in a dark room looking for the light switch.

With Miami and Virginia Tech now playing football on Tobacco Road, the Big East finds itself relegated to the nonsmoking, no-respect section. Add an “L” (for losing teams and games) and, for 2004, it’s the Big Least. The Big Easy also fits.

The league has the same number of teams in the Top 25 as Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference, and one less than the Western Athletic Conference.

“It’s not our fault schools decided to leave,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. “It wasn’t like we said, ‘Get out!’ I think the Big East is fine. Our administrators have a great plan for the future. The perception is that the Big East is weak, and it is a false perception.”

Perhaps. But don’t tell that to the five NCAA Division I-A conferences not in the Bowl Championship Series, the conferences whose champions don’t get automatic BCS bids.

The Big East is one of the six BCS conferences and is guaranteed that status for the next four years. But now that the Big East/Big Least/Big Easy has lost some of its football clout, the buzzards are circling.

Saturday was not a good day for the Big East’s reputation.

Syracuse was no match for Virginia, Temple — which is being evicted from the Big East after this season — lost to Toledo, and Pitt had to score 21 fourth-quarter points to pull off an overtime victory against NCAA Division I-AA Furman.

Boston College lost at Wake Forest, not that the Big East cared that much.

The Eagles, who were off to a 3-0 start, jump to the ACC next year.

The main (only?) good news was that 2005 additions Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida all won Saturday.

The only ranked Big East team is No. 6 West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 4-0 and don’t face another team that is currently ranked. West Virginia’s toughest remaining games figure to be Saturday at Virginia Tech and Nov. 13 at home against Boston College.

And that’s where the speculative fun begins. While an undefeated West Virginia would be a boost for the beaten-down Big East, if the Mountaineers go 11-0, it could cause yet another Bowl Championship Series controversy.

Voters in both polls love teams with a zero in the loss column. That means that as long as West Virginia keeps winning, it will keep moving up.

One of the teams currently ranked ahead of the ‘Neers (Oklahoma or Texas) will lose at least one game.

If West Virginia finishes No. 2 in the rankings behind an undefeated team, would one-loss teams from stronger conferences screams about injustice?

And if West Virginia finishes undefeated but ranked No. 3 because the poll voters decide that a one-loss team from a stronger conference should be No. 2, would West Virginia and the Big East scream about injustice and prejudice?

The answer to both conjectures is an emphatic YES!

Looking Back

There were 10 games last week between teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences and non-BCS conferences. The BCS teams won seven. For the season, the BCS vs. non-BCS scoreboard reads 70-16 in favor of The Big Boys.

After gaining 514 yards rushing in his first two games to lead NCAA Division I-A in rushing, Louisiana Tech junior running back Ryan Moats has gained only 178 yards in his past two contests. Notre Dame is 5-0 against Washington, and has won those games by the average score of 39-10.

Looking Ahead

Upset watch: New Mexico over Utah (Friday), Oregon State over California, Notre Dame over Purdue.

Best games: Auburn at Tennessee, LSU at Georgia, West Virginia at Virginia Tech, Wake Forest at North Carolina State.

Note of interest: Purdue, which plays at Notre Dame on Saturday, hasn’t won in South Bend, Ind., in 30 years.

Heisman Watch

The top five candidates for the Heisman Trophy:

1. Matt Leinart, Southern Cal quarterback: He was cool and collected in leading the Trojans back from a 28-17 halftime deficit to beat Stanford.

2. Cedric Benson, Texas running back: Continues to show consistent production. In three games, he has rushed for 181, 188 and 189 yards.

3. Kyle Orton, Purdue quarterback: For the season, 13 touchdown passes with no interceptions. A productive game and victory at Notre Dame on Saturday would be a huge boost.

4. Jason White, Oklahoma quarterback: You snooze, you lose ground. White and the Sooners had the weekend off, but he’s got plenty of games in which to move up.

5. Chris Leak, Florida quarterback: The sophomore didn’t help his case against Kentucky on Saturday, throwing three interceptions in the Gators’ 20-3 victory.

O’Brien Watch

The top five candidates for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award:

1. Matt Leinart, Southern Cal: Completed 24 of 30 passes for 308 yards against Stanford. He also scored on a 1-yard run.

2. Kyle Orton, Purdue: Against Illinois, he was 35-of-50 for 366 yards and four touchdowns. For the season, he has attempted 96 passes without an interception.

3. Jason White, Oklahoma: The defending Heisman Trophy winner ranks seventh in passing efficiency, and should get a chance to put up some numbers against Texas Tech on Saturday.

4. Marques Hagans, Virginia: In his first season as full-time starter, Hagans is sixth nationally in passing efficiency for the undefeated Cavaliers.

5. Jason Campbell, Auburn: The senior has completed 60 percent of his passes, with six touchdowns and only one interception.