Despite shortage of games, weekend still important

This weekend only features four Big East teams in action, but these two games can change the… This weekend only features four Big East teams in action, but these two games can change the bowl outlook of the whole conference and determine how many teams the Big East sends to bowls, even though they are the bottom four teams in the standings.

With four teams still alive for the conference championship, each and every week grows in importance. This off-week for the four contending conference powers (Miami, Virginia Tech, Pitt and West Virginia) comes at critical time, in which preparation for opponents and renewed focus is extremely important.

Syracuse tries to stay bowl eligible, prepares for Boston College

Coming off a triple overtime victory, Syracuse must refocus to stay bowl eligible. Last weekend Syracuse shocked Virginia Tech and gave the Hokies their second straight loss, 50-42, and sent them to 8-2 overall and 3-2 in Big East play. With the loss, Virginia Tech falls in the Big East standings but remains alive for the conference championship.

During the loss in the Carrier Dome, Hokie receiver Ernest Wilford won Big East Offensive Player of the Week, with his eight catches for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

The Hokies will have this weekend off and will spend the time preparing for their matchup in two weeks with the West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3, 4-1). The extra week off will help tailback Kevin Jones recover from a hamstring injury he suffered earlier this season against Pitt.

“It is possible,” Hokie head coach Frank Beamer said when asked of Jones’ chances to play in two weeks against West Virginia.

Syracuse, coming off its biggest win of the season – a win that might have spared the job of head coach Paul Pasqualoni – needs to keep winning to keep its bowl hopes alive. The Orangemen (4-6, 2-3) need two victories in their final two games (Boston College and Miami) to be bowl eligible at 6-6.

“Over the years we have had some real battles with B.C.,” Pasqualoni said. “We are a little tired – this is our eighth game in a row.”

Following its game against Boston College this weekend, Syracuse will close the season out Nov. 30 when it hosts the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes.

Boston College looks to rebound, become bowl eligible

After shocking Notre Dame two weeks ago, Boston College gave a lackluster effort against West Virginia in its 24-14 loss to the Mountaineers.

The loss kept the Eagles (5-4, 0-4) winless in the conference, propelling them to their worst-ever start in the Big East at 0-4. Now, in order to keep postseason chances alive, Boston College must win at least one of its final three games, which include Syracuse, Rutgers and Temple.

“We have the opportunity to come back home after a tough three-game stretch and play a hot Syracuse team who is scoring a lot of points,” Boston College head coach Tom O’Brien said. “It will be a great challenge for our team. We look forward to Syracuse on Saturday.”

Temple, out of bowl contention, looks to rebound against Rutgers

Following a disappointing loss to Pitt, a game in which the Owls led almost every statistical category except the score, the Owls (3-7, 1-4) look to rebound against Rutgers.

“Saturday, [the Pitt game] was the most disappointing loss that I have ever been associated with, but Pittsburgh is an outstanding football team,” head coach Bobby Wallace said. “We have to rebound this week and try to win five games this year, which is more than Temple has won since 1990.”

Rutgers had last weekend off and therefore, time to improve.

“They had two weeks to prepare – their offense should have some new wrinkles,” Wallace said. “We are trying to not finish last and I feel we have a legitimate shot to finish fifth in the league.”

The Rutgers game appears to be huge for Temple, and could give it a chance to finish higher than some major Big East programs such as Boston College or Syracuse.

“This is a rival game. We have a lot of kids from New Jersey and this is a game our kids get ready for,” Wallace said. “We will be ready to play, even though last week took a lot out of us.”

Rutgers looks for first Big East win

Temple has won the last three meetings with these two schools, but Rutgers (1-8, 0-5) has won four of the last five in Rutgers Stadium, where this week’s game will be.

“We had a good week off and got some guys healthy,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. “This will be a great challenge. It is our final home game and will be great for our seniors.”

Rutgers is still looking for its first Big East win and has a chance in the final two conference games playing teams with a combined 1-8 Big East record.

“We are just trying to play as hard as we can and hopefully win a Big East game,” Schiano said.