CHASING A RECORD
BIG EAST Conference teams are currently 28-8 (.778) versus non-conference
opponents this season, including 10-7 (.588) against teams from other
charter BCS conferences. That record and winning percentage are currently the best in league history.
However, conference members will have to continue their winning ways if they hope to establish a new standard. The previous record (28-9, .757), established in 1998, doesn’t leave much margin for error. Rutgers, South Florida, Pitt and Connecticut carry the banner for the league this week in out of conference games.
The BIG EAST is still the only conference in the country with three undefeated teams. West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers are all 5-0. WVU’s 12-game winning streak dating back to last season is the second longest in the nation.
TWO-THREE PUNCH
Rutgers tailback Ray Rice (161.2 ypg) and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton (153.6 ypg) are ranked second and third in the nation in rushing,
respectively. Rice is also tied for second nationally in scoring (13.2). The
Scarlet Knight sophomore leads the BIG EAST with 806 yards rushing and 11
touchdowns. Slaton has 768 yards rushing and seven scores on the year.
SOMETHING BESIDES SPEED HELPS PANTHERS
Pittsburgh quarterback Tyler Palko continued his string of nearly perfect
passing performances on Oct. 7 in a 21-11 win at Syracuse. He completed 20-
of-24 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown. In his last three games,
Palko is 47-of-56 (83.9%) for 662 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
He is second in the nation in passing efficiency (186.0).
BOUNCEBACK
The West Virginia rushing attack continued its dominance with 314 yards
in a 42-14 victory at Mississippi State on Oct. 7. Running back Steve Slaton
ran for 185 yards and one touchdown. In addition, quarterback Patrick White and fullback Owen Schmitt each ran for two touchdowns. Dating back
to last year, WVU now has compiled 44 rushing touchdowns in its last 11
games. The Mountaineers have totaled 300 or more rushing yards in seven
of their last eight games.
THERE’S DEPTH, THEN THERE’S LOUISVILLE
Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell, starting for the injured Brian Brohm,
completed 17-of-32 passes for a career-high 340 yards, three touchdowns
and one interception in the Cardinals’ 44-17 win versus Middle Tennessee
State on Oct. 7. In his two starts since the injury to Brohm on Sept. 16 versus
Miami, Cantwell has completed 35-of-58 passes for 513 yards, four touchdowns
and two interceptions.
The Cardinals are first in the country in scoring offense (44.0 pts./game) and total offense (523.6 yds./game) despite losing Brohm for two-plus games and running back Michael Bush for the season.
BIG EAST: CONFERENCE OF QBs
USF freshman quarterback Matt Grothe continued his stellar all-around
play in the Bulls’ 38-16 win over UConn on Oct. 7. Grothe completed 12-of-
15 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 82 yards
and three scores. For the season, Grothe has passed for 1,230 yards and
eight touchdowns and run for 422 yards and seven scores. He is currently
the BIG EAST league leader in total offense and ranks ninth in the nation in
that category (275.3). He is the nation’s top freshman in total offense.
DEFENSE TOO
BIG EAST teams are playing some of the best defense in the country. Three league squads rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and a fourth team is in the top 20. Rutgers is third in the nation, giving up only 10.0 points per game. Louisville is seventh (11.6), West Virginia is ninth (12.2) and Pittsburgh is 20th (14.3).