FOUR FOR EIGHT
This week, the Big East placed four of its eight teams in the national polls. West Virginia was ranked fifth by Associated Press and USA Today. Rutgers was 11th in both polls. Louisville is 18th in AP and 19th in USA Today. For the first time in its 11 seasons of football, USF is ranked. The Bulls are 24th in AP and 23rd in USA Today. Also, Cincinnati received votes in both polls.
SELVIE FOR THE DEFENSE
USF sophomore defensive end George Selvie has made a living in opponents’ backfields so far this year. The mobile Selvie leads the nation in tackles for loss (4.8), and sacks (2.8) per game.
TRIFECTAS
Rutgers RB Ray Rice and West Virginia RB Steve Slaton have both scored three touchdowns in all three games this season. They are tied for first nationally in scoring (18.0 points per game). Slaton is also the active Division I career leader with 46 touchdowns, and his career average of 10.6 points per game leads the nation.
HIGH NOON
Big East fans will have three choices of televised games at noon, Eastern time. ESPN is carrying USF’s battle against North Carolina. ESPN2 has West Virginia’s contest against East Carolina. The ESPN Regional/Big East Game of the Week begins this week with the Syracuse-Louisville game. The Big East Game of the Week package, the nation’s largest regional college football network, has the potential to reach 40 percent of the nation’s households. The Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh game will be televised by ESPNU at 7 p.m.
ROARING START
Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly is 4-0 with the Bearcats, marking the best opening run by a Cincinnati head coach since Russ Cohen won his first five games in 1935. The win streak includes last year’s International Bowl win, which was Kelly’s first game as the replacement for Mark D’Antonio.
ABOVE AVERAGE RUSHING
West Virginia’s Patrick White is the top player in the country in career rushing yards per carry with a 7.25 average.