ROAD WARRIORS
Road teams are a combined 6-2 in Big East conference games this season. The only teams
to win at home in Big East games thus far are South Florida, which defeated West Virginia in Tampa on Sept. 28, and Rutgers, which downed the Bulls on October 18.
NO GO
Louisville has attempted four onside kicks this year, but has yet to recover one. Syracuse (1-1) and Pittsburgh (1-2) are the only other league teams to have attempted an onside kick this year.
SCORING CONSISTENCY
Rutgers running back Ray Rice has scored at least one touchdown in all six games this season. He has scored a TD in 13 straight games, dating to last year, and 18 of his last 19 games. Rice ranks second among Bowl Subdivision players in scoring this season (14.0 points per game). Only Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree (14.6 ppg) sits ahead of Rice on the national scoring chart.
OFFENSIVE
In seven games this season, Syracuse has made just ten trips into the red zone. Pittsburgh, which has also struggled at times on offense, has 22.
DRADDY FIVE
The Big East has five semifinalists for the Draddy Award, which honors an individual as the top player in the country for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community service. Last year, Rutgers running back Brian Leonard won the award. This year, the Big East semifinalists are: Cincinnati tackle Digger Bujnoch, Louisville guard Daniel Barlowe, Rutgers linebacker Brandon Renkart, Syracuse guard Ryan Durand and West Virginia linebacker Bobby Hathaway.
TURNOVER TERMINATION
Cincinnati has lived all year on turnovers, but its winning streak died when it lost the takeaway battle by a 4-0 count in its 28-24 loss to Louisville. Due to that disparity, the Bearcats fell out of its top position natinally in that statistic, and also lost the conference lead as well. Connecticut now paces the league and is thrid in the nation, while Cincinnati is fourth. USF (10th) and Louisville (11th) are also high in the national rankings.