STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The BIG EAST has a 23-7 nonconference record
through five weeks of the 2009 season. The BIG
EAST does not have a loss to a team that currently
has a losing record. The aggregate record of the
seven teams to defeat BIG EAST opponents this
season is 23-10.
GETTING IT DONE
The BIG EAST’s .767 winning percentage in 2009
is good for second among FBS conferences.Only the SEC, with a 25-3 record and a .893 winning percentage, is better than the Big East's 23-7 (.767). The Big East dusts the ACC (21-13 .618) and the Mountain West (20-15, .571), and also has leads putative powers such as the Big Ten (25-9, .735) and the Big 12 (34-13, .723).
ROAD SWEET ROAD
The visiting team has won each of the first three
BIG EAST games in 2009.
ONE BAD LOSS
Rutgers has won 10 of its last 11games, dating to last season. The one loss, the 2009 season opener against Cincinnati, has overshadowed the other successes enjoyed by the Scarlet Knights.
CONSISTENT OUTPUT
West Virginia has gained at least 405 yards of total offense in every game this year.
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CINCINNATI
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Open Date
Next Game
Thu Oct. 15
at USF
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CONNECTICUT
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at Pittsburgh
Sat 10/10
3:30 PM
ABC
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Saturday's game will be the sixth meeting between Connecticut and Pittsburgh
… The Huskies hold a 3-2 series lead, though the Panthers took a
34-10 decision in East Hartford, Conn., last season … Pittsburgh broke open
a 3-3 halftime score with 24 third-quarter points as QB Bill Stull threw for
141 yards and two touchdowns.
Connecticut is off to a 3-1 start following a 52-10 win against Rhode Island
Sept. 26 … The Huskies have road wins against Ohio and Baylor on the ledger
with the lone setback coming to North Carolina Sept. 12 … Connecticut's
calling cards remain a stout defense and an effective running game … The
Huskies rank fourth nationally in total defense (232.3 ypg), eighth in rushing
defense (68 ypg) and 18th in pass defense (164 3 ypg) … Connecticut
is second in the Big East in rushing (191.3 ypg) … QB Zach Frazer started
the first two games behind center, but has missed the last two with a knee
injury … QB Cody Endres is 2-0 as the starter and is expected to get the nod
against Pittsburgh with Frazer still recovering … Endres has thrown for 466
yards and two touchdowns without an interception this season … Connecticut
has the top backfield tandem in the Big East in RB Jordan Todman (99 ypg,
five TDs) and RB Andre Dixon (92 ypg, three TDs) … DE Lindsey Witten leads
the Big East with eight sacks and is second nationally with 2.0 sacks per
game … All-Big East LB Scott Lutrus has missed the last three games after
suffering a stinger in the opener.
Pittsburgh rebounded from its first loss of the season with a come-from-behind
win on the road against Louisville (35-10) … The Panthers are 2-0 at home,
having defeated Youngstown State and Navy at Heinz Field … Pittsburgh's
strength is found in the trenches as the Panthers lead the nation in sacks
(4.4 per game) and rank eighth in fewest sacks allowed (0.6 per game) …
Pitt has committed just three turnovers through five games … QB Bill Stull
leads the Big East and is ranked fifth nationally in pass efficiency (167.49)
… Stull has completed 77 of 116 passes for 988 yards and 11 touchdowns
with just one interception … TE Dorin Dickerson has team highs of 20 receptions
and six touchdown catches … WR Jonathan Baldwin is averaging 22.8
yards per catch and has 428 receiving yards … RB Dion Lewis is second in
the Big East and sixth nationally in rushing (116 ypg) … DE Greg Romeus
has a team-high six sacks and ranks seventh nationally at 1.2 per game …
LB Adam Gunn has five sacks despite missing two games due to injury.
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LOUISVILLE
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vs. Southern Miss
Sat 10/10
7:30 PM
ESPNU
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Saturday’s game will be the 28th meeting between Louisville and Southern
Mississippi and the first since Louisville became a member of the Big East …
The Golden Eagles hold an 18-8-1 series lead … One of the more memorable
games in the series came in 1989 when former saw Southern Miss QB Brett
Favre hit Darryl Tillman on a 79-yard Hail Mary as time expired to give the
Golden Eagles a 16-10 win … The most recent matchup was a 20-17 Louisville
win in double-overtime Nov. 14, 2002 behind a pair of touchdown passes by
Cardinal QB Dave Ragone … Louisville has won the last three meetings.
Louisville looks to snap a three-game losing streak with the second of backto-
back home games … The Cardinals have held second-half leads in two of
their last three games, but have been outscored 41-24 in the fourth quarter
this season … QB Adam Froman was announced as the starting quarterback
shortly before last week’s game against Pittsuburgh after QB Justin Burke
started the first three games … Head coach Steve Kragthorpe has not announced
a starter for the game against Southern Miss … RB Victor Anderson
is sixth in the Big East in rushing (69.0 ypg) … The Cardinals have just three
passing touchdowns this season, with TE Cameron Graham delivering two
scores … LB Jon Dempsey leads the Big East and is 10th nationally in tackles
(10.8 per game) … LB Chris Campa is ninth (7.0 per game) … CB Johnny
Patrick has team highs of five passes defended and two interceptions.
Southern Miss reeled off three straight wins to open the season, but come
into Louisville on a two-game slide after falling at Kansas (35-28) and
Alabama-Birmingham (30-17) … The wins have been against Alcorn State
(52-0), Central Florida (26-19) and Virginia (37-34) … Southern Miss is 3-0 at
home and 0-2 on the road … The Golden Eagles will be without their starting
quarterback for the rest of the year as QB Austin Davis was felled by a foot
injury against UAB … Davis had thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12
consecutive games … QB Martevious Young came on in relief of Davis and
is the projected starter against Louisville … RB Damion Fletcher is averaging
92.8 yards per game and has four rushing touchdowns … LB Korey Williams
has a team-high 48 tackles to go with three sacks and two forced fumbles …
Southern Miss has enjoyed 15 consecutive winning seasons, with only Florida
State (32), Florida (21) and Virginia Tech (16) enjoying longer runs.
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PITTSBURGH
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vs. Connecticut
Sat 10/10
3:30 PM
ABC
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Saturday’s game will be the sixth meeting between Connecticut and Pittsburgh
… The Huskies hold a 3-2 series lead, though the Panthers took a
34-10 decision in East Hartford, Conn., last season … Pittsburgh broke open
a 3-3 halftime score with 24 third-quarter points as QB Bill Stull threw for
141 yards and two touchdowns.
Connecticut is off to a 3-1 start following a 52-10 win against Rhode Island
Sept. 26 … The Huskies have road wins against Ohio and Baylor on the ledger
with the lone setback coming to North Carolina Sept. 12 … Connecticut’s
calling cards remain a stout defense and an effective running game … The
Huskies rank fourth nationally in total defense (232.3 ypg), eighth in rushing
defense (68 ypg) and 18th in pass defense (164 3 ypg) … Connecticut
is second in the Big East in rushing (191.3 ypg) … QB Zach Frazer started
the first two games behind center, but has missed the last two with a knee
injury … QB Cody Endres is 2-0 as the starter and is expected to get the nod
against Pittsburgh with Frazer still recovering … Endres has thrown for 466
yards and two touchdowns without an interception this season … Connecticut
has the top backfield tandem in the Big East in RB Jordan Todman (99 ypg,
five TDs) and RB Andre Dixon (92 ypg, three TDs) … DE Lindsey Witten leads
the Big East with eight sacks and is second nationally with 2.0 sacks per
game … All-Big East LB Scott Lutrus has missed the last three games after
suffering a stinger in the opener.
Pittsburgh rebounded from its first loss of the season with a come-from-behind
win on the road against Louisville (35-10) … The Panthers are 2-0 at home,
having defeated Youngstown State and Navy at Heinz Field … Pittsburgh’s
strength is found in the trenches as the Panthers lead the nation in sacks
(4.4 per game) and rank eighth in fewest sacks allowed (0.6 per game) …
Pitt has committed just three turnovers through five games … QB Bill Stull
leads the Big East and is ranked fifth nationally in pass efficiency (167.49)
… Stull has completed 77 of 116 passes for 988 yards and 11 touchdowns
with just one interception … TE Dorin Dickerson has team highs of 20 receptions
and six touchdown catches … WR Jonathan Baldwin is averaging 22.8
yards per catch and has 428 receiving yards … RB Dion Lewis is second in
the Big East and sixth nationally in rushing (116 ypg) … DE Greg Romeus
has a team-high six sacks and ranks seventh nationally at 1.2 per game …
LB Adam Gunn has five sacks despite missing two games due to injury.
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RUTGERS
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vs. Texas Southern
Sat 10/10
3:30 PM
No TV
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Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Rutgers and Texas Southern
… The Scarlet Knights are 258-233-13 all-time against current members of
the Football Championship Subdivision.
Rutgers enters Saturday’s game against Texas Southern at 3-1 with the
Scarlet Knights enjoying a bye in Week 5 … Rutgers dropped its seasonopener
to Cincinnati (47-15), but have reeled off three straight wins since,
including a 34-13 decision at Maryland Sept. 26 … After allowing 47 points
in the opener, Rutgers has allowed a combined 35 points in its last three
games … The Scarlet Knights are tied for second in the Big East in rushing
defense (87.8 ypg) after holding Florida International to 42 rushing yards
and limiting Maryland to just 28 … RB Joe Martinek has emerged as Rutgers’
top option in the offensive backfield after back-to-back 100-yard games …
Martinek is fifth in the Big East in rushing (90.0 ypg) … QB Tom Savage
and QB Domenic Natale have made two starts each … Natale got the nod
against Maryland while Savage recovers from a head injury suffered against
Florida International … LB Ryan D’Imperio leads the defense with 25 tackles,
while DE Jonathan Freeny has a team-high four sacks … CB Devin McCourty
is fourth in the Big East in passes defended (1.0 per game) … After next
Friday’s game against Pittsburgh, Rutgers will have played five of its first
six games at Rutgers Stadium … The Scarlet Knights have received votes in
each of the last two USA Today Coaches’ Polls.
Texas Southern, like Rutgers, enjoyed a bye last week … The Tigers are 1-3
after a 52-18 loss at Texas State Sept. 26 … Texas Southern opened the
season with losses to Prairie View A&M (17-7) and Louisiana-Monroe (58-0)
before getting its lone win against NAIA Texas College (75-6) … The Tigers
lead the Southwestern Athletic Conference and rank 11th in the Championship
Subdivision in passing (266.8 ypg) … Conversely, the Tigers average just
27.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 117th of 118 FCS teams … QB Arvell
Wilson has completed 60.5 percent of his passes (75 of 124) for 758 yards
and two touchdowns … QB Gino Simoni also sees regular action as part of
the Tigers’ spread offense … The Tigers have been intercepted just once in
153 pass attempts … The game at Rutgers is part of a stretch in which Texas
Southern plays five of six on the road … LB Robert Joseph and LB Dejuan
Fulghum are tied for the team lead with 39 tackles each … Fulghum also
leads the team with four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss.
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SYRACUSE
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vs. West Virginia
Sat 10/10
12:00 PM
Big East Network
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The Syracuse-West Virginia series dates to the 1945 season and the schools
have met each year since 1955 … The Orange hold a 30-26 series lead, though
the Mountaineers have won seven straight … West Virginia held a 7-6 lead
early in the fourth quarter last season and the Mountaineers iced the win
on RB Noel Devine's 92-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left.
West Virginia overcame four first-half turnovers to take a 35-24 win against
Colorado last Thursday … The Mountaineers take to the road for just the
second time this season when they head to Syracuse … West Virginia is 3-0
at home and 0-1 on the road thus far … RB Noel Devine has generated some
Heisman Trophy buzz, particularly after his 220-yard effort against Colorado
… Devine ranks third nationally in rushing (135 ypg) and has 540 yards and
six touchdowns on the year … QB Jarrett Brown is second in the Big East
in total offense (286.8 ypg) and passing (236.5 ypg) … WR Jock Sanders
is second in the conference in receptions (8.0 rpg) … LB J.T. Thomas has
a team-high 28 tackles to go with 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception
… DE Julian Miller leads the team with 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss
… Tyler Bitancurt has been perfect on field goal attempts this season (5-
for-5), but the Mountaineers have attempted only one field goal since the
season-opener.
Syracuse saw a two-game winning streak end with a 34-20 setback to USF
last Saturday … The Orange are in the middle of a six-game homestand and
are 2-1 in that stretch … Syracuse forced three turnovers against USF, but
the Orange were undone by seven giveaways, including five interceptions
… WR Mike Williams sits atop the Big East leaderboard in both receptions
(8.2 per game) and receiving yards (124.6 ypg) … Williams is fifth nationally
in receiving yards and seventh in receptions … Williams has 41 catches
for 623 yards and five touchdowns this year … QB Greg Paulus is third in
the Big East in passing (231.4 ypg) and has thrown for 1,157 yards and
eight touchdowns … RB Delone Carter has been a workhorse with 88 carries
(second in the Big East) for 327 yards and five TDs … The defense is paced
by LB Derrell Smith, who is third in the Big East in tackles (9.4 per game)
… Smith also leads the Orange in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (6.5) … NT
Arthur Jones had fumble recoveries on USF's first two offensive snaps last
Saturday … K Ryan Lichtenstein is 9-for-10 on field goal attempts.
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USF
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Open Date
Next Game
Thu Oct. 15
vs. Cincinnati
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WEST VIRGINIA
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at Syracuse
Sat 10/10
12:00 PM
Big East Network
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The Syracuse-West Virginia series dates to the 1945 season and the schools
have met each year since 1955 … The Orange hold a 30-26 series lead, though
the Mountaineers have won seven straight … West Virginia held a 7-6 lead
early in the fourth quarter last season and the Mountaineers iced the win
on RB Noel Devine’s 92-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left.
West Virginia overcame four first-half turnovers to take a 35-24 win against
Colorado last Thursday … The Mountaineers take to the road for just the
second time this season when they head to Syracuse … West Virginia is 3-0
at home and 0-1 on the road thus far … RB Noel Devine has generated some
Heisman Trophy buzz, particularly after his 220-yard effort against Colorado
… Devine ranks third nationally in rushing (135 ypg) and has 540 yards and
six touchdowns on the year … QB Jarrett Brown is second in the Big East
in total offense (286.8 ypg) and passing (236.5 ypg) … WR Jock Sanders
is second in the conference in receptions (8.0 rpg) … LB J.T. Thomas has
a team-high 28 tackles to go with 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception
… DE Julian Miller leads the team with 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss
… Tyler Bitancurt has been perfect on field goal attempts this season (5-
for-5), but the Mountaineers have attempted only one field goal since the
season-opener.
Syracuse saw a two-game winning streak end with a 34-20 setback to USF
last Saturday … The Orange are in the middle of a six-game homestand and
are 2-1 in that stretch … Syracuse forced three turnovers against USF, but
the Orange were undone by seven giveaways, including five interceptions
… WR Mike Williams sits atop the Big East leaderboard in both receptions
(8.2 per game) and receiving yards (124.6 ypg) … Williams is fifth nationally
in receiving yards and seventh in receptions … Williams has 41 catches
for 623 yards and five touchdowns this year … QB Greg Paulus is third in
the Big East in passing (231.4 ypg) and has thrown for 1,157 yards and
eight touchdowns … RB Delone Carter has been a workhorse with 88 carries
(second in the Big East) for 327 yards and five TDs … The defense is paced
by LB Derrell Smith, who is third in the Big East in tackles (9.4 per game)
… Smith also leads the Orange in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (6.5) … NT
Arthur Jones had fumble recoveries on USF’s first two offensive snaps last
Saturday … K Ryan Lichtenstein is 9-for-10 on field goal attempts.
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