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Rutgers Failed to Make A Statement | Robert Marve Out for the Season

Scout's Notebook: Stanford @ Notre Dame | TCU @ SMU | Kentucky @ Florida

College Football Insiders ranks the Big East after week three and previews week five.

1. West Virginia Mountaineers 3-1 (0-0) Last week - Lost at LSU 14-20 - They are who we thought they were. The offensive line is handcuffing the offense, and the inexperienced right side was no match for the aggressiveness of the talented LSU defense. The elements of Tiger Stadium were certainly a factor as well. On a third and short late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Geno Smith lined up behind his guard rather then his center. Cut them some slack; Noel Devine was banged up and missed some time with a strained tendon underneath his big toe.

Up Next: Bye, (10/9) UNLV  - What we do know is they have enough skill players and muscle on defense to win in this conference. The timing of the bye week couldn’t be better; Devine could use the week off to recover while his blockers could use the extra practice.

2. Connecticut Huskies 2-2 (0-0) Last week - Won vs. Buffalo 45-21 - Don’t be dismissing UConn. I believe in Randy Edsall and so should you. The guy has posted three straight seasons of eight wins or more. Star running back Jordan Todman was listed as “out” for the Buffalo game and is currently nursing an elbow injury. That didn’t stop the scoreboard from rolling. His replacement, Robbie Frey, rushed for 112 yards and the passing attack finally stepped up…probably because Cody Endres was inserted into the offense right before halftime. The defense is strong, with sophomore safety Jerome Junior making plays and linebacker Lawrence Wilson still tackling at a high level.

Up Next: vs. Vanderbilt - A win over Buffalo doesn’t make anyone blink, but a comfortable win over Vanderbilt will at least raises an eyebrow. If you point to their running back and defense, they should be able to grind out a win against a Vandy offense that has zero fire power.

Prediction - Connecticut 23, Vanderbilt 13

3. South Florida Bulls 2-1 (0-0) Last week - Won vs. Western Kentucky 24-12 – There really isn’t a team in the Big East that deserves the third spot…so why not them? The philosophy has changed under Coach Skip Holtz. South Florida is now a running team and can do it in two ways. They feel comfortable grounding and pounding it with tailback Demetris Murray or scrambling with the gunslinger B.J Daniels. A defensive mentality works for this group.

Up Next: vs. Florida Atlantic - It all starts with the pressure. Defensive lineman Craig Marshall and Terrell McClain will be licking their chops to face the pass-happy Florida Atlantic offense. Quarterback Jeff Van Camp has thrown for 745 yards in three games for the Owls. It will be a good test for current starting cornerbacks Quenton Washington and Mistra Raymond right before the Big East opener.

Prediction: South Florida 26, Florida Atlantic 7

4. Pittsburgh Panthers 1-2 (0-0) - Last week - Lost vs. Miami (FL) 3-31 - Because season expectations were so high, senior star Greg Romeus might miss the entire season, and the lack of experience at quarterback, this could be a disastrous season. What troubles me most is how Jonathan Baldwin played against the Hurricanes. Three catches for 26-yards doesn’t cut it, and his body language was extremely concerning. Twice in the game when it was time for him to turn into a defensive back to break up a potential interception, he didn’t bother to make the play. Perhaps because of this, he found himself on the sidelines during several key, third down plays.

Up Next: vs. Florida International - Pittsburgh might have one of the top rushing offenses in the game. Dion Lewis is physical, fast and so low to the ground that tacklers have very little chance in the open field. He and fellow running back Ray Graham will make sure the Panthers don’t drop back-to-back home games. That hasn’t happened since early 2007.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 41, Florida International 14

5.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2-1 (0-0) - Last week - Lost vs. North Carolina 13-17 - Quarterback Tom Savage was drastically disappointing. Whether it’s a lack of confidence or something else, for every good throw he makes there are two that are underthrown. His two interceptions in the game were critical, and both came in Tar Heel territory. I feel for the kid because nobody took a bigger beating then him on Saturday. Savage was sacked five times and was probably hit hard 15. The game changer was North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter. Not only did he intercept a pass which was returned for 55 yards to change the momentum of the first half, but his blocked punt in the fourth quarter directly led to an important three points.

Up Next: vs. Tulane - The biggest story coming out Piscataway was the play calling. Rutgers ran a lot of wildcat with Mohamed Sanu. Is Tom Savage being thrown out of rhythm by it or is he just not playing up to his potential? It won’t matter much this week.  With virtually no aerial attack, Tulane is not a threat to score on a defense which ranks second in the nation in points allowed. The Green Wave’s record on the road over the past three years is 1-12.

Prediction: Rutgers 28, Tulane 10

6. Cincinnati 1-3 (0-0) Last week - Lost vs. Oklahoma 29-31 – Close, but no cigar. Quarterback Zach Collaros had his best game of the season, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns. The line was better but still allowed three sacks. That makes 18 so far this year, which is at the bottom of the barrel in the nation. Collaros can be electric and turn this offense around. He was accurate against Oklahoma and consistently found the soft spots in the zone. Wide receiver D.J. Woods was his favorite target, catching seven balls for 171 yards. Unfortunately for Woods, he will remembered more in this game for getting stripped at the Oklahoma five-yard line in the first half and muffing a punt, which led directly to a touchdown for the Sooners in the second.

Up Next: bye, (10/9) Miami (OH) - The loss to Oklahoma was heartbreaking, but things are looking up for Cincinnati. They look like a quality team that is being held back by offensive line problems. Something tells me they are about to put together a winning streak.

7. Syracuse Orange 3-1 (0-0) Last week - Win vs. Colgate 42-7 - Just like the good old days. Colgate and Syracuse were big rivals in football from the 1930’s through the 1960’s, but back then the games were a lot closer than this one. The Orange completely dominated in all aspects of the game. Running back Delone Carter led the country for the day with 191 yards while freshman linebacker Marquis Spruill, who has had an impressive start to his college career, led the team with 12 tackles.

Up Next: bye, (10/9) at South Florida - They’re tied for the best in the Big East, but can’t move up the rankings until they beat a quality team. The offense is rolling. They have a tailback to carry the load and an improved passing attack. But I’m still not sold on the secondary. The Big East opener will show everyone if they’re for real or not.

8. Louisville Cardinals 1-2 (0-0) Last week - Bye - As bad as everyone else in the conference is playing, Louisville still looks like the worst club.

Up Next: at Arkansas State - The Red Wolves have some problems on defense and are not good enough to mess with the rhythm of quarterback Adam Froman. But the Cardinals should beware of the home-field advantage; Arkansas State is 8-3 in their last 11 home games.

Prediction: Louisville 33, Arkansas State 27

Archives:

Big East Power Rankings/Preview - Week 4

Big East Power Rankings/Preview - Week 2

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Photos Courtesy of WVU Sports Communication, Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics