Big East Football Picks-Week 10

Posted by Bill San Antonio

We missed you guys last week, but now we’re back with a vengance-ok not really but I thought it sounded cool. Matt and I agree on three of four picks this week, so instead we choose to disagree on other things.

23South Florida/Cincinnati (+3)

Matt: Once again, USF needs this game and that extra drive should push them to a win on the road. But don’t sleep on Cincy’s talent combined with the Bulls nasty habit of dropping huge games down the stretch (they lost three straight last year after being ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll). We know Matt Grothe can pass the ball (273 yards per game), but the one thing that will bring them down against the Bearcats is a repeat of last week’s poor rushing performance. Grothe and tailback Mike Ford combined for -14 rushing yards in the loss to Louisville last Saturday. Ford did not start the game because of a lingering ankle injury, and that might be a factor again this week. But if they balance the attack, they will easily handle Cincinnati.

Bill: The Bulls have stumbled a bit, losing key conference games to Pitt and Louisville last week. They are still the best team in the conference, taking on a vulnerable Cincinnati team this week that conceded 40 to Connecticut last week. USF has to move the ball on the ground. Matt Grothe may be extremely talented (30 of 40 last week), but even he can’t do it all himself (USF lost 24-20). The offense has to click the way it did against Syracuse two weeks ago. Cincinnati will put up a pride fight, but South Florida will pull it out.

Football Roundup-Week 9

Posted by Bill San Antonio

Due to some complications, time got away from us and Matt and I were unable to make our weekly Big East football picks. There was some really exciting action within Big East play this week, as both ranked Big East teams lost to unranked opponents, and we are currently kicking ourselves for missing out on the fun.

Thursday-Auburn 17, West Virginia 34

For those of you who turned this game off when Auburn was up 17-3 in the second quarter, we don’t blame you. But this game could be the best comeback the conference has seen all year. It’s games like this that prove just how valuable Pat White is to the Mountaineers, as he sparked the comeback with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Arlic Arnett with 6:37 left to play in the second quarter-his first of three in the game. Something must be said of the West Virginia defense as well, spotting Auburn 17 and then holding tight for the rest of the game. Auburn lost the battle on third down, converting just nine of 18 third down plays, and the persistence West Virginia showed was both entertaining and inspiring.

Football Roundup – Week 8

Posted by Bill San Antonio

Choquette: 4-0

San Antonio: 1-3

OK, maybe there’s more to these picks than meets the eye. Matt went a perfect 4-0, while I struggled at 1-3. I’ll admit I was seduced by 24 points in the spread to Syracuse, and underestimated South Florida’s determination-although I did correctly pick the huge win in South Florida’s favor. And who would have thought Rutgers would get the job done at home against a Connecticut team with the nation’s leading rusher in YPG (see Rivals.com Midseason All-America Football Team for Donald Brown)?

But the one that hurt the most was Pitt over Navy. I still stand by military academies having some of the best homefield advantage in the country. Nothing, no white or blackout, no live-animal mascot, no pep band, no attractive cheerleading squad, is more intimidating in my mind than seeing our nation’s future military officers relaxing and enjoying watching their classmates take to the field while dressed in full traditional military garb.

In my one win, I did correctly say in my analysis that Hunter Cantwell’s mistakes would be taken advantage of by Middle Tennessee State defenders. On Louisville’s opening drive on offense on Saturday afternoon, Cantwell threw a pick-six to Jeremy Kelly while looking over the middle for his receiver. Cantwell threw into double coverage, and the Blue Raiders made him pay. After another Cantwell interception in the first half, Louisville eventually took advantage of MTSU and covered in a 42-23 win.

So with that, I have some regrouping and moping to do until later on this week when the action starts up all over again.

Big East Football Picks – Week 8

Posted By Matt Choquette

Last week: 1-1-1

I’m upset that Bill and I didn’t start this little game earlier in the season. Last week, we agreed on just about everything and wrote a joint analysis. This week, it’s a whole different story. We differ on every pick but one and this competition is about to heat up. May the best man win. Or may whoever watches the most TV win. Either one.

Rivals.com Midseason All-America Football Team

Posted by Bill San Antonio

Rivals.com released its midseason All America team, and two Big East players made the roster.

Junior running back Donald Brown of Connecticut-177.8 ypg (leads nation), 12 TD

Senior Punter Kevin Huber of Cincinnati-11 of 28 punts inside 20 yard line, 1 touchback

In addition, Rivals.com released its All-America freshman team, and again two Big East players made the roster.

RS Freshman Running back Victor Anderson of Louisville-6.6 YPC, 5 TD

RS Freshman Moe Petrus of Connecticut-key contributor to the success of Brown

*all statistics courtesy of rivals.com report

Big East Football Picks-Week 7

Posted by Bill San Antonio

From this week on, Matt and I will be posting our picks on all the Big East football games of the week. Call it a friendly competition between colleagues, call it a faceoff between the seasoned upperclassman and the hotshot freshman reporter, or take these picks at face value-the best possible analysis of college football from collegiate reporters. Here’s where you’ll get our insight each week prior to Big East kickoff.

This week, Matt and I happen to agree on each pick. Here is our analysis.

Home team in caps

Louisville (-7) over MEMPHIS
The Cards face a familiar foe from their Conference USA days in the Friday night primetime game. U of L’s defense has been ranked among the best in the country this season, but faces a true test in the
Tigers’ 469 total yards per game (15th in the NCAA). Cardinals QB Hunter Cantwell will hook up with speedy receivers Victor Anderson and Doug Beaumont to give his team a lead the Louisville D should have no problem holding. Most importantly, they’ll have to do it by protecting Cantwell throughout the game. Memphis registered 10 sacks in the past two games. If they can keep their quarterback on his feet, the Cardinals move over .500 and are alive in bowl-game contention.

Syracuse (+24) over WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers will win this one, but thanks to Curtis Brinkley and the Orange’s revamped running game, Saturday’s game will be hard for WVU to completely blow out. If Brinkley and the Orange O-line perform like they did in the first half two weeks ago against Pittsburgh, the field-position battle will preoccupy the Mountaineer offense and prevent them from covering this generous spread. This should be a quick game with a lot of running. West Virginia RB Noel Devine is averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 80 carries this season. Lots of running means lots of clock chewing, giving WVU less time to cover. Plus, Mountaineer quarterback Pat White might still be hurting from last week’s blow to the helmet. Take ‘Cuse with the points.

CINCINNATI (-7) over Rutgers
Against a talented Bearcat secondary, I have the over/under for Rutgers’ QB Mike Teel interceptions at 8.5. Rutgers is not moving the ball well on any front, and is a lock to drop to 1-5 on Saturday to officially kiss bowl season goodbye. An average of 19 points a game; we expected so much more from the ’08 Scarlet Knights. WR Kenny Britt is their best chance for attack through the air. The Bearcats will have to conduct their own aerial assault with caution. Rutgers’ pass defense is said to be the best in the Big East. Though, perhaps they won’t have to worry about interceptions. The Knights have only picked two passes this season.

Weekend Football Action

Posted by Bill San Antonio

Here are the weekend’s Big East football match-ups:

Friday
Louisville vs. Memphis 8:00 PM on ESPN

Saturday
Rutgers vs. Cincinnati 12:00 PM on ESPN (regional game)
Syracuse vs. West Virginia 12:00 PM on ESPNU

What I feel about Teel

Posted by Bill San Antonio

I used to think Mike Teel was the best quarterback in the Big East. I valued Teel higher than South Florida’s Matt Grothe coming into the season, and thought he was just as good as Brian Brohm of Louisville in the past. I thought Teel — not Ray Rice or Brian Leonard or Eric Foster — was the clear cut leader of the Scarlet Knights and a key contributor to the success the team had over the last few years. Even after the three left school in the last two years, so long as Rutgers had Teel, I reasoned, they would be fine.

Now, I’m not quite sure.

Teel threw one touchdown pass and five interceptions in back-to-back blowout losses to Fresno State and North Carolina to open the season (his TD-Int ratio is 3:7 for the year), and has made throws a senior quarterback with two full years’ experience should not be making. He’s overthrown receivers, thrown into double and triple-coverage and fired at the feet of his receivers with great line protection. And his receivers aren’t helping much, either. With the exception of junior Kenny Britt, who made 12 catches for 151 yards against West Virginia last Saturday and has exploded onto the scene in New Brunswick in recent weeks, no Rutgers receiver is making an impact catching the football.

Rutgers is 1-4 (0-1) and sinking fast. The Scarlet Knights are getting into the thick of their Big East schedule, which includes tough road games at Cincinnati, 24Pittsburgh, and 19South Florida. The games fans once overlooked on the schedule have turned into losses, and hopes of an at-large bowl bid are slipping-if they were ever there at all.

Fact is, Rutgers had to revise an offensive philosophy that once consisted of running the ball with Leonard and Rice and offered a game management role on Teel’s part. Now that Leonard and Rice have moved on to the NFL, and Rutgers has to break in new and unproven rushers, Teel finds himself in a leadership role he is unprepared for, and Rutgers football is suffering because of it.