No. 4 West Virginia did its job Thursday night, amassing 353 yards on the ground in a 31-14 blowout of ACC foe Maryland. Now its time for the rest of the Big East to keep pace.
Aside from Syracuse, who might have one of the five worst teams in America, the conference heads into week three unbeaten and has a good chance to remain that way considering Cincinnati and UConn play teams from the MAC and Rutgers hosts Norfolk State.
Pittsburgh finds itself in position to further the proof that the Big East isn’t just a three team league when it travels to East Lansing to play Michigan State. The Panthers will look to follow in the footsteps of the Bearcats and South Florida, who each defeated a BCS conference last week.
The Panthers have never beaten the Spartans in six previous meetings, including last year’s 38-23 whipping which saw the Big Ten school rush for 335 yards. If Pitt can contain the run, this game should be pretty close.
The only other game of note this week comes tomorrow night when No. 9 Louisville heads to Lexington to play Kentucky for the Governor’s Cup. You can expect to see a basketball-type score from this one, as both teams sport offenses ranked in the top ten nationally.
If you had told me last month that this weekend's Michigan-Notre Dame game would be the premier "Dueling Winless Teams" matchup, I would've looked at you like you were snorting Vagisil. Unfortunately, this will be a rough weekend, since that game is the double whammy of being a) possibly the only interesting game in the conference and b) interesting for all the wrong reasons.
It's nice to see Chad Henne and the usual offensive suspects tally up 850 yards of offense through the first two games (though I'm still figuring out how they managed nearly 400 yards against Oregon but only scored seven points). Unfortunately, that talent has been rendered completely useless by a defense that has already allowed 1,000 yards (ranking them 108th in D-I in team defense, though incredibly, not the worst in the Big Ten).
Michigan's defense is absolutely terrible, and this may be their only shot at a win for a while. Notre Dame is the only team on Michigan's immediate schedule (see: Penn State, Northwestern) that has an equally bad defense and an offense incapable of taking advantage of Michigan's defenders. Charlie Weis is inviting riotous debate by starting uber-prospect Jimmy Clausen at quarterback. Clausen is an immense talent, but he's playing behind an offensive line that has allowed fifteen sacks in the first two games.
Article comments
1 - Jerkwheat
I have to disagree with the sentiment that Alabama is better top-to-bottom than Arkansas. This is probably Nutt's most talented overall team since he has been there. Dick wasn't quite as bad as his numbers indicated against Troy, but all he has to be is average. Overall though, these two teams are about as even as could be. I can't wait to watch it. I expect to be throwing things at my tv and cursing Nick Saban by 7:25.
Plus, simple math shows that 1 Darren McFadden>100 Everyone Elses
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
For whatever reason, I'm really intrigued by that Michigan State-Pittsburgh game.
Eastern Michigan will upset NIU, putting at least one Washtenaw County team in the win column.
3 - Jerkwheat
I agree on State-Pitt. I expect it to be one of the better matchups of the day. That said, while State and Pitt are playing, my tv will be focused on the Chippewas and Purdue. I don't imagine I'll get to see DAN (not David) LeFevour too many more times on tv this year.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Prediction: Purdue 61, Central Michigan 55
5 - Chris McVetta
Cleveland State 55, Michigan 3
Like Lt. Frank Drebin: "I know a great place for Viking food."
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
A nice, hearty point for Geeves on seeing the FAU upset.
7 - El Bicho
"All that said, Notre Dame takes this one is a messy affair."
You were one three letters off.
8 - Evan
football and all the other sports suck
9 - Evan
there is only one sport that i do like and thats pinball