Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

1. Cincinnati (5-0, 1-0 Big East): No. 1 in the Big East, No. 1 in Ohio and No. 8 in the nation. The Bearcats have earned a rest before their showdown in Tampa next Thursday.

2. South Florida (5-0, 1-0): The Bulls are 5-0 for the third consecutive year. They won a Big East road game in October, but they always beat Syracuse. The real litmus test awaits.

3. West Virginia (3-1): How many points per game would the Mountaineers be averaging if they hadn't turned the ball over so much? 40? 50? The rest of the league better hope that problem continues all season.

4. Pittsburgh (4-1, 1-0): The Pitt we saw in the second half against Louisville would be a serious contender in this league. The one that was on display the previous three quarters was merely a pretender.

5. Connecticut (3-1): The Huskies have a case to be higher than this. They'll present it to the jury on Saturday at Pitt, a place where they've had some success.

6. Rutgers (3-1, 0-1): The Scarlet Knights have another bye week this week and ... wait, Texas Southern is a real game? Wake me when they return to the varsity schedule.

7. Syracuse (2-3, 0-1): The Orange had a great offensive game plan against South Florida but did not figure in seven turnovers. They will upset somebody in the league before the season is over.

8. Louisville (1-3, 0-1): The Cardinals started the season on the bottom of this poll and look like they're ready for a long stay in the basement.