ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

I normally have a mailbag on Tuesday, but tomorrow is going to be very busy as we roll out some midseason stuff (make sure to check it out). Since I know you have many questions that can't wait until Friday, here's a special Monday edition of the mailbag.

Mark from Harrisburg, Penn., writes: I realize Dion Lewis isn't playing well enough to be a Heisman contender, but he's leading all BCS rushers in total yardage this season. Do you think he'll get more national recognition now that Pitt has cracked the top 25?

Brian Bennett: I put Lewis No. 5 on my ESPN.com Heisman Watch ballot this week. That has a lot to do with his spectacular season and quite a bit to do with the lack of clear-cut choices this week.

My thoughts on Lewis are about the same as those I've given on Noel Devine: for a player on a non-BCS title contender who isn't at an "elite" school like Florida or USC to be a serious Heisman contender, he has to put up unbelievable, record-breaking numbers. Lewis currently isn't even on pace to surpass Donald Brown's rushing total from last year, and Brown couldn't even crack the Doak Walker finalist pool. So, it's not going to happen for Lewis in terms of the Heisman. But he's been amazing, and I think more and more people are taking note.

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Darrin from Burlington, Ky., writes: Want to hear something cool? Cincinnati has more ranked teams (3) on its schedule than Florida (2). At least until the predicted SEC championship game, which then would still leave them tied with three each. I am a WVU fan, and I am absolutely flying the Big East banner. Small victories for the Big East, small victories.

Brian Bennett: Well, it depends on how you look at it. Using the current poll, Cincinnati has only two ranked teams on its schedule (Pitt and West Virginia), and there's no guarantee either will still be ranked when the Bearcats play them. If you look at polls at the time of the game, Cincinnati has played South Florida, which was No. 21 last week, and Oregon State, which was in the coaches' poll at the time of the game.

The key is, Cincinnati needs as many of its teams on the schedule as possible to keep winning. It would be great for the Bearcats if South Florida could get back on track and if Oregon State could make some noise in the Pac-10.

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Jason from Louisville, Ky., writes: Many have derided the idea that Louisville would make a midseason change to remove Steve Kragthorpe as unrealistic. I think it's a good idea, and would go a long way towards healing a fractured relationship between an irate fanbase and an administration many have characterized as arrogant, aloof, and dismissive of their fans. Whatever you think of making a midseason move, do you think Louisville is really going to do any worse without Kragthorpe for the next six games? What's the worst that is going to happen?

Brian Bennett: I'm not in favor of a midseason removal in college football unless a coach has committed grievous NCAA offenses or if there is other off-the-field turmoil. There's just no real benefit to it. That's not how Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich operates, either.

What I can see happening, if Jurich does make the move, is something similar to the Syracuse situation last year, when it was announced in November that Greg Robinson wouldn't be coming back, but he finished out the season. There is also a practical matter at hand here, since Kragthorpe is also the team's offensive coordinator. You'd not only have to have an interim head coach but an interim coordinator, and the most obvious interim replacement on staff is defensive coordinator Brent Guy. I think Kragthorpe will finish the season no matter what happens.

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Doug from Niagara Falls writes: I know it's early but how much of a chance is there that an undefeated Cincinnati team plays Pitt in the last game of the season with a chance at the BCS title game if they win, and if they lose they could drop all the way to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte?

Brian Bennett: Doug, it all depends on Notre Dame. The Irish have to be within two wins of the second-place Big East team in order to take the Gator Bowl spot. In the scenario you mentioned, Cincinnati would finish 11-1. That would mean Notre Dame, which is currently 4-2, would have to win five of its last six finish 9-3. Another scenario to consider is Pitt could enter that game 10-1 with a BCS game on the line but settle for the Meineke game with a loss to Cincinnati. That's a long way down.

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Phil from Huntington Station, N.Y., writes: Why can't Notre Dame play in future Meineke Car Care Bowls?

Brian Bennett: Notre Dame isn't included in the Big East's arrangement with the Meineke bowl. The Irish are only involved with the current Sun/Gator setup and the future Champs Sports Bowl agreement, where they can replace a Big East team once in four years. They are also involved in the new Yankee Bowl deal, but only as a potential replacement for the Big 12.

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Vince from Pittsburgh writes: Which game are you going to this coming weekend? I think the South Florida at Pitt game is the best. Both are Top 30 teams and it should be a good game.

Brian Bennett: Vince, I'll be at Heinz Field. Save some pierogies for me.

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Greg from Cincinnati writes: As a Bearcats fan, I'm thrilled over the year they're having. However, what concerns me is that, short of an epic choke, this will be the second year in a row with a Big East title and BCS Bowl Game, and third year in a row with at least 10 wins, but they still are not bringing in the "elite" prospects. Cincinnati is a hotbed of football and always boasts a handful of top ranked high school teams and prospects on the national scale, but they are still being out-recruited by other Big East teams like WVU and Pitt. What are your thoughts?

Brian Bennett: My thoughts are that a few years ago, Cincinnati's recruiting classes were ranked among the worst, if not dead last, in the entire Big East. Those same players are now working toward a second straight Big East title and BCS berth. So don't worry too much about recruiting rankings.