Big East: International Bowl 2009 bowls
Like we did for every week of the regular season, it's time to hit the rewind button and look back on the Big East postseason:
Team of the postseason: Connecticut. The Huskies took out an SEC opponent (South Carolina) in impressive fashion and finished the year with four straight wins. There was no better story in college football this season.
Best game: Pitt's 19-17 win over had all the requisite drama and a game-winning field goal in the final minute. Hard to believe, but it was the only Big East bowl game decided by fewer than 12 points.
Biggest play: Connecticut receiver Kashif Moore's one-handed, 37-yard touchdown grab from Zach Frazer in the first quarter against South Carolina. It was spectacular and set the tone for the Huskies' win.
Best call: Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt's two fourth-down decisions on the winning drive at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. First, he decided to go for it on fourth-and-one from his own 30 with half a quarter left instead of punting and playing defense. Bill Stull converted the quarterback sneak. Then on fourth-and-two from the North Carolina 30 with 1:56 left, Wannstedt sent out the field goal unit but hoped to draw the Tar Heels offsides. That's exactly what happened, and both plays helped Pitt string together an incredible 18-play, 79-yard, 8:47 drive to win the game.
Big Man on Campus (Offense): Dion Lewis. How appropriate that the league's offensive MVP and freshman of the year also wins postseason Big Man on Campus honors. He deserves it after his 159 yards rushing on 28 carries and a touchdown against North Carolina.
Big Man on Campus (Defense): The UConn front seven. Can't single out just one guy in a dominating effort by the Huskies up front. South Carolina was shut out until scoring a touchdown with 3:24 left. The defensive line, led by tackle Kendall Reyes, looked fast and determined and was every bit as good as what the Gamecocks saw in the SEC. The linebackers, particularly Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson, made plays all over the field. And almost all of them return in '10.
Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Pitt's Dan Hutchins missed a field goal early but rebounded to hit four of them, including the 33-yard game-winner with 52 seconds left.
Worst hangover: Cincinnati, and not just because the Bearcats and their fans spent a week roaming the French Quarter. The biggest game in school history turned into possibly the biggest mismatch in a BCS game, as Florida staked a 37-3 lead and rolled to a 51-24 victory at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It will probably be a long time before we see those Cincinnati white helmets again. And it may be a while before a Big East team silences a skeptical public about its national title credentials.
Best timing: Rutgers senior linebacker Damaso Munoz had been kidded by his teammates for being one of the few Scarlet Knights' defenders who had never scored a touchdown. So with 2:18 left against Central Florida, Munoz corralled an onside kick and ran it back 35 yards to paydirt. He dived into the end zone and spiked the ball to cap his career.
Best off-the-field game: The backflip contest between South Florida defenders Jason Pierre-Paul and Kion Wilson before the International Bowl. Pierre-Paul won easily with a dazzling array of flips, and that athleticism is why NFL scouts drool over the still-raw defensive end. You can watch the whole thing here.
Strangest moment: At the end of three quarters, West Virginia tailback Noel Devine had rushed for 168 yards on 16 carries, including a 70-yard gain. And those numbers wouldn't change. Despite closing the gap on Florida State to 23-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers never again gave the ball to their best offensive weapon. It's as if West Virginia coaches thought Devine had already opted to leave for the NFL before the fourth quarter began.
Team of the postseason: Connecticut. The Huskies took out an SEC opponent (South Carolina) in impressive fashion and finished the year with four straight wins. There was no better story in college football this season.
Best game: Pitt's 19-17 win over had all the requisite drama and a game-winning field goal in the final minute. Hard to believe, but it was the only Big East bowl game decided by fewer than 12 points.
Biggest play: Connecticut receiver Kashif Moore's one-handed, 37-yard touchdown grab from Zach Frazer in the first quarter against South Carolina. It was spectacular and set the tone for the Huskies' win.
Best call: Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt's two fourth-down decisions on the winning drive at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. First, he decided to go for it on fourth-and-one from his own 30 with half a quarter left instead of punting and playing defense. Bill Stull converted the quarterback sneak. Then on fourth-and-two from the North Carolina 30 with 1:56 left, Wannstedt sent out the field goal unit but hoped to draw the Tar Heels offsides. That's exactly what happened, and both plays helped Pitt string together an incredible 18-play, 79-yard, 8:47 drive to win the game.
Big Man on Campus (Offense): Dion Lewis. How appropriate that the league's offensive MVP and freshman of the year also wins postseason Big Man on Campus honors. He deserves it after his 159 yards rushing on 28 carries and a touchdown against North Carolina.
Big Man on Campus (Defense): The UConn front seven. Can't single out just one guy in a dominating effort by the Huskies up front. South Carolina was shut out until scoring a touchdown with 3:24 left. The defensive line, led by tackle Kendall Reyes, looked fast and determined and was every bit as good as what the Gamecocks saw in the SEC. The linebackers, particularly Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson, made plays all over the field. And almost all of them return in '10.
Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Pitt's Dan Hutchins missed a field goal early but rebounded to hit four of them, including the 33-yard game-winner with 52 seconds left.
Worst hangover: Cincinnati, and not just because the Bearcats and their fans spent a week roaming the French Quarter. The biggest game in school history turned into possibly the biggest mismatch in a BCS game, as Florida staked a 37-3 lead and rolled to a 51-24 victory at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It will probably be a long time before we see those Cincinnati white helmets again. And it may be a while before a Big East team silences a skeptical public about its national title credentials.
Best timing: Rutgers senior linebacker Damaso Munoz had been kidded by his teammates for being one of the few Scarlet Knights' defenders who had never scored a touchdown. So with 2:18 left against Central Florida, Munoz corralled an onside kick and ran it back 35 yards to paydirt. He dived into the end zone and spiked the ball to cap his career.
Best off-the-field game: The backflip contest between South Florida defenders Jason Pierre-Paul and Kion Wilson before the International Bowl. Pierre-Paul won easily with a dazzling array of flips, and that athleticism is why NFL scouts drool over the still-raw defensive end. You can watch the whole thing here.
Strangest moment: At the end of three quarters, West Virginia tailback Noel Devine had rushed for 168 yards on 16 carries, including a 70-yard gain. And those numbers wouldn't change. Despite closing the gap on Florida State to 23-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers never again gave the ball to their best offensive weapon. It's as if West Virginia coaches thought Devine had already opted to leave for the NFL before the fourth quarter began.
Reviewing my Big East bowl predictions
January, 4, 2010
1/04/10
11:00
AM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
The bad news is there are no more Big East games in the 2009 season. The good news is you won't have to read any game predictions from me for another eight months.
I correctly predicted that the league would go 4-2 in its bowl games this season, but I didn't get all the wins and losses right. Here's a look at how my postseason predictions fared:
St. Petersburg Bowl
Here's the final tally on 2009 picks from the ol' blog:
Regular season 57-11 (83.8 percent)
Bowl season: 4-2 (66.7 percent)
Total: 61-13 (82.4 percent)
I correctly predicted that the league would go 4-2 in its bowl games this season, but I didn't get all the wins and losses right. Here's a look at how my postseason predictions fared:
St. Petersburg Bowl
- My pick: Rutgers 21, Central Florida 17. I thought this would be a close, defensive struggle. Not so much, as the Scarlet Knights blew out the Knights 45-24.
- My pick: Pitt 24, North Carolina 21. I rightly saw this one as a close game that would come down to the end. Pitt used a late field goal to win 19-17.
- My pick: West Virginia 27, Florida State 25. I knew the Mountaineers would get a battle from the emotionally charged Seminoles. I didn't realize that they would completely stall after taking a 14-3 lead or fail to give the ball to Noel Devine in the fourth quarter in a 33-21 loss.
- My pick: Florida 33, Cincinnati 21. My crystal ball was just a little off, as I had the right score for a New Year's Day game involving a Florida school versus the Big East, just the wrong game. Clearly I gave the Bearcats' defense way too much credit in this pick, as they lost 51-24.
- My pick: South Florida 31, Northern Illinois 16. I didn't think the Bulls would have too much trouble in this game. And after being tied 3-3 at the half, they pulled away for an easy 27-3 victory.
- My pick: South Carolina 34, UConn 28. I figured the Gamecocks would take advantage of Connecticut's shaky late-season defense, but instead the Huskies nearly pitched a shutout before giving up a late score in an impressive 20-7 win.
Here's the final tally on 2009 picks from the ol' blog:
Regular season 57-11 (83.8 percent)
Bowl season: 4-2 (66.7 percent)
Total: 61-13 (82.4 percent)
The Big East finished 4-2 during bowl season, marking the fourth straight year that the league has posted a winning record in the postseason. Dating back to 2006, the Big East is 17-6 in bowl games.
While that's a commendable record that the conference will surely highlight in its media guide and promotional materials, this year's record is not as impressive as it seems. The league went 2-2 against teams from BCS conferences in bowl games, and both wins came against opponents (North Carolina and South Carolina) that finished 7-5 in the regular season.
Big East champion Cincinnati wasn't remotely competitive in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Florida, the league's one marquee matchup. League runner-up West Virginia lost by double digits to a 6-6 Florida State in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. Instead of merely reciting the 4-2 record, here's how we should look at the Big East's bowl season:
Took care of business: Rutgers and South Florida. Both the Scarlet Knights and Bulls should have been considered heavy favorites against Central Florida and Northern Illinois, respectively. BCS conference teams have no business losing to also-rans from Conference USA and the MAC. To their credit, Rutgers and South Florida won their games going away to help the Big East avoid embarrassment.
Good wins: Pittsburgh and Connecticut scored the best victories for the Big East. Pitt took out North Carolina in Charlotte in an exciting game to finish with a 10-win season. UConn notched its first-ever win against an SEC team, dominating South Carolina from start to finish in a 20-7 victory at the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Fell flat: Cincinnati was vastly disappointing and cost the Big East some credibility on the national stage. There's simply no other way to put it. West Virginia's loss wasn't terribly surprising, given the emotion surrounding Florida State coach Bobby Bowden's last game. Still, the Mountaineers clearly had the better team and seemed to make almost no adjustments after grabbing an early 14-3 lead.
That's a clearer picture of the Big East's 4-2 postseason.
While that's a commendable record that the conference will surely highlight in its media guide and promotional materials, this year's record is not as impressive as it seems. The league went 2-2 against teams from BCS conferences in bowl games, and both wins came against opponents (North Carolina and South Carolina) that finished 7-5 in the regular season.
Big East champion Cincinnati wasn't remotely competitive in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Florida, the league's one marquee matchup. League runner-up West Virginia lost by double digits to a 6-6 Florida State in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. Instead of merely reciting the 4-2 record, here's how we should look at the Big East's bowl season:
Took care of business: Rutgers and South Florida. Both the Scarlet Knights and Bulls should have been considered heavy favorites against Central Florida and Northern Illinois, respectively. BCS conference teams have no business losing to also-rans from Conference USA and the MAC. To their credit, Rutgers and South Florida won their games going away to help the Big East avoid embarrassment.
Good wins: Pittsburgh and Connecticut scored the best victories for the Big East. Pitt took out North Carolina in Charlotte in an exciting game to finish with a 10-win season. UConn notched its first-ever win against an SEC team, dominating South Carolina from start to finish in a 20-7 victory at the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Fell flat: Cincinnati was vastly disappointing and cost the Big East some credibility on the national stage. There's simply no other way to put it. West Virginia's loss wasn't terribly surprising, given the emotion surrounding Florida State coach Bobby Bowden's last game. Still, the Mountaineers clearly had the better team and seemed to make almost no adjustments after grabbing an early 14-3 lead.
That's a clearer picture of the Big East's 4-2 postseason.
Instant analysis of the International Bowl, which South Florida won 27-3 over Northern Illinois:
How the game was won: The Bulls couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half and went into intermission locked in a 3-3 tie. Northern Illinois kept breaking through the South Florida offensive line and sacked B.J. Daniels four times in the half. The second half was a different story completely, as coach Jim Leavitt went to his running game with Mike Ford and the line started holding its own. Given more time, Daniels threw two touchdown passes, and the South Florida defense was far too athletic for the Huskies to handle the entire day.
Player of the game: Mike Ford. The junior running back has been mostly missing in action since a promising freshman season, but he came up with a huge postseason. Ford used his size and speed to rumble for a Bulls bowl-record 207 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, tilting the game in his team's favor.
Turning point: Daniels scrambled away from pressure and made a ridiculous 46-yard pass to A.J. Love for South Florida's first touchdown with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter. That seemed to relax the Bulls, and they cruised home from there.
Stat of the game: Northern Illinois was just 3-of-16 on third- and fourth-down conversion attempts.
What it means: Not a whole lot. South Florida got its second straight bowl victory and ended the season on a positive note, but beating a MAC also-ran doesn't impress too many people. The attention now immediately turns to coach Jim Leavitt and the school's continuing investigation into his alleged mistreatment of a player. The outcome of that will determine where this team goes next year. The Bulls bring a whole bunch of talented young players back, especially on offense with the electric Daniels at the helm.
How the game was won: The Bulls couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half and went into intermission locked in a 3-3 tie. Northern Illinois kept breaking through the South Florida offensive line and sacked B.J. Daniels four times in the half. The second half was a different story completely, as coach Jim Leavitt went to his running game with Mike Ford and the line started holding its own. Given more time, Daniels threw two touchdown passes, and the South Florida defense was far too athletic for the Huskies to handle the entire day.
Player of the game: Mike Ford. The junior running back has been mostly missing in action since a promising freshman season, but he came up with a huge postseason. Ford used his size and speed to rumble for a Bulls bowl-record 207 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, tilting the game in his team's favor.
Turning point: Daniels scrambled away from pressure and made a ridiculous 46-yard pass to A.J. Love for South Florida's first touchdown with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter. That seemed to relax the Bulls, and they cruised home from there.
Stat of the game: Northern Illinois was just 3-of-16 on third- and fourth-down conversion attempts.
What it means: Not a whole lot. South Florida got its second straight bowl victory and ended the season on a positive note, but beating a MAC also-ran doesn't impress too many people. The attention now immediately turns to coach Jim Leavitt and the school's continuing investigation into his alleged mistreatment of a player. The outcome of that will determine where this team goes next year. The Bulls bring a whole bunch of talented young players back, especially on offense with the electric Daniels at the helm.
A brief primer on Saturday's International Bowl game between South Florida (7-5) and Northern Illinois (7-5):
WHO TO WATCH: B.J. Daniels. The South Florida quarterback is a boom-or-bust player. He can make eye-popping plays or head-scratching freshman mistakes. Putting him on the turf indoors at Toronto's Rogers Centre should allow Daniels to use his speed on scrambles and quarterback keepers -- he is, after all, the Bulls' leading rusher. South Florida fans would love to see Daniels have a big game and gain some positive momentum going into his sophomore year, when most of the offense returns intact.
WHAT TO WATCH: These teams are actually very similar statistically, with Northern Illinois a better offensive team. Of course, the Huskies haven't played as strong a schedule as South Florida, but they did win at Purdue. They rank 17th nationally with more than 200 rushing yards per game, and running back Chad Spann has scored 19 rushing touchdowns. A big key will be whether their offensive line can handle the Bulls up front in what is the last game for star defensive end George Selvie and possible NFL early entree Jason Pierre-Paul.
WHY WATCH: It's hard to keep a straight face and sell this game as terribly interesting. But South Florida is a box-of-chocolates team; you never know what kind of effort you'll get from the Bulls. If they're fully invested into this long trip to a foreign climate, they should have too many athletes for Northern Illinois to handle. The scrutiny of Jim Leavitt may also intensify if he can't manage to beat a 7-5 MAC team in a bowl.
PREDICTION: I've got to believe that South Florida is too fast and talented to lose this game, no matter how little it may actually want to be there. Bulls win 31-16.
WHO TO WATCH: B.J. Daniels. The South Florida quarterback is a boom-or-bust player. He can make eye-popping plays or head-scratching freshman mistakes. Putting him on the turf indoors at Toronto's Rogers Centre should allow Daniels to use his speed on scrambles and quarterback keepers -- he is, after all, the Bulls' leading rusher. South Florida fans would love to see Daniels have a big game and gain some positive momentum going into his sophomore year, when most of the offense returns intact.
WHAT TO WATCH: These teams are actually very similar statistically, with Northern Illinois a better offensive team. Of course, the Huskies haven't played as strong a schedule as South Florida, but they did win at Purdue. They rank 17th nationally with more than 200 rushing yards per game, and running back Chad Spann has scored 19 rushing touchdowns. A big key will be whether their offensive line can handle the Bulls up front in what is the last game for star defensive end George Selvie and possible NFL early entree Jason Pierre-Paul.
WHY WATCH: It's hard to keep a straight face and sell this game as terribly interesting. But South Florida is a box-of-chocolates team; you never know what kind of effort you'll get from the Bulls. If they're fully invested into this long trip to a foreign climate, they should have too many athletes for Northern Illinois to handle. The scrutiny of Jim Leavitt may also intensify if he can't manage to beat a 7-5 MAC team in a bowl.
PREDICTION: I've got to believe that South Florida is too fast and talented to lose this game, no matter how little it may actually want to be there. Bulls win 31-16.
First bowl, then basketball for USF's Daniels
December, 30, 2009
12/30/09
5:36
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
South Florida redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels is soaking up his first bowl experience before he heads back to the hardwood, Greg Auman writes in the St. Petersburg Times.
Daniels wasn't with the team for last year's St. Petersburg Bowl as he was already playing basketball for the Bulls. So Saturday's International Bowl against Northern Illinois is his first time to play in the postseason and get the extra practices that come with it. That could help his development for next season.
Daniels will continue to moonlight for Stan Heath's basketball team, though it's unclear how much of a role he'll play or when he'll actually get playing time this season with the later start.
Daniels wasn't with the team for last year's St. Petersburg Bowl as he was already playing basketball for the Bulls. So Saturday's International Bowl against Northern Illinois is his first time to play in the postseason and get the extra practices that come with it. That could help his development for next season.
"I've had more time to focus on what I've done this season and try to get better," Daniels told the Times. "It was OK. We still have this last bowl game -- to come out with a win in this one, I could say my season was all right."
Daniels will continue to moonlight for Stan Heath's basketball team, though it's unclear how much of a role he'll play or when he'll actually get playing time this season with the later start.
"I don't know when I'll be on the court," he told Auman. "I know I'll be out working with them right after the bowl game."
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
