ESPN College Football

Scouts Inc. has come up with comprehensive draft boards for every position as we draw ever closer to the 2011 NFL draft (and, hopefully, a 2011 NFL season).

Let's start on the offensive side of the ball and take a look at where some Big East hopefuls are ranked. First, the skill positions:

• Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh: second round

• Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut: third round

• Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: fourth round

• Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse: fourth round

• Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville: fifth round

• Anthony Sherman, FB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: sixth round

• Henry Hynoski, FB, Pittsburgh: seventh round

• Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: seventh round

Now, the offensive linemen/tight ends:

• Jason Pinkston, OT, Pittsbugh: fifth round

• Cameron Graham, TE, Louisville: sixth round

• Zach Hurd, OG, Connecticut: sixth round

• Ryan Bartholomew, C, Syracuse: seventh round

• Jason Kelce, C, Cincinnati: seventh round

Now let's move to the defensive side and see where Scouts Inc. rates some Big East defenders:

• Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida: second round

• Jabaal Sheard, DE/LB, Pittsburgh: second round

• Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville: third round

• Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh: fourth round

• Brandon Hogan, CB, West Virginia: fourth round

• Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: fourth round

• Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers: sixth round

• Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia: sixth round

• Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse: sixth round

• J.T. Thomas, LB, West Virginia: sixth round

• Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse: sixth round

• Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut: seventh round

These projections aren't gospel by any means, but they should give you a pretty good idea of how Big East hopefuls are being viewed right now.

The NFL combine has wrapped up, and we can all go back to not caring how quickly a guy can navigate a set of cones in shorts and a T-shirt for another year. But first, let's hit some final numbers.

Here is where Big East players ranked among the top overall performers in each drill at Indianapolis:

40-yard dash

Connecticut running back Jordan Todman tied for eighth at 4.40 seconds.

Bench press

Syracuse offensive lineman Ryan Bartholomew tied for fourth with 34 reps on the 225-pound bench. UConn fullback Anthony Sherman tied for 10th with 32.

Vertical leap

Pittsburgh receiver Jon Baldwin tied for second at 42 inches.

Broad jump

Baldwin tied for fifth at 10-feet-9 inches.

Who helped themselves the most? Bartholomew had a really nice showing. Baldwin put up excellent numbers as expected. Connecticut linebacker Scott Lutrus turned heads with some of his performances.

Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said Todman, the 2010 Big East offensive player of the year, was one of the biggest winners of the combine experience. He writes:

"The draft class at running back isn't helped by the fact that many teams have more than one running back on their rosters they feel they can win with. But in a class that was already weak, Todman jumped. He ran a 4.40 in the 40 and was among the top performers in a number of other workouts, highlighting his athleticism. He's one of the few guys in this class who scouts feel can make NFL defenders miss, and at 203 pounds, he isn't a total scat back."

The official invitation list to the NFL combine is out, and 30 Big East players will be showing off their skills at the premiere pre-draft event.

The following league players are scheduled to participate in the set of drills before scouts from Feb. 23 to March 1 in Indianapolis:

Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh

Ryan Bartholomew, OL, Syracuse

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati

Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Cameron Graham, TE, Louisville

Brandon Hogan, CB, West Virginia

Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse

Zach Hurd, OL, Connecticut

Henry Hynoski, FB, Pittsburgh

Jason Kelce, OL, Cincinnati

Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh

Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut

Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut

Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida

Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia

Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville

Jason Pinkston, OL, Pittsburgh

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville

Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh

Jake Rogers, K, Cincinnati

Jock Sanders, WR, West Virginia

Robert Sands, S, West Virginia

Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh

Anthony Sherman, FB, Connecticut

Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse

J.T. Thomas, LB, West Virginia

Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut

Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut

National signing day is Wednesday, and every fan base will be excited about the guys their schools bring in.

But how much do star rankings and hype really correlate to future success? One way to find out is by working backwards. Let's take a look at this year's official All-Big East team and see where each player was ranked as a recruit coming into his program.

All information is based on ESPN.com's recruiting rankings.

Offense

QB: Zach Collaros, Cincinnati: Unranked as a recruit.

RB: Jordan Todman, Connecticut: Two-star recruit, ranked No. 118 among running backs in the Class of 2008.

RB: Bilal Powell, Louisville: Unranked as a recruit.

WR: Armon Binns, Cincinnati: Unranked as a recruit.

WR: Jon Baldwin, Pittsburgh: Four-star prospect, ESPNU150 performer, No. 8 among wide receivers in the Class of 2008.

OT: Mike Ryan, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

OT: Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh: Four-star prospect and No. 13 defensive tackle in the Class of '06.

OG: Zach Hurd, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

OG: Mark Wetterer, Louisville: Two-star prospect and No. 70 offensive tackle in Class of '07.

C: Sampson Genus, South Florida: Three-star prospect and No. 12 center in the Class of '07.

TE: Cameron Graham, Louisville: Junior college transfer.

Defense

DL: Kendall Reyes, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

DL: Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh: Two-star prospect and No. 83 defensive end in the Class of '07.

DL: Terrell McClain, South Florida: Three-star prospect and No. 29 defensive tackle in Class of '07.

DL: Chris Neild, West Virginia: Three-star prospect and No. 17 tight end in Class of '06.

LB: Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

LB: Doug Hogue, Syracuse: Three-star prospect and No. 84 running back in Class of '07.

LB: J.T. Thomas, West Virginia: Unranked as a recruit.

CB: Johnny Patrick, Louisville: Unranked as a recruit.

CB: Keith Tandy, West Virginia: One-star prospect and No. 207 quarterback in Class of '07.

S: Dom DeCicco, Pittsburgh: Two-star prospect and No. 126 wide receiver in Class of '07.

S: Robert Sands, West Virginia: Unranked as a recruit.

As you can see, it was almost as likely that a player without any stars attached to his name would develop into an All-Big East performer as those more highly regarded. There were some on-the-mark evaluations, such as Baldwin and McClain, Pinkston and Genus. And there were guys who flew way under the radar, like Binns and Powell, Ryan and Wilson.

It still, like always, comes down to proper evaluation by a staff, then to player development and an individual's own desire to be great. Something to keep in mind on signing day.

Three linchpins of the Pitt offense announced Monday evening that they will be entering the NFL draft.

The decisions by receiver Jon Baldwin and running back Dion Lewis weren't too surprising, while fullback Henry Hynoski's call was not something anyone would have predicted a month or so ago.

Baldwin has been a first-round type of talent since he stepped onto Pittsburgh's campus. The 6-foot-5 wideout was a two-time All-Big East performer who had 53 catches for 822 yards and five touchdowns this season. His skill set should allow him to flourish in the NFL if he continues to improve and mature.

Lewis is only a sophomore but is eligible for the draft because he went to prep school. Of course, he was the Big East's offensive player and rookie of the year in 2009, rushing for 1,799 yards. His numbers were way down this year, but he finished strong to go over 1,000 yards for the second straight year. It will be interesting to see how the NFL views a guy his size, as he is only about 5-foot-8. But when he's on his game, no one runs harder.

Hynoski was the team's fullback and is considered one of the top fullback prospects in the draft. Of course, not every team uses a fullback that much. He did an excellent job as a lead blocker for both Lewis and Ray Graham, and probably saw the writing on the wall for his Pitt future. While Dave Wannstedt used a pro-style system, the Panthers appear to be close to hiring Tulsa's Todd Graham, who runs a spread offense which has little use for the fullback.

All three guys will be missed, but the new coach will still have a lot to work with. Devin Street is a guy who could blossom next season in Baldwin's role, while Graham should pick up the torch left behind by Lewis.

We wrap up our series on which players need to step up their game in the postseason with the Big East team that has the latest bowl: Pittsburgh, which plays Kentucky in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Jan. 8. And the player that needs to come through for the Panthers is ...

Quarterback Tino Sunseri. It's easy to pick the quarterback for all of these posts, since that's such an important position. But Pitt really will need good quarterback play against a Kentucky defense that has given up a lot of points but still ranks No. 18 nationally against the pass.

Like most teams who play the Panthers, the Wildcats will likely focus their efforts on stopping the running game first. Sunseri had an OK season, especially when you consider he's a first-time starter, but he had trouble connecting on deep balls to receivers like Jon Baldwin.

Pitt has a better quarterback situation than Kentucky in this game as the Wildcats have suspended starter Mike Hartline. And this bowl game will be Sunseri's first audition for new coach Mike Haywood, who will be watching closely. Highly-talented freshman Mark Myers waits in the wings.

Connecticut's Randy Edsall offered a brief update on his team Monday, which included the following news: running back Jordan Todman and defensive lineman Kendall Reyes are each exploring their NFL draft stock while deciding whether to come back for their senior seasons.

That's not particularly surprising in the case of Todman, who finished the season as the nation's No. 2 rusher after turning in his second straight season over the 1,000-yard barrier. Todman has little left to prove in college, though his size may cause some concern for scouts at the next level. UConn simply reloads at the running back position because of how well its offensive line is coached and performs. Todman also took on a heavy load this year, leading the Big East with 302 carries in 11 games. Bilal Powell was the league's second most-used ball carrier, and he had 91 fewer rushes.

Reyes was a first-team All-Big East selection who really performed well down the stretch. He's not a guy who has generated a lot of NFL buzz from the mock draft folks, but UConn has showed in the past few years that it can produce high draft picks.

Who are some other Big East underclassmen who will be seriously studying their draft stocks this month? Here is a list of those candidates:

Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh: As good as gone, and should be a first-rounder.

Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: Didn't have huge stats this year but will be coveted for his size (6-foot-5) and skills. Could probably use another year of seasoning but would definitely get drafted.

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: A draft-eligible sophomore, Lewis had a very slow start to the season and finished far off his 2009 pace. That, plus his diminutive size, probably means he'll be back for 2010.

Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati: The junior finished third in the Big East in rushing, and 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, he is bigger than both Todman and Lewis. He may need to prove more durability, however, after a year in which he had just 157 carries.

Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati: Has good size for a defensive tackle at 6-foot-6, 295 pounds but would probably be wise to stay in school.

Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin, DE, West Virginia: Both had outstanding years and will be major cornerstones if they return as seniors in 2011. Irvin needs to gain weight and become a more complete player but is already a pass-rushing dynamo.

There are always a couple of surprises in the early-entrant decisions -- for example, USF's Carlton Mitchell last year -- so this bears watching over the next several weeks.

Dave Wannstedt received the inevitable question Monday about his job security, and the Pittsburgh coach gave the expected response, saying he was just worried about the Panthers' final game against Cincinnati.

But with the season looking like a lost cause, Wannstedt's status is just about all any Pitt fans want to discuss. My inbox is full of e-mails on the subject, most of which are a variation of the question, "How much longer must we put up with this?"

To be fair, it's not like Wannstedt has pulled a Greg Robinson and imploded a program. Pitt won 19 games the previous two seasons and still has a chance at an eight-win campaign in 2010, not to mention a share of the Big East title with a victory Saturday (and the Panthers could still back into a BCS bid if West Virginia and Connecticut collapse). Pittsburgh fans have an inflated view of their program's value, colored by the Jackie Sherrill glory years of the late 1970s and early '80s. Consider that the Panthers won 10 games last year for the first time since 1981; the team had reached that plateau once between 1917 and 1975.

Yet there's no doubt that Wannstedt's teams have underachieved. Since the shocking 13-9 upset at West Virginia to end the 2007 season, how many times have the Panthers won a game they shouldn't have? Iowa in 2008 is the only possible candidate. On the flip side, they've lost several games they had no business losing, from Bowling Green in 2008 to NC State last year and Connecticut this season.

The worst part for Pitt is, the window for claiming the program's first-ever outright Big East title has never been more wide open than the past two years. Yet after reaching the top 10 last season, the Panthers closed the year with a listless loss at West Virginia, then blew a 31-10 lead at home to Cincinnati with the BCS bid on the line. This year, with no dominant teams in the league and nemesis Brian Kelly gone, Pitt was supposed to finally break through. Instead, the team is just 6-5, with humiliating home losses to Miami (which just fired its coach) and last week to archrival West Virginia.

UConn coach Randy Edsall and South Florida's Skip Holtz each called the Panthers the most talented team in the Big East the week before playing them. And think of the talent that has gone through the Steel City the past few years without a championship to show for it yet: LeSean McCoy, Jon Baldwin, Scott McKillop, Greg Romeus, Jason Pinkston, Jabaal Sheard, Nate Byham, Dorin Dickerson, Dion Lewis and on and on and on. There's no reason Connecticut might have more Big East titles and one more BCS bid than Pittsburgh during Wannstedt's six years if the Huskies win this weekend.

Perhaps we all overrated this year's team, distracted by the star power of Lewis, Romeus and Baldwin and ignoring the missing starters at other key positions. Injuries to Romeus and middle linebacker Dan Mason hurt, too. That's Wannstedt's story.

“The whole thing with the development of a new quarterback, the three new linemen and the new tight end and a new wide receiver, I knew it would be difficult," Wannstedt said Monday. "I knew that we had the least amount of starters returning in the conference out of anybody. I knew we were a young team and that it would be a work in progress."

But youth doesn't explain why the Panthers were still making the same mistakes in Game 11 as they were in Game 1. Or why a fifth-year senior center (Alex Karabin) would snap the ball over quarterback Tino Sunseri's head in a key situation against West Virginia. Or why Pitt even had to play Karabin, a walk-on before this summer, at that crucial spot when the coaching staff had already used a junior-college stop-gap at center the two years prior.

Does all of this mean that Wannstedt should or will be fired? Fans have clearly turned on him, and season tickets for 2011 will be a tough sell with his face on them. But Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg has always been a big Wannstedt supporter and personally awarded him a contract extension before the 2007 West Virginia game. Athletic director Steve Pederson didn't hire Wannstedt, but his relationship with the coach was so good that the two agreed to an extension to 2014 this offseason with almost no negotiation involved.

There's so much to like about Wannstedt. He's a terrific ambassador for his alma mater, he cherishes the school and what it means, and despite a string of embarrassing off-the-field incidents this year, he runs a clean program where players graduate. He's also a tremendous recruiter and currently has the No. 21 class of 2011, according to ESPN.com.

Even with Baldwin, Pinkston, Romeus and Sheard leaving, Pitt had only 12 seniors this year and should be well-stocked moving forward, with Sunseri having a year of starting under his belt. There are no obvious, ready-made successors roaming the sideline of college football. (Boise State's Chris Peterson was once a Panthers quarterbacks coach, but only the most delusional fans think he'd consider coming back).

The window might be closing fast for Pittsburgh with Louisville and Syracuse improving and TCU coming on board in 2012. I think Wannstedt should be given another year, considering all the positives he brings to the program, the talent still on hand and his recent record relative to the Panthers' history.

But things have to change at Pitt, and I understand why fans are ready for that change to start at the top.

TCU joining the Big East is Monday's massive news. But it's not the only story.

• Bill Stewart shot down an Internet report that he would be retiring: "No. 1: I have absolutely no intention of walking away. No 2: I am not focusing on retirement. And No. 3, and lastly, most importantly: I am focusing on Rutgers," he said. Stewart wants his team focused on those Scarlet Knights and not what UConn is doing.

• West Virginia's cornerbacks contained Jon Baldwin.

• Don't undersell UConn's resiliency.

• South Florida's defensive players inspire one another.

• Will Charlie Strong be a candidate at Miami?

• This Syracuse team has raised the bar so much that fans are now a little disappointed with 7-5.

• Armon Binns joined elite company at Cincinnati in another losing cause.

• Greg Schiano feels Scarlet Knights' fans frustrations "50 times over."

1. The Mountaineer streak: West Virginia plays at Connecticut on Friday night, and the Mountaineers have never lost to the Huskies. In fact, most of the games haven't even been close. Of course, West Virginia also had won eight straight against Syracuse going into last week. The Mountaineers' speed has been too much for UConn over the years; will that be the case again in East Hartford this week?

2. Back comes Frazer: With Mike Box ruled out with a head injury, Connecticut has little choice but to turn back to Zach Frazer as its starting quarterback. The Huskies once held high hopes for Frazer, but the senior was inaccurate and ineffective in his first four starts. Has his time on the sideline helped? UConn fans will have to hope he has a strong finish to the season like he did last year.

3. Getting offensive: West Virginia's offensive struggles have been a hot topic in Morgantown and throughout the state all week, particularly after the team was shut out for the last 46 minutes against Syracuse. Quarterback Geno Smith will have to have a better performance than he did in his three-interception stumble against the Orange, and the Mountaineers are still trying to get their running game going. Look for them to try and unleash some things against a struggling UConn team.

4. Road warriors, Part III?: Syracuse has already won at South Florida and at West Virginia. Can the Orange do it again at Cincinnati on Saturday? Nippert Stadium had been the toughest home venue in the Big East the past couple of years before the Bearcats slipped up against USF last week. At 3-4, Cincinnati badly needs a win, while Syracuse is looking to remain a factor in the conference title race.

5. Zach or Chazz?: The biggest question for Cincinnati this week is whether quarterback Zach Collaros can play. He suffered a bruised knee in Friday's loss against South Florida and has been limited in practice this week. Collaros is leading the Big East in passing yards, touchdowns and passing efficiency. If he can't go, backup Chazz Anderson will get the start. Anderson is 2-0 as a starter in his career, but he hasn't played very much the past two years and isn't the all-around threat that Collaros is.

6. Scott Shafer vs. the Cincinnati offense: The Syracuse defensive coordinator has come up with game plans that have shut down both the South Florida and West Virginia offenses. Now he must devise a strategy to counter the Big East's top scoring and top total yardage attack. Syracuse loves to pressure the quarterback, while Cincinnati likes its passers to get rid of the ball quickly out of the shotgun. The Bearcats receivers could also give the Orange problems as Pitt's did two weeks ago in a 45-14 Syracuse loss. It's going to be a fascinating chess match to watch.

7. Can Pitt stay hot?: Pittsburgh has been the best team in the Big East through two weeks of league action, averaging 43 points per game and blowing out Syracuse and Rutgers. The Panthers host Louisville this week, and the Cardinals come in with a lot of confidence after their 26-0 shutout of Connecticut. If Pitt continues to stay balanced on offense and play good defense in the second half, it has a good chance of getting to 3-0 with a bye week coming up.

8. Bilal Powell vs. Dion Lewis: Saturday offers a look at last year's top Big East rusher -- Pitt's Dion Lewis -- versus this year's No. 1 -- Louisville's Bilal Powell. Lewis is starting to look like his old self after running for 130 yards last week against Rutgers. Meanwhile, Powell went over 1,000 yards for the season last week and surpassed UConn's Jordan Todman for the league lead. Whichever team controls the line of scrimmage and the rushing game will have a great chance to win this game.

9. Pitt's receivers vs. Louisville's secondary: Mike Box and the UConn passing game didn't really offer many challenges to Louisville last week. But the Cardinals had all kinds of problems guarding Cincinnati's receivers in a loss two weeks ago. The Cardinals' secondary is still vulnerable, and it will be facing the league's tallest trio of receivers in Jon Baldwin, Mike Shanahan and the emerging Devin Street. Look for Pitt to try and take advantage by having Tino Sunseri go deep.

It's no surprise that Pitt and Rutgers are playing a close, hard-hitting game. The two teams are tied at 14 at halftime.

How have the Scarlet Knights responded to the Eric LeGrand injury? They're playing hard, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the game.

Typically, Rutgers isn't doing a whole lot on offense (less than 100 yards in the half) but is getting it done on defense and special teams. A great play by Charlie Noonan to pick off a shuffle pass and return it deep into Pitt territory led to the first touchdown. In the second quarter, Wayne Warren blocked a punt that Brandon Bing recovered in the end zone to tie the score. Rutgers continues to find ways to score in non-traditional ways.

Pitt has had some big plays, including a 46-yard pass from Tino Sunseri to Jon Baldwin to set up a score. It was good to finally see those to hook up for a big gainer. Ray Graham and Dion Lewis have combined for 95 yards. But the turnovers have hurt, and Rutgers' defensive pressure has come up big in key spots to stop Panthers' drives.

Pittsburgh has played better overall, but Rutgers likes to hang around with its defense and try to win the game in the fourth quarter. Knowing these two teams, the game will likely come down to that.

Unlike other conferences, the Big East has an almost perfectly split first and second half. The first five weeks or so of the season are spent exclusively on nonconference action, while league play kicks in during mid-October.

And this year, the second half can't come fast enough.

The Big East took more lumps than a washed-up boxer in the out-of-league portion of the schedule, as has been well documented. The conference has gone just 2-11 against opponents from other BCS automatic-qualifying leagues, including 0-for-5 versus ranked teams. It is just 13-15 against FBS opponents.

But, hey, that half is in the books. The nonconference record indicates that there's no dominant team in the Big East, which means that the race for this year's BCS bid could be a free-for-all.

Well, maybe not if West Virginia (4-1) can keep playing at a high level. The Mountaineers are a six-point loss at LSU away from having had a great first half, and they once again look like the class of the conference thus far. They stand as the Big East's highest (and right now only) ranked team.

But West Virginia is hardly unbeatable. Just ask Marshall, which led its in-state rival by 15 points late in the fourth quarter before Geno Smith led a rally to win in overtime.

Behind the Mountaineers are a crop of hopefuls including, believe it or not, Syracuse. The long-suffering Orange (4-1) are more than halfway to bowl eligibility and tied for first place in the standings after one conference game. They're in better shape than two-time defending league champ Cincinnati or preseason favorite Pittsburgh, both of which are 2-3 yet still dangerous.

Connecticut (3-3) hasn't realized its high expectations, while Rutgers and South Florida are battling youth and inconsistency. Louisville, which many regarded as the clear favorite to finish last, is averaging close to 40 points its past three games and took Oregon State to the wire on the road.

The first half didn't go the way most Big East teams envisioned. But each has a chance to earn some redemption in conference play. The league race appears to be as wide open as it has been since 2004.

Sure, Big East teams might not have been able to beat much outside competition in the first six weeks. All that matters now is who can beat the most of its league brethren.

Offensive MVP: Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut

The Huskies haven't justified their preseason buzz, but Todman has been terrific. He leads the Big East in rushing yards, averaging more than 152 per game, and rushing touchdowns with eight. He's ripping off 6.2 yards per carry and has two games of more than 190 yards. If UConn had more help around him, Todman would be garnering more national attention.

Defensive MVP: Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

No defensive player has really stood out as head and shoulder pads above the rest this season, but the hard-hitting Scarlet Knights senior is hard to ignore. Not only is Lefeged leading the league in passes defended and ranked eighth in tackles, he's also been a monster on special teams with blocked kicks and fumble recoveries. If only Rutgers' offense had matched its defensive performance during the first half of the year.

Biggest surprise: Syracuse

Raise your hand if you had the Orange tied atop the Big East standings at any point this season. Granted, the league race is all of two games old. Still, Syracuse is 4-1 with a road victory at South Florida. It has added a credible passing attack to its solid running game and aggressive defense. In a conference where several preseason favorites have disappointed, the Orange count as a pleasant surprise so far.

Biggest disappointment: Pittsburgh

The Panthers were the overwhelming preseason favorite to win the Big East; instead, they enter league having lost to every respectable opponent on their schedule. The low point was a 31-3 humiliation at Heinz Field to Miami. Their trio of stars -- Greg Romeus, Dion Lewis and Jon Baldwin -- have all been slowed for various reasons, and the offensive line and new quarterback Tino Sunseri have taken time to jell. (Dis)honorable mentions: UConn, Cincinnati

Best game: Oklahoma 31, Cincinnati 29 on Sept. 25

The Big East doesn't have many big victories to hang its hat on, but the Bearcats gave a terrific effort against the Sooners in front of a rowdy crowd at Paul Brown Stadium. If Cincinnati didn't fumble it away a couple of times or miss an extra point, it might have beaten the top 10 team and given itself and the league a signature win. It didn't happen, but this game was entertaining and competitive throughout.

Best coach: Doug Marrone, Syracuse

Give it up to the big guy. Marrone has already matched last year's win total and has the Orange poised to chase their first bowl game since 2004. In two seasons at the helm, he's managed to correct most of the mistakes of the Greg Robinson error -- er, era. The most impressive trait of his Orange is their mental toughness. Honorable mentions: Bill Stewart, West Virginia and Charlie Strong, Louisville.

1. Conference play begins: The Big East was brutal in nonconference play, but the plus side of that is every team must feel like it can compete for the league title. The race for the league crown officially begins this weekend with two league games as we start to sort the contenders from the pretenders.

2. UConn's run game vs. Rutgers' defense: It's your classic push/pull conflict in Friday night's conference opener. Connecticut leads the Big East in rushing at 209 yards per game and has the league's top tailback in Jordan Todman. Rutgers is ranked seventh nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 80 yards per game on the ground. Odds are that the Scarlet Knights are going to score a lot in this game, so if they can't win this battle, it could be a difficult night.

3. Rutgers' quarterback situation: Can Tom Savage play despite bruised ribs and busted-up fingers on his throwing hand? Will true freshman Chas Dodd be asked to win a conference game? Will Mohamed Sanu spend the night in the Wildcat? Rutgers has all kinds of questions at the most important position as its most important games begin.

4. How real is Syracuse?: The Orange are off to their best start in years at 3-1 but now must do something they've never accomplished: beat South Florida. Ryan Nassib leads the Big East in passing efficiency, but the Bulls are tops in the league in pass efficiency defense. Both teams have feasted on the chaff of their schedules; let's see how they do with the wheat.

5. B.J. vs. the blitz: One thing we know Syracuse defensive coordinator Scott Shafer likes to do is bring pressure. You can bet Shafer saw Bulls quarterback B.J. Daniels toss four interceptions against Florida and would like to get him similarly rattled under heat on Saturday. Has Daniels' decision-making improved? He'll get Sterling Griffin back at receiver, which should help his options. But he'll have to keep his cool when guys like Chandler Jones, Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith are chasing after him.

6. Pitt vs. the spread: It's no secret that Pittsburgh has had trouble defending the spread offense and particularly Brian Kelly's brand of playcalling. The Panthers will face their old Big East nemesis in South Bend this week, but Notre Dame's attack should look pretty similar. Moving Dom DeCicco down from safety could be a boost for the linebackers trying to cover guys like Theo Riddick and Kyle Rudolph in space, but Pitt's defense will have to play a whole lot better than it did against Miami or Utah to give the team a chance.

7. Can Pitt's offense get going?: Other than Ray Graham, the Panthers' offense hasn't done a whole lot this year. Even against Florida International last week, Pitt had 16 points after three quarters. Notre Dame's defense isn't special, but the Irish have enough playmakers to cause problems if the newly restructured offensive line isn't sound. Dion Lewis will also return to the starting lineup and try to help Graham and the running game. It would be nice if Jon Baldwin, who had five catches for 142 yards last year against the Domers, could get involved, too.

8. Devine's durability: Noel Devine is still trying to recover from a bone bruise underneath his right big toe. Bill Stewart has a decision to make this week against UNLV: Let Devine work his way back or rest him for next Thursday's conference game against South Florida? Stewart will want to protect his star running back as much as possible, but job No. 1 is to beat the Rebels.

9. Cincinnati's comeback: The Bearcats finally looked like the defending Big East champs in a close loss to Oklahoma. That was two weeks ago. Can Cincinnati carry that momentum over into what should be a fairly sweat-free win against Miami of Ohio at home? Zach Collaros and the offense should slice through the RedHawks defense. At 1-3, Cincinnati needs to keep the positive vibes going, but mostly it just needs a victory.

10. Louisville over .500?: The Cardinals are heavily favored to beat a bad Memphis team at home, and their fans always enjoy defeating their old conference rivals. A win would make Louisville 3-2 for its first winning record of the season. For a team that won just four games a year ago, that would represent some pretty good work by Charlie Strong and his staff.

Ring the bell. Time for the stock report to open.

Stock up

1. Ryan Nassib: It was only Maine, but still the Syracuse quarterback threw for five touchdowns in just his third college start. Nassib is completing nearly 59 percent of his passes and has eight scores. Says Doug Marrone: "I think he can be a special player."

2. Chandler Jones: Another Syracuse player makes the list. I thought this could be the year Jones turned in a breakout season, and the defensive end might be on his way after recording two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles against Maine.

3. Bruce Irvin: There was plenty of preseason hype about West Virginia's junior-college transfer, but there wasn't much production in the first two games. Then Irvin recorded three sacks against Maryland, and fans began chanting "Bruuuuuce!" He is looking pretty boss.

4. D.J. Woods: Cincinnati hasn't had a lot of bright spots in September, but Woods is one of them. The junior receiver had six catches for 146 yards and two scores in the loss at NC State.

Stock down

1. Zach Frazer: The UConn quarterback hasn't thrown an interception, but he's also completing only about half his passes. As a senior, he should be playing with more consistency, and the return of Cody Endres from suspension may put some pressure on him to get better.

2. Pitt's police blotter: Taken individually, the three arrests of Pittsburgh players since this summer don't have much in common with one another. The latest incident involved a walk-on offensive linemen fighting someone. But given the spotlight the program was already under after the earlier incidents involving Jabaal Sheard and Jason Douglas, you'd think Pitt's players would be on their best behavior.

3. Cincinnati's returns: The Bearcats rank second-to-last in the Big East in kickoff return average, with only one return over 30 yards this season, and last in punt return average. It's clear that Mardy Gilyard doesn't work here anymore.

4. West Virginia's big-play defense: The Mountaineers gave up 60- and 80-yard touchdown passes against Maryland, a week after giving up a 96-yard pass at Marshall. Think LSU might try to hit a few deep balls?

Player of the year race: Offense

1. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: Has eclipsed 100 yards in all three games for the Big East's lone ranked team. But he'd better watch out for teammate ...

2. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia: Smith has simply been terrific since midway through the fourth quarter of the Marshall game and is the Big East's top-rated passer.

3. Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut: Leads the Big East in rushing and had a 192-yard day against Temple. But late fumble marred his performance.

4. Jon Baldwin, WR, Pitt: He can make a statement on Thursday versus Miami.

5. Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse: He leads the league with eight touchdown throws.

Player of the year race: Defense

1. Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers: He was great in the first two games. Let's see what he can do against North Carolina.

2. Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: Still a force, but he's obviously dealing with some health issues.

3. JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati: Leads league in tackles, though his team needs to play better.

4. Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse: Second behind Schaffer in tackles and had a big game against Maine.

5. Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut: Mostly held in check against Temple, though he did have a sack.

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has come out with his new big board, and while it's a long way away from draft day, it's always fun to see how players stack up on these lists.

On Kiper's list of the Top 25 draft-eligible players, one Big East player appears: Pitt receiver Jon Baldwin at No. 16.

Kiper also lists his Top 5 seniors by position. He has Noel Devine as the No. 4 running back, UConn's Anthony Sherman as the No. 4 fullback, Syracuse's Ryan Bartholomew as the No. 4 center and Orange punter Rob Long fourth at his position.

Kiper's Top 5 non-seniors by position includes a lot of Pitt players. He has Henry Hynoski as the top fullback, Jon Baldwin as the No. 2 receiver behind Georgia's A.J. Green, Lucas Nix the No. 2 offensive tackle and Chris Jacobson the No. 4 guard.

He also has UConn's Moe Petrus as the No. 4 center, Cincinnati's Derek Wolfe as the No. 4 defensive tackle and West Virginia's Robert Sands as the No. 3 safety.