ESPN College Football

• Everyone should take a deep breath about Big Ten expansion, Dave Curtis writes in Sporting News.

• Marketability is driving expansion and might be the reason why the ACC wouldn't need West Virginia, Dave Hickman writes in the Charleston Gazette.

• Joe Henderson looks at South Florida's possibilities in the expansion puzzle in the Tampa Tribune.

• Former Rutgers linebacker Ryan D'Imperio has signed a deal with the Minnesota Vikings.

The NFL's fortnight of drafting -- what, it was only three days? Really? -- came to an end this weekend. I already touched on the first-round results on Friday. Here's a look at where Big East players went the rest of the draft, with some quick comments on each pick:

Second round

No. 37: Nate Allen, S, South Florida, to Philadelphia: No surprise here, as Allen was mentioned as a possible first-rounder at various points.

Third round

No. 65: Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida to St. Louis: Here is proof that college production isn't always the most important thing to NFL scouts. Murphy struggled against some of the Big East's better receivers, but he has great physical tools and hopefully will find his niche in the pros.

Fourth round

No. 99: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati, to St. Louis: If you watched any Bearcats games the past two years, you know that the Rams got an absolute steal. Think Sam Bradford will like having Gilyard around?

No. 101: Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse, to Tampa Bay: He was a first-round talent who was lucky to get picked this high given his off-the-field issues.

No. 107: Marcus Easley, WR, UConn, to Buffalo: Easley had great workouts, and though some thought he would go higher than this, it's still a great story for a guy who was a walk-on this time a year ago.

Fifth round

No. 157: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse, to Baltimore: Jones was talked about as a possible first-rounder earlier in his career. This is a great value pick for a player who will always give maximum effort.

Sixth round

No. 177: Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida, to Cleveland: Mitchell looked impressive in his workouts, but falling to the sixth round makes you question if he made the right choice in skipping his senior year.

No. 182: Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh, to San Francisco: The best blocking tight end in the Big East during his career.

No. 204: Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati, to Carolina: Pike has to be disappointed that he fell this low and that he was drafted by the same team that took Jimmy Clausen a couple rounds earlier.

Seventh round

No. 226: George Selvie, DE, South Florida, to St. Louis: How much would you have bet against the notion that Selvie would be a seventh-round pick at this time last year? Selvie's production dropped after his breakout sophomore year, and now he'll have to prove himself again.

No. 227: Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh, to Houston: Surprised to see Dickerson go this low after his great Combine performance. He's a tweener who needs the right team to showcase his skills.

No. 231: Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia, to Washington: Capers has a lot of talent and potential.

No. 237: Ryan D'Imperio, LB/FB, Rutgers, to Minnesota: The Scarlet Knights' linebacker was drafted as a fullback although he never played it in college.

No. 238: Ricardo Mathews, DT, Cincinnati, to Indianapolis: Mathews didn't get as much attention on the Bearcats' defense as some other players but had a nice senior season.

No. 249: Robert McClain, CB, UConn, to Carolina: McClain had four interceptions last year and also served as the team's punt returner.

Here's a handy-dandy list of NFL Draft picks per Big East school:

South Florida: 5

Rutgers: 3

Cincinnati: 3

Connecticut: 2

Pitt: 2

Syracuse: 2

West Virginia: 1

Louisville: 0

And, finally, some notable players who weren't drafted (I'll have more later on those who signed free-agent contracts): Andre Dixon and Lindsey Witten from UConn; Aaron Webster and Alex Daniels from Cincinnati; Scott Long from Louisville; and Jarrett Brown from West Virginia.

• Butch Jones' contract at Cincinnati will pay him at least $1 million this year with guaranteed increases of $50,000 in each of the next four years, Cliff Peale writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer. The contract also includes a $1.75 million buyout.
• UConn is excited to get back to practice tomorrow after a big finish to 2009, Desmond Conner writes in the Hartford Courant. The paper also has a look at the pros and cons of a possible jump to the Big Ten for the Huskies.
• Former Rutgers linebackers Ryan D'Imperio and Damaso Munoz have impressed NFL scouts, Keith Sargeant writes in the Home News Tribune.
• The New Haven Register's Dave Solomon can't see Big East football surviving.

Rutgers players went through their pro day on Wednesday, with 35 scouts and whoever wanted to watch via the Internet looking on.

It wasn't a great day for wideout Tim Brown, who didn't receive an NFL combine invite and probably needed a good workout. Brown measured in at just 5-foot-6 and 3/4 inches and 151 pounds. He had been listed at 5-8 during his college career. His actual size makes what he accomplished at Rutgers even more impressive, but it doesn't exactly thrill tape-measure obsessed scouts.

And Brown, who had been dealing with an ankle injury, ran just a 4.52 and a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash.

Rutgers' two possible first-rounders, Devin McCourty and Anthony Davis, did most of their work at the combine. Davis didn't do any drills Wednesday, while McCourty focused only on position work.

Center Ryan Blaszczyk had the best performance on the bench press, hoisting 225 pounds 31 times. Fullback Jack Corcoran, who weighed in nearly 70 pounds less than Blaszczyk, managed to 30 reps.

Linebacker Ryan D'Imperio had a nice day, running a respectable 4.65 in the 40 and showing off good athleticism in the other drills. He also worked some at fullback. Defensive lineman George Johnson measured in at 6-foot-4 and 3/8 and 268 pounds and put in some time at linebacker.

You can view the complete Rutgers pro day results here.

If you need a football fix, you can watch former Rutgers players work out for the NFL scouts today.

The Scarlet Knights' Pro Day will be broadcast live on Scarlet Knights.com beginning at 1:50 p.m. Here is the list of players who are participating:

Blair Bines

Ryan Blaszczyk

Pat Brown

Tim Brown

Jack Corcoran

Anthony Davis (will not participate in every drill)

Andrew DePaola

Ryan D’Imperio

Shamar Graves

Kevin Haslam

George Johnson

Stephante Kent

Zaire Kitchen

Jabu Lovelace

Devin McCourty (will not participate in every drill)

Damaso Munoz

McCourty and Davis each worked out at the NFL combine and are considered potential first-round picks.

We're approaching the top five in the Big East postseason player rankings, and you can probably figure out which five players those are without much trouble, if not the exact order.

So what about those who just missed the cut? Making a list of just 30 players across an eight-team league means some really good players have to be left off. Let's start with a look at those on my preseason list who failed to duplicate the honor in the postseason:

No. 3: Matt Grothe: A terrific career, obviously, but the South Florida quarterback's season was cut down by a knee injury before it ever really got going, and his pro potential is questionable at best.

No. 7: Victor Anderson: Another guy who's season was hampered by injury. Anderson posted only 473 rushing yards for Louisville, though he remains capable of big things in the next two years.

No. 10: Reed Williams: The West Virginia linebacker could have easily made this list, as he's not only an excellent player but a terrific leader. Just missed because he, too, was limited at times because of injuries.

No. 11: Ryan D'Imperio: The Rutgers linebacker wasn't nearly as productive as he had been, with his tackles dipping down to 76. But he wasn't fully healthy either.

No. 12: Scott Lutrus: Starting to sound like a broken record here. The Huskies linebacker missed huge chunks of time with various injuries and was surpassed on this list by teammate Lawrence Wilson. But he'll be a prominent preseason candidate for top 30 designation.

No. 15: Aaron Berry: The Pitt corner had a solid but not spectacular season.

No. 16: Robert Vaughn: The UConn safety dropped because of a poor overall performance by the Huskies' secondary.

No. 17: Scooter Berry: The West Virginia tackle missed significant time with injuries and a suspension.

No 19: Scott Long: My most controversial preseason pick had the misfortune of playing for a bad offense. But the Louisville receiver did get an NFL combine invite.

No. 21: Jessie Hester: The South Florida wideout struggled with injuries for much of 2009 and never regained his '08 form.

No. 22: Ryan Blaszczyk: The Rutgers offensive line disappointed, dragging its center's ranking down with it.

No. 24: Brandon Hogan: Improved as season went on; could easily make the preseason list this summer.

No. 25: Mike Williams: Was arguably the league's top receiver for half the year. But you don't quit your team midseason and expect to make a list of the league's best.

No. 27: Jock Sanders: A tough, tough omission from the list, especially considering he had 72 catches for West Virginia. What decided it for me was that he averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch and had only three touchdowns, and his production took a nosedive late in the season.

No. 28: Nate Byham: Still a terrific blocking tight end, but his pass-catching opportunities instead went to Dorin Dickerson, and I didn't want to put two Pitt tight ends on the list.

No. 29: Jon Dempsey: Had a fine year (107 tackles), but it was hard to tell by the end of the season whether he or Chris Campa was Louisville's best linebacker. No Cardinals made the postseason top 30, which gives you an idea of the challenge facing Charlie Strong.

No. 30: Moe Petrus: The UConn center was part of a terrific line, but Chris Jurek and Sampson Genus edged him out for the first- and second-team All-Big East center positions as voted by the coaches.

OK, now that we've exposed how far off my preseason list was, here are a few other players who barely missed the postseason cut:

Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: An interesting decision here. He was outstanding in less than half a season's worth of work, including a record-breaking performance against UConn. And his potential is off the charts. Probably should have included him, but I just felt he didn't play enough in 2009. He'll definitely be on the preseason list, and probably awfully high.

Zach Hurd, UConn, and John Malecki, Pitt: Two of the best guards in the league, a position which sadly wasn't represented on this list. Guards are like the Rodney Dangerfield of football.

J.T. Thomas, West Virginia, and Adam Gunn, Pitt: Excellent linebackers in a league that's stacked at that position.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: He was at times the Bearcats' best weapon when defenses concentrated on Mardy Gilyard. You wonder how much the system inflates the stats of receivers. Binns, though, will surely appear on the summer list.

Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia: I thought he was one of the top two or three interior linemen in the league. Just missed.

I'm sure I'm failing to mention other worthy candidates, but I've already gone on and on long enough. Sound off on other players you think should have made it, or why I'm crazy for not including some of these on the list.

The 2009 season wasn't always easy for Rutgers. There was the opening blowout loss to Cincinnati, the surprising upset defeat at Syracuse and the inability to beat West Virginia again, among other disappointments.

But what coach Greg Schiano liked was how his team dealt with those problems, including the way it wrapped up a nine-win season with a St. Petersburg Bowl victory over Central Florida.

"We fought back every time things seemed to go against us," he said.

The hope is that things go even smoother next season, but the Scarlet Knights have some significant holes to fill.

They will lose a senior class full of standout players like Devin McCourty, Ryan D'Imperio and George Johnson. Star left tackle Anthony Davis is expected to announce his decision to leave for the NFL at noon on Tuesday. Schiano will be looking for team leaders to emerge and replace them.

He'll also need a new linebackers coach, as Brian Jenkins took the head coaching job at Bethune-Cookman.

But Schiano is happy with the number of players he was able to redshirt this season, including star defensive line recruits Antwan Lowery and Isaac Holmes. He said he thinks the program has depth now to where it can reload, though a priority will be upgrading the talent at running back.

"I think we were steady in the running game, but I don't know how many times we created yardage that wasn't blocked," he said. "We got spoiled around here with Ray [Rice]. I'm not downplaying what our backs did because they ran hard. But I think we need to take the next step there, and part of that is always recruiting."

The offense also needs an upgrade at receiver, especially with its top playmaker, Tim Brown, graduating. Players like Mark Harrison and Keith Stroud got some experience this year but must improve.

"We had some young guys in there who probably weren't quite ready to play," Schiano said. "Now they'll go into spring practice knowing how hard it is to play major college football, and that will help them in their winter work."

Rutgers already has some freshmen who proved their worth this season, none more so than quarterback Tom Savage and receiver/all-purpose threat Mohamed Sanu.

"That's a really good place to start," Schiano said. "I'm definitely excited about the guys who are coming back."

The Big East got off to a strong start in the bowl season, as Rutgers kicked things off Saturday with a 45-24 win over Central Florida.

On Friday, I offered three keys to the game for the Scarlet Knights: develop some type of running threat even if it is Mohamed Sanu in the Wildcat, stop UCF running back Brynn Harvey and come up with a play or two on special teams.

While Rutgers had only 86 yards rushing, Sanu ran for two touchdowns out of the Wildcat. It was enough to keep the UCF defense off balance, and Tom Savage threw for 294 yards. Harvey, who was the Knights' top weapon, had only 32 yards on 13 carries as Rutgers allowed only 35 yards rushing the entire game.

As for special teams, Damaso Munoz scored off an onside kick return, though the game was well in hand at that point. Rutgers gave up some serious yards on kick returns and Sanu muffed a punt.

I thought it might be a low-scoring game, but I was way off about that. The Scarlet Knights got key contributions from injured receiver Tim Brown (four catches, 100 yards and a 65-yard score) and scored on an interception return by Billy Anderson just before the half. That and Munoz's touchdown gave Rutgers nine non-offensive scores on the season. The offensive line, which had disappointed much of the year, turned in a strong performance to keep Savage clean.

It was the fifth straight bowl appearance and fourth consecutive postseason victory for the Scarlet Knights, who now need to build on this win with Sanu and Savage returning for their sophomore years. The team needs to avoid the slow starts in 2010 that have plagued them in recent years.

The program will lose some significant players, including Brown, center Ryan Blaszczyk, defensive end George Johnson, linebacker Ryan D'Imperio, cornerback Devin McCourty and left tackle Anthony Davis, who has called a news conference for Tuesday to announce his intentions to leave for the NFL draft.

But the departing seniors see a bright future for Rutgers, Tom Luicci writes in The Star-Ledger.

“You need to be consistent before you can be great," head coach Greg Schiano said. "We’re going to be great someday ... someday soon."

It's difficult to call an 8-4 season and a bowl game a disappointment, especially for a program that's still relatively new to this whole winning thing.

Still, Rutgers had things lined up to do so much more this season. The Scarlet Knights played no one of consequence in the nonconference schedule and had most of their toughest league games at home. Viewed in that light, 8-4 isn't much to crow about.

The season got off to the worst possible start, as Cincinnati ruined the opening of the expanded Rutgers Stadium with a 47-15 pounding on Labor Day. Midway through that game, head coach Greg Schiano decided to cast his lot with true freshman Tom Savage at quarterback. It was the right call, as Savage was better than senior Dom Natale, but it also meant that the offense would be on training wheels most of the season.

Receiver Tim Brown, true freshman Mohamed Sanu and running back Joe Martinek gave the offense some punch, but the veteran offensive line disappointed. The team went back to the earlier days under Schiano by relying on defense and special teams to create opportunities; Rutgers was one of the best in the nation in forcing turnovers, coming up with 32 of them on the year.

The Scarlet Knights had a chance to salvage something special out of this season, but a blowout upset loss to Syracuse and an inability to get past West Virginia in the home finale left them thinking about next year.

Offensive MVP: Brown. After years of playing a complementary role behind Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, the diminutive Brown stepped forward as a true No. 1 receiver this season. He had 51 catches for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 20.6 yards per catch. That he did it with a true freshman quarterback and cautious playcalling in the passing game made Brown's year all the more impressive.

Defensive MVP: Devin McCourty. The best cornerback in the Big East was also one of the league's most disruptive forces on special teams. He'll join his twin brother, Jason, in the NFL next season.

Turning point: The Scarlet Knights had just fallen behind UConn 24-21 with 38 seconds left on Halloween afternoon. A loss would have saddled them with a 5-3 record and 0-3 Big East mark. But Brown rescued Rutgers with an amazing 81-yard catch-and-dash for a touchdown just 16 seconds later. Who knows how the season would have unfolded without that play?

What's next: With Savage and Sanu on the verge of superstardom, the future looks pretty bright. Still, the Scarlet Knights lose key seniors Brown, McCourty, defensive end George Johnson, center Ryan Blaszczyk and linebacker Ryan D'Imperio and most likely junior left tackle Anthony Davis to the NFL. Rutgers needs to develop a more consistent running game, find more receivers who can contribute and avoid the slow starts that have plagued the last two seasons.

We've got two weeks left in the season, though two Big East teams -- Louisville and Syracuse -- wrap up their 2009 this weekend.

The end of the season also means it's time to start thinking about who will make the All-Big East team. Here's an early look at who I think should and should not make the team at each position:

Quarterback

Raise your hand if you thought Pitt's Bill Stull would be the Big East's first-team quarterback this year. Heck, most people thought he'd lose his job. But he's leading the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns and passing efficiency -- all by a large margin. Had Tony Pike stayed healthy or Zach Collaros played a full year, we might be talking about them here. But they didn't, so it's an easy choice.

Running back

Dion Lewis is a shoo-in. The second running back spot on the team will likely belong to Noel Devine. But he's been slowed lately, mostly due to injuries. If that continues, there's a chance that UConn's Jordan Todman or Andre Dixon could slip onto the first team. Combine the two Huskies, and they've produced exactly 1,800 rushing yards.

Receiver

Mardy Gilyard and Tim Brown are the choices here for now, though you could make a strong argument for Jonathan Baldwin. If Baldwin has a big two final games, perhaps he'll earn a spot on the first team. Jock Sanders has had a great year as well. Mike Williams looked like a lock before he quit Syracuse.

Tight end

No doubt about it, Pitt's Dorin Dickerson -- a Mackey Award finalist -- gets the nod. His teammate, Nate Byham, might be the second-team tight end.

Offensive line

This is always the most difficult position to single out players, because offensive line play is not easy to evaluate from the outside. My two tackles at this point would be Cincinnati's Jeff Linkenbach and Pitt's Jason Pinkston. Rutgers left tackle Anthony Davis is the best pro prospect, but he's been far too inconsistent. Pitt's John Malecki is another lock at guard. The other two spots are less obvious. Perhaps Zach Hurd from UConn at guard and Chris Jurek from Cincinnati or UConn's Moe Petrus at center. This is one where I'll have to pick some coaches' brains to decipher.

Defensive line

You might be shocked at the one guy who's not on my list here: South Florida's George Selvie. I think his opposite end, Jason Pierre-Paul, has had the better year. I'd put Greg Romeus at the other end, along with his Pitt teammate Mick Williams at one defensive tackle. The other defensive tackle is up for grabs; I think I'd vote for West Virginia's Chris Neild in a tight one over Syracuse's Arthur Jones.

Linebacker

A lot of players have strong cases here. My three, at this point, would have to be USF's Kion Wilson, UConn's Lawrence Wilson and Louisville's Jon Dempsey. That's leaving off a lot of really good players, including Pitt's Adam Gunn and Syracuse's Derrell Smith.

Secondary

Cincinnati's Aaron Webster and USF's Nate Allen are my safeties, hands down. Devin McCourty is clearly a first-team cornerback. The other cornerback spot is debatable; right now, I'd probably pick Pitt's Aaron Berry, who's coming on strong at the end of the year.

Specialists

The clubhouse leaders are Pitt's Dan Hutchins at place-kicker, West Virginia's Scott Kozlowski at punter, Gilyard as punt returner and Louisville's Trent Guy as kick returner.

This early ballot leaves off several players I had ticketed for first-team honors in the preseason, including Selvie, Jones, West Virginia's Reed Williams, Rutgers' Ryan D'Imperio and others. But there's still time for performances to sway my picks, and I plan on getting a lot of input on my choices before picking a final team.

Now I want your input. Agree or disagree with these selections? Let's hear it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

The warning signs were there in the preseason for Rutgers. Uncertainty at quarterback and receiver. The loss of some solid playmakers on defense. The lack of an explosive running game.

Still, those like yours truly who thought the Scarlet Knights could have a breakout year liked a few things: the experienced offensive line, which played so well at the end of last year; a solid nucleus returning on defense, which Greg Schiano always seems to whip into shape; and of course, the schedule.

It turns out that the concerns outweighed the positives in the first half. Rutgers' schedule advantage has been for naught, as the team lost its first two conference games at home. Schiano turned to true freshman Tom Savage at quarterback after two quarters in the opener, and the results have predictably been mediocre. While the defense has vastly improved since the opening 47-15 loss to Cincinnati, the offense is still searching for an identity. The O-line hasn't been as dominant as we thought.

Rutgers is 4-2 but hasn't beaten a team with a winning record. With youngsters playing key roles, this is a team that could improve in the second half. But a breakthrough season isn't happening.

Offensive MVP: Tim Brown. The lone returning veteran receiver has been terrific in his new role as a No. 1 guy. He has 28 catches for 548 yards and three scores, averaging 196 yards per reception.

Defensive MVP: Ryan D'Imperio. The veteran linebacker has been a rock in the middle. He's third on the team with 34 tackles and has a sack and an interception on an improving defense.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

You know them, you love them, you can't live without them. They're are Big East preseason position rankings, and today we look at the linebackers.

1. West Virginia: The Mountaineers might have the best 1-2 punch in the league at linebacker, with senior Reed Williams back after taking a redshirt last year and J.T. Thomas looking ready to cause some serious damage. Pat Lazear has had a good camp and fills out a terrific trio of tacklers.

2. Connecticut: Scott Lutrus is one of the top defensive players in the league, and position mates Lawrence Wilson and Greg Lloyd are going into their third year of starting alongside him. The depth behind them, though, is untested.

T-3. Pittsburgh: It's a testament to Pitt's depth that the Panthers could lose 2008 defensive player of the year Scott McKillop and underrated outside linebacker Austin Ransom and still rank this high. They bring back starter Greg Williams, who really progressed in his first year of playing, as well as fifth-year guys Shane Murray and Adam Gunn. Throw in promising freshman Dan Mason, Max Gruder and senior Steve Dell, and this is maybe the deepest corps in the league.

T-3. Rutgers: Don't be surprised if Ryan D'Imperio wins this year's defensive player of the year award. He is by no means a one-man gang, though, as senior Damaso Munoz and either Antonio Lowery or Manny Abreu will start next to him on the outside.

5. South Florida: Kion Wilson is an all-league anchor in the middle who could very well rack up a 100-tackle season. Veterans Chris Robinson and Sabbath Joseph are trying to establish themselves as bona fide starters, If not, then skilled newcomers Jacquian Williams and Sam Barrington should be ready to step in.

T-6. Louisville: Senior middle linebacker Jon Dempsey was a second-team All-Big East selection last season and should gain from his first year of Division I experience. A big key for this unit is how Brandon Heath will fare as the rover. Heath has always had talent but has yet to fully harness it.

T-6. Cincinnati: Hard to know exactly where to rank the Bearcats, who are breaking in all new starters and will need a lot from their linebackers in a 3-4 scheme. Andre Revels has played a lot and should be a leader in the middle. Former Notre Dame quarterback Demetrius Jones will try to make a successful transition to defense. Linebacker wasn't the biggest strength of the Cincinnati defense the past two years, but the position has been solid under Brian Kelly.

8. Syracuse: Hate to rank the Orange last yet again, but it's hard not to given how many guys at this position have left the team since the spring. Derrell Smith, who has played a little of everywhere, should be good as a junior, and Doug Hogue is trying to make the move from tailback. Everything else is a question mark.

Time to continue the Best Case/Worst Case series with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who experienced the worst (1-5 start) and best (7-0 finish) in one season a year ago.

Best case

The schedule sets up perfectly for a dream run.

Rutgers gets Cincinnati at the right time, taking advantage of the Bearcats' adjustments on defense to squeak out a victory in the season opener. The Scarlet Knights then use the next two weeks against Howard and Florida International to iron out the wrinkles in their offense.

Senior Dom Natale wins the starting quarterback job and benefits from having all day to throw behind the league's best offensive line. The running game, led by Joe Martinek and Jourdan Brooks, combine to form a solid 1-2 punch and Tim Brown paces a better-than-expected receiving group. Freshman Tom Savage starts coming in for a few series at quarterback, giving the offense a Chris Leak-Tim Tebow vibe.

The team aces its lone nonconference test, at Maryland in Week 4, then continues its mastery of Pittsburgh in the Big East opener two weeks later. The toughest league road trip of the year, at UConn, becomes one-sided when Ryan D'Imperio knocks out Huskies quarterback Zach Frazer on the first play from scrimmage. Rutgers handily takes care of Syracuse and Louisville on the road, setting up a final-week showdown at home against West Virginia for the Big East title.

With the expanded stadium rocking and the eyes of New York City upon the game, the Scarlet Knights finally get the better of the Mountaineers when Savage dives into the end zone to complete the triple-overtime victory.

Though 12-0 and riding a 19-game winning streak, Rutgers does not make the BCS title game because of its weak nonconference schedule and general skepticism of the Big East. But after the Rose Bowl loses USC to the championship game, it breaks with tradition and matches the Scarlet Knights against Big Ten champ Penn State.

As Bruce Springsteen, James Gandolfini and Jon Bon Jovi cheer from the sidelines, Rutgers blows out the Nittany Lions and captures the attention of L.A. and New York City. Joe Paterno retires after the game, but Greg Schiano turns down the Penn State job to sign a new lucrative contract extension. With Savage back and Anthony Davis deciding to play one more year, the Scarlet Knights are talked about as a dark horse 2010 national title contender.

Worst case

The schedule, it turns out, was not easy enough.

Playing the defending conference champs in the opener without an established quarterback or proven receivers turns out to be a disaster, as Cincinnati spoils the christening of the expanded stadium.

Natale struggles to make plays, starting a season-long, four-man quarterback controversy that tears the team apart from the inside. Martinek and Brooks remind nobody of Ray Rice, and the offense stalls all season.

Maryland holds serve at home, and Pitt finally snaps its losing streak against Rutgers with a win in Piscataway. UConn springs the upset in East Hartford, and with the season spiraling out of control, the Scarlet Knights lose to South Florida at home to fall to 4-5.

The team rebounds to beat Syracuse and Louisville but is blown out by West Virginia in the season finale. The final record stands at 6-6, but there's no bowl eligibility because of the two victories over FCS teams, raising more criticism about the schedule.

Davis turns pro. Penn State wins the national title. Syracuse has a winning year and starts to swipe more recruits out of the New York/New Jersey area. Springsteen and Bon Jovi form a country-and-western group. "The Sopranos" creator David Chase announces plans for a spinoff that will focus solely on Vito's exploits in Vermont.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Everyone around the Rutgers program was holding his breath after the leg injury to Ryan D'Imperio on Wednesday.

But it turns out that the senior linebacker will be OK. D'Imperio told the The Star-Ledger's Tom Luicci that the injury was "no big deal" and was "just a little bump." The injury was to his left leg, which is not the same leg he broke in 2007.

D'Imperio did not practice Thursday but said he didn't expect to miss more time. Any serious injury to the All-Big East linebacker would have caused me to change my prediction that the Scarlet Knights will win the Big East. He's that important to the defense and the team overall.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Some possibly very serious news at Rutgers, where starting middle linebacker Ryan D'Imperio missed practice today with what has been described as a leg injury.

The extent of the injury isn't yet known, but head coach Greg Schiano said the school was conducting tests and that he was "very concerned," according to Keith Sargeant's Home News Tribune blog. D'Imperio was slowed earlier in his career with a compound leg fracture, though it wasn't immediately clear if this new injury is to the same leg.

Losing the senior captain for any period of time would be a devastating blow. D'Imperio is one of the best linebackers in the league -- I named him to my preseason All-Big East team -- and a real leader on that defense. Also, Rutgers is pretty thin at linebacker beyond its starters, at least in experience.

D'Imperio's injury wasn't the only one that came out of Tuesday's scrimmage. Starting defensive tackle Blair Bines hurt his ankle, and Schiano told Sargeant that he expects Bines will miss "a while."