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Here's a look at some of the superlatives from the Big East during spring practice:

Best spring game performance: South Florida receiver Dontavia Bogan was the favored recipient of B.J. Daniels' air show in the spring game, catching nine balls for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Bogan's big game gave some reason for hope on a day when fellow wideout A.J. Love tore his ACL.

Best improvement by a position group: Rutgers' receivers. In a year, the Scarlet Knights pass-catchers went from Tim Brown and a bunch of nobodies (remember, Mohamed Sanu had to be moved over from defense late last spring to shore things up) to a group full of potential. Credit the impressive offseason improvements by Tim Wright, Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt.

Best guest playcaller: Cincinnati coach Butch Jones let a fan in the stands call a play from the playbook, and the fan wisely chose some trickery. The play resulted in a 60-yard bomb on an option pass from receiver D.J. Woods to Vidal Hazelton.

Best two-way player: West Virginia's Coley White played quarterback for both the Gold and Blue teams in the spring game as Geno Smith was held out to protect a foot injury. Pat White's younger brother threw three touchdowns to complete a stellar spring. "He's a White," wide receiver Jock Sanders said, simply.

Best spring game atmosphere: (Tie) Rutgers and West Virginia were the only two teams in the Big East to draw 20,000 fans to their spring games.

Best bold quote: "We have improved in toughness and physicality and people just wanting to play the game," Syracuse linebacker Derrell Smith said. "Coach [Doug Marrone] did a good job for preparing us for last season and I think that he is going to do an even better job this year. Hopefully I'll be out here next year with a championship ring on my finger."

• Latwan Anderson's decision to go to Miami based on image may be somewhat troubling for West Virginia, but it's no big surprise, Bob Hertzel writes in the Times West Virginian.
• Mardy Gilyard and Tony Pike had nice performances at Cincinnati's pro day, Joe Reedy writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer. And here's some video from the event.
• The Home News Tribune's Keith Sargeant has more on Tim Brown's rocky pro day at Rutgers.
• In their latest mock drafts, Mel Kiper has Jason Pierre-Paul seventh, while Todd McShay lists him 17th. Anthony Davis is 18th in Kiper's draft and 23rd in McShay's. And Devin McCourty is 30th in Kiper's.

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.

A postseason ranking of the Big East's Top 30 players ...

No. 15

Tim Brown, WR, Rutgers, Sr.

Preseason rank: NR

Why him here: For much of his career, Brown played the role of complementary receiver alongside Tiquan Underwood and Kenny Britt. As a senior, he was asked to be a true No. 1, and there were some questions as to whether a guy his size (he's listed at just 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds) could pull that off.

Brown answered that question with an emphatic yes in 2009. Despite playing with a rookie quarterback and no other experienced receivers around him, he had 1,150 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 20.9 yards per catch. He would have had even more had he not been hobbled by an injury late in the year. His season highlight was a grab-and-go 81-yard touchdown in the final minute to beat UConn.

Brown finished his career with over 2,200 yards receiving while averaging more than 19 yards per catch. The only question now is whether he can make it at the next level. He's not a big guy, but he just make plays.

Previous:

No. 16: Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut
No. 17: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse
No. 18: Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut
No. 19: Tom Savage, QB, Rutgers
No. 20: Andre Dixon, RB, Connecticut
No. 21: Bill Stull, QB, Pittsburgh
No. 22: Nate Allen, S, South Florida
No. 23: Marcus Easley, WR, Connecticut
No. 24: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
No. 25: Jarrett Brown, QB, West Virginia
No. 26: George Selvie, DE, South Florida
No. 27: Kion Wilson, LB, South Florida
No. 28: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
No. 29: Lindsey Witten, DE, Connecticut
No. 30: Jeff Linkenbach, OT, Cincinnati

A year ago at this time, the Big East was dealing with the loss of a plethora of stars, including some of the best players in league history. Guys like Pat White, Donald Brown, Kenny Britt, LeSean McCoy and Scott McKillop seemed difficult, if not impossible, to replace. The league fared just fine in 2009 without those stars, and the good news for 2010 is that many of its top performers will be back. But that's not to say there aren't still some key losses that teams will have to adjust to this spring. Here's a look at the biggest shoes to fill this season in the Big East:

• Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati: The Bearcats aren't exactly hurting at wide receiver with Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and USC transfer Vidal Hazelton around. Still, someone must replace Gilyard's leadership and knack for making the big play at crucial times. What might be even more difficult to replace is Gilyard's production on special teams. The two-time Big East special teams player of the year was always a threat to score on kickoffs and punt returns. And hopefully someone will step in Gilyard's role as the best quote in the entire conference.
• Tim Brown, WR, Rutgers: Brown may not have received a ton of attention nationally, but he was vitally important to the Scarlet Knights. The speedster averaged 20.9 yards per catch and amassed 1,150 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as the team's only true deep threat. With a still very young receiving corps surrounding Tom Savage, Rutgers will need to find someone who can stretch the field the way Brown did.
• Mick Williams, DT, Pittsburgh: The 2009 co-defensive player of the year in the conference, Williams was a wildly disruptive force in the middle of that Panthers defensive line, as well as an inspirational leader. With fellow senior tackle Gus Mustakas also gone, Pitt needs more production from backups Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih, among others.
• Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers: McCourty was an underappreciated gem for the Scarlet Knights, a lockdown cornerback who also was seemingly everywhere on special teams. He was the leader of the secondary. Guys with his skills don't come around that often.
• Reed Williams, LB, West Virginia: The Mountaineers had to deal with Williams' absence for most of 2008 and at times this past season because of various injuries. But it was clear that they were a different team whenever Williams was healthy. A smart player (he's the 2009 Big East football scholar-athlete of the year ) who anchored the defense at middle linebacker, Williams was like a coach on the field.
• George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: Say what you will about Selvie's dwindling production, but opposing offense still always had to account for him. And Pierre-Paul ascended to star status in his one year on campus. Combined, the two produced 26 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2009. The Bulls now need the next wave of pass-rushers to emerge, with former stud recruit Ryne Giddins one possible candidate.

Earlier today, the Scouts Inc. guys took a look back at their 2006 prospect ratings to determine where they were off and where they hit the mark. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, as you may recall, so I thought this was a perfect excuse to do the same for the 2006 Big East recruiting classes.

Biggest busts

Andrey Baskin, WR, Syracuse: Baskin was the fourth-highest rated recruit to sign with a Big East school. But he failed to qualify and never made it to campus.

DeAntwan "Peanut" Whitehead, DE, Louisville: A major coup when the Cardinals landed him out of Alabama, Whitehead hurt his neck as a sophomore and never played again.

John Maddox, WR, West Virginia: A 6-foot-3 athlete who looked like a future contributor if not star, Maddox quit the team after a season.

Aundre Henderson, DT, Louisville: Henderson was a hometown star with a ton of ability. Unfortunately, he never really liked football and quit the sport.

Jamie Nixon, CB, Connecticut: Maybe this is why Randy Edsall doesn't like highly-rated recruits too much. Nixon was ranked as the 18th best cornerback in '06 but never panned out.

Hasn't met expectations ... yet

Brandon Heath, S/LB, Louisville: Heath was the highest-ranked player to sign with a Big East team in '06, checking in at No. 58 in the ESPNU 150. He hasn't lived up to that billing, thanks in large part to injuries. He moved to linebacker this past season and was productive. He has another year of eligibility.

Met expectations

Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh: Byham was No. 68 in the ESPNU 150 rankings and justified it as an All-Big East performer.

Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh: Dickerson would have been labeled a bust this time a year ago, but the Panthers finally figured out what to do with him as a senior. He's a legitimate pro prospect now.

Jason Pinkston, OL, Pittsburgh: The Panthers' batting average was surprisingly high in 2006, as several signees became major contributors.

Tim Brown, WR, Rutgers: Ranked as one of the Scarlet Knights' top recruits in '06, Brown had a terrific career in Piscataway.

Chris Neild, DL, West Virginia: Neild was ranked among the top tight ends out of high school but made the successful transition to All-Big East nose guard.

Exceeded expectations

Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers: Rated just a "40" prospect, which is as low as the grading scale goes, Britt was a first-round pick last year after a record-breaking three-year career.

Nate Allen, S, South Florida: The scouts had him listed as the No. 152 quarterback in the class. He should be one of the first safeties picked in the NFL Draft.

Scott Lutrus, Robert McClain, Lindsey Witten, Lawrence Wilson, Zach Hurd, Connecticut: All were unheralded. All turned into top-notch Big East players. Should we even be surprised at that anymore when it comes to the Huskies?

Greg Romeus, DE, Pitt: Another "40" rated player, he was Big East co-defensive player of the year this past season.

Aaron Webster, S, Cincinnati: After attracting little notice out of high school, Webster developed into a starter and key member of a two-time Big East championship defense.

Continuing the countdown of the best Big East games of 2009:

No. 3


Rutgers 28, Connecticut 24, Oct. 31 at Rentschler Field.

Why this one: This was the wildest finish of the year in the Big East. UConn capped a comeback from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit when Jordan Todman scored on a 2-yard run with 38 seconds to go. But on the very next play from scrimmage, Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage found Tim Brown for an 81-yard touchdown pass and the win.

What it meant: Rutgers got its first significant win of the season and probably its best win of 2009. UConn suffered yet another heartbreaker, this time in its first home game after Jasper Howard was killed.

Player of the game: Brown, a childhood friend of Howard's, had five catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

Play of the game: What else but the game winner? UConn's defensive backs suffered a communication breakdown, and Brown ran all the way to paydirt untouched.

Memorable quote: "I just went out there and played that game for my friend," Brown said of Howard. "He was a special guy to me and I just went out there and dedicated that game to him."

Previously:

No. 4: West Virginia 28, Connecticut 24
No. 5: Cincinnati 47, Connecticut 45
No. 6: Pitt 24, Connecticut 21
No. 7: Cincinnati 24, West Virginia 21
No. 8: West Virginia 19, Pitt 16
No. 9: South Florida 17, Florida State 7
No. 10: Syracuse 37, Northwestern 34

There were wins and losses, big games and duds. But when the statistics and records become foggy in our brains, we'll still remember some of the indelible moments from the 2009 Big East season. Here are my top 10 moments:

1. UConn celebrating in South Bend: The top story in the Big East this year, at least in my eyes, was how Connecticut dealt with the tragedy of losing teammate Jasper Howard in the middle of the season. And so it was heartwarming to see the Huskies -- after working so hard to honor Howard's legacy but coming up just short in three straight games -- finally break through and win in overtime at Notre Dame, of all places. Randy Edsall's goosebump-inducing postgame interview, in which he dedicated the win to Howard's family, will be remembered for a long time.

2. The Cincinnati comeback at Pitt: In two years of doing this blog, I haven't seen a wilder game than Cincinnati's 45-44 win over Pitt in the season finale after the Bearcats were down 31-10. I made my way down to the field for the last couple of minutes and just happened to be standing in the corner of the end zone where Tony Pike's beautifully-thrown pass landed in the outstretched hands of Armon Binns for the game-winning touchdown. That play, and the looks on the faces of players from both sides, was something to behold up close.

3. West Virginia welcomes UConn: West Virginia fans showed solidarity with Connecticut when the Huskies traveled to Morgantown the week after Howard was killed. Signs of support, a moment of silence and Bill Stewart hugging Edsall were just some of the ways the Mountaineers displayed their empathy in a classy, heartfelt way.

4. Greg Paulus playing quarterback: This was one of the biggest -- and strangest -- stories of the offseason, as Paulus came back to the sport after four years of playing point guard for the Duke basketball team. Doug Marrone gambled by making Paulus his starter right away. Paulus had his ups and downs -- he completed 67.7 percent of his passes, but also threw 14 interceptions -- but it was a fascinating experiment to watch.

5. Tim Brown streaking to victory: In yet another moment involving UConn, it looked like the Huskies had beaten Rutgers after they scored with 38 seconds left to take the lead. But on the very next play from scrimmage, Tom Savage hit Brown over the middle, and the senior receiver darted 81 yards untouched to the end zone for the victory.

6. Dion Lewis bouncing off tackles: The Pitt true freshman had an unbelievable year, rushing for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns. What I'll remember is not one specific play, but just the way Lewis always seemed to emerge from a crowd, running through stunned defenders, as he kept slipping away for more yardage.

7. B.J. Daniels' homecoming: While it may have lost some luster later in the season, South Florida's upset at Florida State was pretty special at the time. And the fact that freshman quarterback Daniels led the way in his hometown of Tallahassee while making his first start in place of the injured Matt Grothe made it a storybook tale.

8. The Brian Kelly drama: Cincinnati's perfect 12-0 finish was nearly overshadowed by the rumors of its three-time Big East coach of the year leaving for Notre Dame. And when Kelly finally confirmed he was going to South Bend at the postseason banquet, many players angrily stormed out of the room. Then they had to play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl without their coach. While maybe it shouldn't be the most memorable thing about the Bearcats' season, it's near the top of the list, for sure.

9. Pitt drives into a Meineke: Pittsburgh could have folded up shop after losing its last two regular-season games in the final minute. But the Panthers showed a lot of resilience in the Meineke Car Care Bowl by marching on an epic 17-play, 8:47 scoring drive to beat North Carolina.

10. Devine on the run: When I think of West Virginia's season, I'll always picture Noel Devine dashing to daylight. It's not just the fuzzy lens of nostalgia. Devine had seven runs of at least 56 yards this season, including an 88-yarder against Pitt, a 77-yarder versus Colorado and a 70-yard sprint in the Gator Bowl. Will he keep running to the NFL or come back to create more memories in the Big East?

Those are my top 10 moments from 2009. What are some of your favorites that I didn't include?

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."

Instant analysis of Rutgers' 45-24 win over Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Saturday night:

How the game was won: Rutgers managed to take advantage of Central Florida's shaky pass defense to the tune of 294 passing yards by freshman quarterback Tom Savage. The defense, meanwhile, held UCF to just 32 rushing yards and came up with two key interceptions -- including one for a touchdown -- as the Scarlet Knights cruised to victory.

Turning point: Billy Anderson's interception and 19-yard return for a score late in the first half gave Rutgers a commanding 28-17 lead going into the half.

Player of the game: Mohamed Sanu. The Rutgers true freshman scored three touchdowns -- two out of Wildcat formation rushes and one on a reception -- and had 147 total yards.

Unsung hero of the game: Tim Brown was doubtful with a leg injury and appeared to be injured again during the game. Still, he managed four catches for 100 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown that was reminiscent of his grab-and-go to beat Connecticut earlier this year.

Stat of the game: Brynn Harvey, who had rushed for more than 100 yards in his last three regular season games, was held to 30 yards on 13 carries by the Rutgers defense.

What it means: It's hard to say the St. Petersburg Bowl means a whole lot. Still, Rutgers wrapped up a nine-win season and has something to build upon going into next year, especially with true freshmen Savage and Sanu playing so well. They should be stars in the Big East for a long, long time. As for Central Florida, the Knights showed they aren't quite ready for the Big East yet despite talk of the Knights being a potential addition to the league in the near future.

Quick glance at Saturday night's St. Petersburg Bowl matchup between Rutgers (8-4) and Central Florida (8-4):

WHO TO WATCH: Rutgers wide receiver/occasional quarterback Mohamed Sanu. With Tim Brown either out or very limited in this game, Sanu becomes the team's No. 1 big-play weapon. He was very effective late in the season operating out of the Wildcat formation, and look for a lot more of that on Saturday night. He could also be quarterback Tom Savage's main option in the passing game. The true freshman had an outstanding regular season and needs to come up big in the postseason for Rutgers to win this game.

WHAT TO WATCH: It should be strength versus strength on the edge when Rutgers' offense lines up against the Central Florida defense. UCF defensive ends Bruce Miller -- who was the Conference USA defensive player of the year -- and Jarvis Geathers combined for 23 sacks and 30 tackles for loss this season. While the Scarlet Knights' offensive line didn't live up to expectations this season, they still have two excellent tackles in Anthony Davis and Kevin Haslam. It's most likely Davis' last game in a Rutgers uniform as the junior is expected to declare for the NFL draft. Davis and Haslam need to hold off the pass rush and try to create some running lanes against the Knights, who ranked fourth in the FBS in rush defense this season.

WHY TO WATCH: Because it's the first night of bowl season, and haven't you missed football? Plus, Central Florida wants to impress the Big East as a potential future member, and this could be a good audition. This game could also serve as a springboard to next year for the Scarlet Knights.

PREDICTION: Neither team will find it easy to score, but Rutgers has more athletes across the board and will create field-position advantages with its defense and special teams. Scarlet Knights over regular Knights, 21-17.

It's time to look back on my Best Case/Worst Case scenarios from the preseason for each team. Since Rutgers is playing in two days, let's start with the Scarlet Knights.

Original post is here.

Best case in a nutshell: 12-1 and a Big East title.

Worst case in a nutshell: 6-6 and no bowl.

Reality: 8-4 and St. Petersburg Bowl.

That's just crazy talk: "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."

Not too far off: "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 ... Martinek and Brooks remind nobody of Ray Rice, and the offense stalls all season."

What really happened: The offensive line was a disappointment. Greg Schiano had to go to freshman Savage early and patch together the offense with a lot of Wildcat formations. The defense got better as the season went along. Rutgers won all the games it was supposed to win except Syracuse but didn't really pull off any upsets. That's why the Scarlet Knights finished much closer to the worst case scenario than my highly optimistic best case version.

• Rutgers should do everything in its power to become the 12th team in the Big Ten, Steve Politi writes in The Star-Ledger.
• The Big Ten would be a bad thing for Syracuse, Bud Poliquin says in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
• The Big East should be on full alert, Mitch Vingle writes in the Charleston Gazette.
• Silence isn't helping South Florida in its investigation into allegations of abuse against coach Jim Leavitt, Joe Henderson writes in the Tampa Tribune.
• Tim Brown's status remains questionable for Rutgers' bowl game Saturday against Central Florida, Tom Luicci writes in The Star-Ledger.
• Dion Lewis capped his incredible freshman year with All-America honors, Paul Zeise writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• The St. Petersburg Bowl is growing from humble -- and caffeinated -- beginnings, Keith Sargeant says in the Home News Tribune.