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We continue on with our 2011 postseason position rankings with quarterback. There should not be too many surprises on this list. For me, it was hardest to separate Syracuse-USF-Rutgers in the middle of the pack. You could also make the case to flop Pitt and UConn.

1. West Virginia. Geno Smith went about shattering school, Big East and Orange Bowl records during his career year for the Mountaineers, throwing for 4,385 yards, 31 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. His development under Dana Holgorsen was about what we expected. Preseason ranking: 1.

2. Cincinnati. Zach Collaros' worth to the team was illustrated when he got hurt against West Virginia. The Bearcats lost their grip atop the Big East and ended up sharing the league title. Munchie Legaux was not great, but Collaros was. Cincinnati may have relied more on the run this year, but I thought Collaros and Isaiah Pead complemented each other perfectly. Preseason ranking: 2.

3. Louisville. True freshman Teddy Bridgewater really helped anchor this team once he replaced Will Stein in the starting lineup. He set a school freshman passing record with 2,129 yards and won Big East Newcomer of the Year honors. Without Bridgewater, I'm not sure this team wins a share of the Big East title. He showed poise and maturity beyond his years. Preseason ranking: 7.

4. Syracuse. Ryan Nassib had a career year for the Orange, setting highs for completions, attempts, yards, completion percentage and touchdown passes. There is no doubt he made some significant strides for Syracuse, but the biggest knock is that he never really was able to make the plays to get his team in position to win just one game in the final stretch of the season. Preseason ranking: 6.

5. USF. Coach Skip Holtz rightfully points out that the Bulls offense was improved in 2011 vs. 2010. But I think most of us were waiting on B.J. Daniels to take that next step and become an elite quarterback in the Big East. We are still waiting. He barely improved his completion percentage and threw just 13 touchdown passes -- though he did have a career-high with 601 yards rushing. What sticks out most are critical mistakes against UConn and West Virginia that cost his team wins. Preseason ranking: 4.

6. Rutgers. Greg Schiano went with musical quarterbacks again, switching back and forth and then back again from Chas Dodd to Gary Nova to Dodd. Neither was particularly effective, and both had a penchant for making bad mistakes. It's a true credit to receiver Mohamed Sanu that he was able to have such a great year with such inconsistent quarterback play. Preseason ranking: 5.

7. Pitt. How much more can be said about the way Tino Sunseri played this season? The further removed we are from the year, the more I'm convinced that his coaches let him down. Still, he was not very good in 2011 -- 38 yards passing against Utah was the low point. It was a disaster of a season. Preseason ranking: 3 (Gulp!)

8. UConn. Three quarterbacks in contention, but the Huskies really had no true quarterbacks. Johnny McEntee ended up winning the right to start, but he was completely overmatched. Scott McCummings came in for Wildcat duties and Michael Nebrich was an afterthought. No surprise that this was the worst passing offense in the Big East. Preseason ranking: 8.

Louisville has a 16-7 lead on Cincinnati in the battle for the Keg of Nails. Here are a few first-half observations:

• Cincinnati got off to its 4-1 start thanks in large part to limiting the mistakes and taking the ball away. Well, Zach Collaros threw a pick-6 to end the first half, as Mike Evans returned the interception 63 yards for a touchdown to put the Cardinals up 16-7. For the second straight game, the Bearcats have struggled out of the gate on offense. They had six points at the break against Miami (Ohio) last time out. They also have put the ball on the ground three times, but recovered them all.
• Neither offense looks terrific. Louisville has 161 yards at the break; Cincinnati has 146. As has been the story of the season for the Cardinals, they have failed to capitalize on opportunities. One big one came in the second quarter, when Louisville had to settle for a field goal after throwing incomplete on third-and-goal from the 1.
• Maybe that is because both teams have good defenses. Both have gotten good pressure on the quarterbacks, and that has had an impact. Will Stein has been in on one series for the Cardinals, but Teddy Bridgewater has taken the majority of the snaps at quarterback for the Cardinals.

I don't think anybody but Rutgers fans saw the Scarlet Knights' upset over Pitt coming. I sure didn't, and that game saddled me with my lone loss of the week. After going 3-1, I am now 33-8 on the season. On to the picks:

Louisville at Cincinnati, noon ET. To say the Cardinals have not had much success on offense would be an understatement. They cannot run, and that has put way too much pressure on true freshman Teddy Bridgewater to make things happen. This might not be the game to jump-start the run game. Cincinnati has held its past two opponents to negative yards on the ground. This game also features one of the worst teams in the country in turnover margin (Louisville, minus-4) against one of the best (Cincinnati, plus-12). Will Stein will be a game-time decision, and Shawn Watson will call the plays for a second straight week. But with a shaky offensive line and no consistency, Louisville faces a tough task. Cincinnati 30, Louisville 14.

Utah at Pittsburgh, noon. Talk about two teams that are coming off disappointing losses. The Panthers lost to Rutgers 34-10; Utah lost to Arizona State 35-14. The Utes have lost starting quarterback Jordan Wynn for the season and are struggling on offense as much as the Panthers. Utah has won both previous meetings but is 6-12 in games played in the Eastern time zone. Do not underestimate that early start time for a team that plays in the Mountain time zone. I think Todd Graham will have his team ready to play after the embarrassment of last week. Pitt 24, Utah 20.

Navy at Rutgers, 2 p.m. Navy has lost three straight, but the Midshipmen should not be overlooked. Their offense will present a huge challenge for a surging defense that prides itself on taking the ball away and being able to stop the run. Navy has the No. 1 rush offense in the nation, and fullback Alexander Teich will be back in the lineup. The Midshipmen do not hurt themselves with mistakes, either -- they have given up the ball only six times and are the least penalized team in the nation. This has the feel of a letdown game for Rutgers after the big win last week, but I think the Scarlet Knights will just eke this one out. Rutgers 23, Navy 20.

USF at UConn, 3:30 p.m. The Bulls have had a good, long time to think about their loss to Pitt and are going to take all their frustrations out on UConn. The Huskies have been able to win the past two games over USF with last-minute field goals from Dave Teggart, but I do not think this one is going to be close. With the way teams have been passing on UConn, B.J. Daniels should have a good day, and the defense should be able to stop an offense that has failed to do anything consistently. USF 33, UConn 17.

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

Record: 2-3 (0-0, Big East)

Everybody knew Louisville would field a young squad after losing 25 seniors off last season's bowl team. That inexperience has shown throughout the entire team, and has played a role in the Cardinals' early struggles. So far, Louisville has had 24 players make their first collegiate appearance. Eleven true freshmen have played, and eight have made starts. That includes quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has started the last two games while Will Stein has been out with a shoulder injury. The offensive line has not only been plagued with inexperience, but injuries as well. Center Mario Benavides missed the first three games of the season; Hector Hernandez, Kamran Joyner and John Miller have also missed games. Struggles along the line and with the running backs have meant struggles for the entire offense. Louisville, one of the best rushing teams last season with Bilal Powell, is now one of the worst in the league. The Cardinals have just two rushing touchdowns all season.

Penalties and turnovers have plagued them as well. Sensing a need to make a move to boost his offense, coach Charlie Strong has relieved Mike Sanford of his duties as offensive coordinator and handed the play calling over to Shawn Watson. Sanford remains with the team but in an undefined role. Bridgewater has been OK as a starter -- he gets major credit for leading the Cardinals to a huge win over Kentucky. But they have scored 20 total points in two games since that momentous victory, and teams are forcing Louisville to throw to beat them. Meanwhile, Louisville ranks No. 8 in the Big East in penalties and turnover margin (minus-4), two more reasons why Louisville has had problems so far this season.

Offensive MVP: The offense has been so anemic, there is nobody worthy of MVP. Don't believe me? Look at the stats.

Defensive MVP:LB Dexter Heyman. The Cardinals have gotten some good performances from their defense, but Heyman has stood out. Heyman leads the team with 39 tackles -- including seven for loss. He also has two sacks, one forced fumble and an interception this season.

Three upsets left me at 3-3 last week, but 30-7 overall through five weeks. Not too bad, but now I see why this league is so unpredictable. Only four games on tap this week. How do I see them shaking out?

Louisville (2-2) at North Carolina (4-1), noon, ESPN2. The Cardinals are struggling to run the ball and score, two big factors in their 2-2 start. It is unknown whether Will Stein or Victor Anderson will play. The last time North Carolina played a team from the Big East, the Tar Heels were sloppy but still came out with a win. I think they are better on offense, and that makes the difference. North Carolina 24, Louisville 14.

UConn (2-3) at No. 16 West Virginia (4-1), noon, ESPN3. The Huskies beat West Virginia for the first time ever last year, thanks to four Mountaineers turnovers. You think that is going to happen again? I don't. After seeing UConn have a tough time stopping Alex Carder and Western Michigan, how on earth are the Huskies going to stop Geno Smith? West Virginia 38, UConn 13.

Pitt (3-2) at Rutgers (3-1), 3:30 p.m., ESPNU. Both teams are coming off wins, but Pitt looked better in its victory over USF than Rutgers did in its win over Syracuse. The Panthers finally had a complete effort for an entire game. Rutgers has yet to announce who will start at quarterback. Pitt 28, Rutgers 17.

Syracuse (3-2) at Tulane (2-3), 8 p.m. The Orange are coming off a tough double-overtime loss to Rutgers, but they did have a defensive performance worthy enough of a win. Plus, safety Shamarko Thomas is expected back and that should add even more help. Watch for Ryan Nassib and Antwon Bailey to rebound from sub-par games last week. Syracuse 35, Tulane 20.

Take a look at the numbers Louisville has put up on offense this season, and you will see why the Cardinals have struggled in a 2-2 start.

Here is how they rank in the Big East:

No. 8 scoring offense, 18.8 ppg

No. 5 total offense, 359.8 ypg

No. 6 rushing offense, 120.8 ypg

Compare that to where they finished a year ago:

T. No. 2 scoring offense, 26.4 ppg

No. 3 total offense, 368.9 ypg

No. 1 rushing offense, 174.9 ypg

There are two major factors holding Louisville back: subpar play on the offensive line, and an inability to run the ball. The two go hand in hand, of course. The Cardinals have found it quite difficult to replace four starters on the line, and and were without rock-solid center Mario Benavides until last week. It also has been tough going replacing Bilal Powell, who finished second in the league in rushing last season with 1,405 yards.

The numbers show that. Louisville ranked No. 34 in the country last year in rush offense. This year, it ranks No. 91. Victor Anderson and Jeremy Wright have struggled. Anderson has 155 total yards; Wright has 136. Louisville has scored a league-low two rushing touchdowns this season. Last year, the Cardinals scored 17 on the ground.

Quarterback Dominique Brown seemed to add a spark against Kentucky, with 14 carries for 91 yards. But in a loss to Marshall last week, he only six carries for 11 yards.

"We just didn't do a good job of running the ball," coach Charlie Strong said. "We didn't do a good job of it at all."

The Cardinals face a tough task Saturday against North Carolina. The Tar Heels have been pretty good against the run. Rutgers only had 1 yard rushing against the Tar Heels, who have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season. Meanwhile, Louisville has issues at quarterback, too. Starter Will Stein is still day-to-day with a shoulder injury, so true freshman Teddy Bridgewater could make his second career start on Saturday.

Anderson also is being evaluated this week with an injury and could be a game-time decision.

Here are some news and notes from the Big East coaches' conference call today.

Cincinnati

Coach Butch Jones spent a lot of time talking about the physicality of his football team, both on offense and defense so far this season. Cincinnati ranks No. 1 in the league in rush defense and No. 2 in rush offense.

It is a point of emphasis he has made with this group since becoming head coach.

"It's creating a mindset," Jones said. "In recent years, we haven't had much success on defense. There hasn't been a lot to hang your hat on, so I think it's really building the standard of what you expect day in and day out from the way you prepare to the way you practice to the level of physicality you play with."

UConn

The Huskies have lost running back D.J. Shoemate (shoulder) and offensive tackle Jimmy Bennett (knee) for the season. They will apply for a sixth season for Shoemate, the highly touted transfer from USC who only had eight carries all season.

When asked whether he was surprised at his team's 2-3 start, coach Paul Pasqualoni said injuries and inexperience at key positions like quarterback and linebacker have hurt. "These things don't help you, especially when you're a new staff and have a new system on offense, defense and special teams," he said.

Louisville

Coach Charlie Strong says starting quarterback Will Stein remains day-to-day with a shoulder injury and would know later in the week whether he will be able to go against North Carolina. Running back Victor Anderson, who was hobbled against Marshall, will be re-evaluated this week to determine whether he can play.

As for the way his team performed in a 17-13 loss to Marshall, Strong said, "No position played well." When asked for the mood at practice Sunday, he said, "Nothing needs to be said when you have a poor performance on Saturday. You don't have room to talk. It's about getting better and just keeping your mouth shut and going about your business.”

Pitt

Coach Todd Graham was pleased with the way his team put together a complete effort against USF. Tino Sunseri did a much better job with timing and rhythm, and even had success running the ball at times. If there is one area where he wants his offense to improve, it is getting big plays downfield. The big knock on Sunseri has been his inability to throw the ball downfield. So that is the next step.

"We executed the offense closer to where we want to try to be," Graham said. "The key is, the system will work for you. You've just execute it."

Rutgers

Coach Greg Schiano said he will wait and see before making a decision on who starts at quarterback against Pitt. Schiano pulled a struggling Chas Dodd in favor of true freshman Gary Nova, who led a 19-16 double-overtime comeback win over Syracuse.

Rutgers has played both quarterbacks in three of four games, but it was Nova's most extensive action of the season.

"They're both getting reps anyway and we'll make a decision as the week goes on," Schiano said.

Syracuse

Coach Doug Marrone meant no disrespect to Rutgers, but reiterated he felt his team gave the game away on Saturday with five turnovers -- including three in the second half. Now he wants to make sure one loss does not turn into two against Tulane on Saturday.

"Our kids will respond," he said. "I believe in them. They're very disappointed. ... Not trying to take away anything from Rutgers, but it hurts a lot. ... You have to move on and we'll start working with our players today on that."

USF

The Bulls are going to have a long time to sit on their 44-17 loss to Pitt, with a bye this week before playing UConn on Oct. 15. Is that too long to wait?

"We would have played Saturday if they would have let us after playing the way we did on Thursday," coach Skip Holtz said. "I wish we could get out and go play to get rid of that bad taste, but we were the ones that performed that way."

One injury of note: receiver A.J. Love (ankle) will be held out of practice this week but should return for UConn.

West Virginia

After some early-season struggles, the Mountaineers' offensive line has put together back-to-back solid performances. Coach Dana Holgorsen said it was only a matter of time before they got better.

"They've allowed themselves to be coached," he said. "After the first game, we knew we had a couple new starters, a couple guys who were returning starters that didn't go through spring practice, plus you put that with a new coach, a new system and new scheme it's not surprising it took them a few games to get going. They've showed improvement not only with schemes but techniques."

Louisville struggled all day on offense, and lost to Marshall 17-13. It was the second home loss to a non-AQ team this season, after losing to FIU in September.

Both had their own indignities. The FIU win was its first against a team from an automatic qualifying conference. Marshall now wins its first road game against an AQ team since it joined C-USA. Yup, the Herd were 0-18 before Saturday -- and had lost to Ohio 44-7 earlier in the season.

Teddy Bridgewater got the start in place of an injured Will Stein, but he struggled with consistency all game. Despite that, Louisville led 13-7 until late in the fourth quarter. Then two Bridgewater mistakes doomed the Cardinals. He threw his first interception of the game with 4:32 left.

Marshall converted that into the go-ahead score, a 3-yard touchdown pass from Rakeem Cato to C.J. Crawford with 1:49 remaining. Louisville got one last chance, but Bridgewater threw his second interception and sealed the game.

The Louisville special teams also did not have a great game -- Chris Philpott missed an extra point and a field goal in the game. Once again, the Cardinals struggled up front on the offensive line and in the running game, getting just 60 yards on the ground.

True freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater got the start for Louisville, but it took a while for him to get the Cardinals a 13-7 lead at halftime.

The offense struggled in the early going and could not generate anything. Louisville went three-and-out on its first three drives. Meanwhile, the defense allowed Marshall to open the game with a 12-play touchdown drive.

But that changed midway through the second quarter, as Bridgewater settled down and led two scoring drives to close the half. He is at 10-of-14 for 136 yards -- including a 41-yard touchdown pass to Victor Anderson. Bridgewater started in place of Will Stein, who hurt his shoulder against Kentucky, and became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Louisville since Stu Stram in 1976.

The Cardinals are still struggling to get the ground game going, with 31 yards on the ground. Dominique Brown does not have a carry yet after being quite effective against Kentucky.

What are the biggest story lines to watch in the Big East in Week 5? Let us take a look.

1. Thursday night jinx. USF has not played particularly well on Thursday nights. If you want a history lesson, go back and look at the schools. Skip Holtz does not need one. When asked about the Bulls losing six games on Thursday night during his midweek press conference, Holtz said, "This team has not played on Thursday night yet. What's happened in the past is irrelevant. Where we're going in the future is irrelevant. It's going to be what goes on in between the lines. What is our focus like and how do we play this game on Thursday night?"

2. Short week. Both USF and Pitt had short weeks to prepare for their conference opener. How will that affect both teams? For the Panthers, you wonder about being able to put two straight losses behind them as they begin to focus on goals that are still within reach. For USF, you wonder about a team that has not been tested since the opener at Notre Dame four weeks ago.

3. B.J. Daniels vs. Tino Sunseri. Daniels has been the better quarterback and a big reason why USF is 4-0. Tino Sunseri has had struggles in the new "high-octane" Pitt offense and the Panthers are 2-2. Quarterback play is going to be hugely important in this game. Can Pitt get pressure on Daniels? Can Sunseri make something happen?

4. West Virginia on the rebound. The Mountaineers are coming off a disappointing loss to LSU, now the No. 1 team in the nation. Is their game against Bowling Green a classic "emotional letdown game?" After all, it is hard to imagine players and fans getting as jacked up about this game as they did for the Tigers. How will Dana Holgorsen prepare his players to play from opening kickoff and put last week in the past?

5. M*A*S*H Unit. Syracuse has been struggling with injuries since preseason camp. Now that they have taken a particular toll on the defense, coach Doug Marrone has closed off practice and refused to discuss who might play and who might sit out in the conference opener against Rutgers. His reason is simple -- he does not want to give Rutgers any competitive advantage. But whether or not all his players are able to go on Saturday, they still are going to have a tough time trying to contain ...

6. Mohamed Sanu. Sanu has gone from afterthought behind Mark Harrison and spring breakout performer Brandon Coleman (remember that!?) to super stud, with 36 receptions so far this season. He has 29 in his past two games and leads the nation in receptions per game. Defenses are doubling him, but has found a way to break through. He and Chas Dodd have developed a good chemistry, so the onus is on the Orange to stop him. Of course, this is nothing new for Syracuse, having faced Robert Woods of USC and Eric Page of Toledo already this season.

7. Who starts at quarterback for Louisville? Coach Charlie Strong said this week that Will Stein is questionable with a shoulder injury, leaving the door open for true freshman Teddy Bridgewater to start. He did well in relief of Stein against Kentucky, but starting a game provides different challenges. If he does start, both teams would have true freshmen quarterbacks behind center. Marshall starter Rakeem Cato has been the starter since the season began and, like Bridgewater, is from Miami.

8. UConn running game. Can the Huskies get their running game going? They have struggled the past two games, mainly because teams are loading the box to try and force them to win games with the pass. Western Michigan has the No. 94 ranked run defense in the country, but expect the Broncos to do the same. Lyle McCombs and D.J. Shoemate have to find enough wiggle room to make some plays, and the offensive line has to block better, too.

9. Opportunistic Cincy D. Can the Bearcats keep up the takeaways on defense? So far they lead the nation with 16. Miami (Ohio) already has given the ball away six times and is one of the worst in the nation in turnover margin, so this could play a big role once again.

10. Presidents meeting. One story line to keep an eye on off the field: The Big East presidents will meet this weekend to discuss the future of the conference. USF president Judy Genshaft already spoke to one legislative group this week, saying the league was focused on bringing in schools outside states that already have Big East members. Meanwhile, UConn president Susan Herbst says she is committed to making the Big East work. They need to come up with a plan and fast.

Last week was a perfect week here at the Big East blog, but now the real season begins. Conference play tests even the strongest of prognosticators because as every coach likes to remind us -- this league is totally wide open. We'll see how my 27-4 record holds up after Week 5.

No. 16 USF at Pitt, Thursday, 8 p.m., ESPN. The Bulls have lost three straight to the Panthers, and six times on Thursday nights. But history is for textbooks. This is a new USF team that is playing with confidence and a quarterback who looks immensely comfortable in the system. Contrast that to Pitt, whose quarterback looks immensely uncomfortable in his system. Until Tino Sunseri gets a hang of this offense, the Panthers are going to have a tough time beating upper echelon teams. Hard to see a breakout game against a solid defense. USF 24, Pitt 17.

Rutgers at Syracuse, Saturday, noon, ESPN3. In the highly anticipated showdown between teams vying to be "New York's team" we find two evenly matched teams. Both have had struggles running the ball. Both have had quarterbacks and receivers with solid seasons to date. I give the edge to Rutgers because I think Mohamed Sanu can take advantage against a banged-up Syracuse defense, and the Scarlet Knights defense has played better than the Orange to date. Rutgers 27, Syracuse 24.

Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), Saturday, 1 p.m., ESPN3. The Bearcats are coming off a big Thursday night win over NC State and now play Miami (Ohio) in the oldest nonconference rivalry in college football. Cincinnati has won five straight in the series and faces a Miami team that is 0-3 under first-year coach Don Treadwell. Isaiah Pead is in line to have a big day against the No. 84 run defense in the country. Cincinnati 35, Miami 17.

Western Michigan at UConn, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3. The Huskies face their second straight MAC opponent when Western Michigan visits. Johnny McEntee was officially given the starting job this week, and coach Paul Pasqualoni is hopeful he will be able to build on a good performance against Buffalo in which he threw the first two touchdown passes of his career. Western Michigan has a good passing game with Alex Carder and receiver Jordan White, so watch for the Broncos to try and pick on Gary Wilburn, starting in place of Blidi Wreh-Wilson. UConn 21, Western Michigan 17.

Marshall at Louisville, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3. We get our first glimpse of the Cardinals since they upset in-state rival Kentucky. Expect to see plenty of Teddy Bridgewater, who could be making his first career start if Will Stein is unable to play with a shoulder injury. The inconsistent Louisville offensive line could have its hands full with Vinny Curry, but the Cardinals should be able to run on Marshall and shut down what has been an anemic Herd offense. Louisville 30, Marshall 13.

Bowling Green at No. 22 West Virginia, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3. The Mountaineers aim to bounce back against a Bowling Green team that is vastly improved from a year ago. The big question is whether or not the Falcons can handle Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, who have played incredibly well in the past two games. Bet you would not guess this -- Bowling Green actually averages more points than the Mountaineers. Not in this game. West Virginia 38, Bowling Green 17.

Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had mixed results in his first two collegiate games.

His highly anticipated debut was not really much to write home about -- he played in one series each against Murray State and FIU, generating little production.

So when starter Will Stein went down with a shoulder injury in the second quarter against Kentucky two weeks ago, Bridgewater had to play the rest of the game. Would a player with three career passes and an interception on his stat line be able to guide his team against bitter in-state rivals? Against a team that had beaten the Cardinals four straight times?

Bridgewater stepped into the huddle with calm and poise. The first few drives stalled, but Bridgewater looked far from overwhelmed. He threw his first career touchdown pass to DeVante Parker later in the quarter, and directed the Cardinals to the upset win.

Now as Louisville prepares to return from its bye with a game against Marshall on Saturday, Bridgewater figures to get more playing time and could potentially start. Coach Charlie Strong said Stein is questionable for the game, and Bridgewater has gotten plenty of reps in practice.

Bridgewater, perhaps hardest on himself, says of his game against Kentucky, “I think I did pretty good. I could have played better -- had a couple mental errors -- but other than that I had a great night.”

How long did it take for the magnitude of what he did to sink in?

“Well, it hit me a couple days later,” Bridgewater said. “The night of the game, I treated it as another game, another opponent but later during the week, it hit me that I beat a rival we hadn't beaten in five years. It made me feel good, because I had the team support also.”

Bridgewater said the experience he gained in his first two games helped him realize he had to finish drives. He also learned patience, that he could be called upon to play at any moment. The pregame script called for Bridgewater to go into the game on the drive after Stein got hurt. So he was already preparing to get into the game.

He just didn’t realize he would be relied upon for all of it. Bridgewater finished 10-of-18 for 106 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.

“What's been great -- you always tell a player they’re a play a way and a lot of times they don't understand that,” Strong said. “Teddy did that. He showed poise on the road as a true freshman, was able to come in and lead our offense. He managed our offense, didn't turn the ball over and it was great to see him come in and see what he did.”

That is what Bridgewater has wanted since he enrolled at Louisville in the spring as one of the more highly touted prospects in the nation. Bridgewater had committed to Miami before changing his mind and signing with the Cardinals. He and Stein competed for the starting job, and although Stein became the starter, the plan was always to get Bridgewater into games.

There never has been a question about Bridgewater being the future leader of this team. Louisville just got a glimpse of the future a little early.

He may start this week. He may come off the bench this week. But regardless, Bridgewater knows his opportunity is coming.

“Patience is a virtue,” he said. “You have to be patient to get good things in life. I have that mentality.”

Here are some news and notes from the Big East coaches call earlier today.

Cincinnati
Can the NC State win be a springboard for the Bearcats?

"When you win, it breeds more and more confidence," coach Butch Jones said. "We need to build off it. Games like this can help you or they can hurt you. We still have a lot of improvements we have to make.

UConn
Starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson has a sprained MCL and is out at least a couple of weeks. Coach Paul Pasqualoni did not have a timetable for his return. Wreh-Wilson was injured against Buffalo, and Gary Wilburn replaced him. He will get the starting nod while Wreh-Wilson is out.

"Nobody's happy about the way this has happened, because Blidi had such a big game going the other night when it happened. It's just a shame. He's a leader, he's a captain, but this is an opportunity for Gary Wilburn and I think he'll do well with it," Pasqualoni said.

Louisville
Coach Charlie Strong said the team is preparing as if quarterback Will Stein will be able to play. Less certain is the status of center Mario Benavides.

“He has a chance,” Strong said. “How much of a chance that is, we don’t know, but we’re going to get him out there and try to let him go to work on Tuesday and see exactly where we are.”

Guard John Miller and cornerback Andrew Johnson are also "prepared to go."

Pittsburgh
Coach Todd Graham knows it has been slow going for his offense, which scored just 12 points last week against Notre Dame. Tino Sunseri was sacked six times, and a big reason why is because he continues to hold onto the ball too long. Graham was asked what it would take to get the offense going.

"Actually run the offense would be the first key," he said. "We've had a lot of misreads, taking sacks on quick-game passes. We're up and down, which results in being really inconsistent. We've done a lot of things. We got better, but that's not what we're after."

Rutgers
Rutgers made some changes along the offensive line, with Betim Bujari and Kaleb Johnson making their first career starts. Was there improvement against Ohio?

“We were a little better. Jawan Jamison had some nice runs," coach Greg Schiano said. "He made some people miss in the backfield and turned them into positive plays, had a couple big runs. Anytime you can produce, which we did, it makes you feel better. But when you watch the tape, it doesn’t take away the evils. We still have our issues. We started two new guys. I felt they performed relatively well. This is going to be a big week now. You always hear coaches say the biggest improvement is between Week 1 and Week 2. For Kaleb and Betim, this was their Week 1, so let's see how much they improve."

Syracuse
Coach Doug Marrone alluded to the injuries his team has had to deal with, especially on defense with players like Chandler Jones, Shamarko Thomas, Olando Fisher and Ri'Shard Anderson having missed time. But he was not ready to make any announcements about their playing status.

"We're a banged-up football team," Marrone said. "We have to make decisions on players -- who's playing, who's not. It will be a very, very big game for everyone."

USF
The Bulls and Panthers face the tough process of having to open Big East play with just five days between games. USF will practice late Monday night, which is usually a day off, to work around players' class schedules.

"It makes it difficult," coach Skip Holtz said. "You just have to be smart with what you do. You have to polish up some of the things you've been running at this point to get ready for this game."

West Virginia
Coach Dana Holgorsen said he has already begun to emphasize to his team that it has got to play smarter. Turnovers, special teams mistakes and penalties really hurt the Mountaineers in their loss to LSU.

Who is going to be the next to make a Big East team an offer it can't refuse?

• Cincinnati is in a mad dash to stay relevant. Ten things you don't know about Zach Collaros.
• UConn's best bet would be to join the ACC, writes Paul Doyle of The Hartford Courant. Conference options have to be discussed quickly.
• Will Stein remains Louisville's starting quarterback.
• Pitt is bracing for Notre Dame. Former coach Mike Haywood has filed suit against Pitt, alleging breach of contract and a violation of federal law when he was fired following his arrest on a domestic violence charge.
• Rutgers prepares to face a unique offense from Ohio. The ACC is the best conference for Rutgers to join. Joe Martinek has plenty of potential.
• Former Syracuse athletic director Jake Crouthamel gives his views on the move to the ACC. So does hoops coach Jim Boeheim. How about some talk about, you know, football.
• USF coach Skip Holtz wonders whether Miami and Boston College feel they are better off in the ACC. Freshman receiver Andre Davis already has his place in the school record book.
• West Virginia could use some help from the home crowd against LSU. Geno Smith has had trouble with the fade pass. The Mountaineers are doing well recruiting in Baltimore and Washington D.C. Opponent watch: LSU coach Les Miles talks West Virginia.
• The Big East can survive if it follows this plan.

Here are some Big East news and notes from the coaches' conference call earlier this morning:

Cincinnati

The Bearcats have a short week to prepare for NC State, a team that beat them last season. What is the biggest challenge?

“The health of your team, the overall preparation that goes into a game,” coach Butch Jones said. “The physicality suffers a little bit. … NC State presents so many challenges for us not only on offense and defense but on special teams. Last year they physically dominated us. There are a lot of challenges in preparing but also when you’re playing a great opponent like NC State, that magnifies everything.”

Connecticut

The Huskies might be 1-2, but coach Paul Pasqualoni says his team is improving while it continues to adjust to a new offensive and defensive scheme.

“My outlook is positive,” he said. “I think we had a chance Friday night to have a big night offensively and we just couldn't get the ball to the open receiver. We have to grow up and totally understand the concepts. Part of this thing, not many people view Vanderbilt as a good football team. Vanderbilt is a good football team, Iowa State is a good football team.” Indeed, both teams are 3-0.

Louisville

Neither the offensive nor the defensive lines played particularly well in the first two games of the season for the Cardinals. So coach Charlie Strong challenged them to step up their game against Kentucky. They did, and both had their best game of the season. For more on the defense, stay tuned for my one good thing video shortly.

“I put this game on our front,” Strong said. “I told the defensive line and the offensive line the only way we can beat Kentucky is to win the battle up front. If we don't win the battle up front ,we don't have a chance. Both accepted the challenge and both performed well.”

Strong added that Will Stein (shoulder) should be fine and could have gone into the game had the Cardinals needed him. There are no plans to alter the quarterback rotation at this time.

Pitt

Coach Todd Graham said his team has gotten over its disappointing loss to Iowa, and said the recent news that the school was moving to the ACC wasn’t a distraction.

“Our guys don't need any motivation to play Notre Dame," he said. “They know how good a football team is coming in here. We're focused on Notre Dame and correcting the mistakes we've made and getting better as a football team.”

Rutgers

Coach Greg Schiano said some progress was made in the bye week to help get the offensive line and running game going. Betim Bujari and Kaleb Johnson will play, though Schiano didn’t say whether they would start. Savon Huggins, Jawan Jamison and Jeremy Deering will be rotated at the tailback spot, depending on game plan and how they do in the game.

I asked specifically what he saw in the first two games that led him to the decision to go with those three and shuffle De’Antwan Williams down the depth chart. Williams has since left the team.

“You look at what we've been doing, and the upside if repetitions are allocated differently,” Schiano said. “You have to make some calculated decisions on upside, who will get better as the year goes on. Nothing is ever final. In our program, competition is every day. Just because you move down one day doesn't mean you aren’t going to move up the next. You just have to battle away. It's day to day. You earn your spot every day.”

Syracuse

Coach Doug Marrone said he was excited about the prospects of joining the ACC, but wants to remain focused on the season.

"Joining the ACC puts us in a strong position for the future, and again I'm excited about the quality of schools, academically and athletically and the competition," he said. "I look forward to them in the future. What I've told the staff and what I've told the players is that our focus right now is on this season, so I've told them not to comment on it. I'm probably not going to comment on it at all. We have a much larger task with our program to concentrate on the teams that we have coming in and the upcoming season. I know that everyone here has a job to do, and I respect that. All I ask is that you respect that we have a job to do, because I would like to make sure that I'm the coach when we bring this team forward for the future of the ACC, and that means winning football games."

USF

True freshman defensive tackle Elkino Watson has made an immediate impact for the Bulls. He is fourth on the team with 15 tackles and leads the team with four tackles for loss. Injuries to reserves at that spot opened up playing time for him, and he’s flourished.

“He's made the most of his opportunity,” coach Skip Holtz said.” He’s big, physical, can run … the more he plays the more he's thriving. The more reps we can give him right now as we start getting ready for the conference, the better he can become.”

West Virginia

Coach Dana Holgorsen gave his first impressions of No. 2 LSU.

“They're as fast as any football team out there on all three sides of the ball,” he said. “Then they’re extremely well coached on all three sides of the ball. Looks to me they’re highly motivated, they're playing with a lot of energy. They've already been in big games this year and have some guys who can rise to the occasion. They're a physical football team, too. We're going to have to play fast and play hard.”