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Brian Kelly insists this is not a transition year for Notre Dame.

Kelly is installing a new system on both sides of the ball and hopefully a new mindset during his first year in South Bend. But he knows impatient Irish fans want him to win games, not talk about rebuilding.

Notre Dame has a record resembling that of a reclamation effort: 3-3. Yet there are positive signs if you look close enough.

The Irish are one crazy fake field goal play in overtime and one defensive stop away from possibly being 5-1. Of course, people are sick about hearing how close this program is from being better. What has improved is an overall mental toughness; Notre Dame isn't physically stout enough to hang with an imposing team like Stanford, but the Irish have dealt with adversity while making big plays on the road at Michigan State and holding Pittsburgh down defensively while clinging to a lead.

What still needs to come is an ability to step on an opponent's throat when the momentum is on their side. Dayne Crist needs to understand the complexities of the spread offense better so Kelly can let him and the offense loose to play at a higher tempo. Mistakes like careless turnovers in the red zone and drive-killing penalties have to end.

The good news for the Irish is they can work on these things while playing Western Michigan, Navy and Tulsa in the next three games. After that stretch, the record should look less like that of a team in transition.

Offensive MVP: Armando Allen, RB

While Crist has been inconsistent, Michael Floyd has had costly fumbles and Kyle Rudolph has played through an injured hamstring, Allen has been about as reliable a player as the Irish have. Notre Dame may never have a high-powered run game, but Allen runs hard every time and is on pace to approach a 900-yard season. Defenses can't just load up against the pass when Allen is in the game.

Defensive MVP: Manti Te'o, LB

Nose tackle Ian Williams and cornerback Darrin Walls have had strong seasons, but there's no doubt who the star is on the Irish defense. Te'o has taken well to the inside linebacker spot in Bob Diaco's 3-4 as just a true sophomore, leading the team with 69 tackles. He still makes the occasional mistake, but it's almost always out of aggression, and Te'o is the one guy who can totally blow up an opposing offense's best-laid plans.

East Carolina Pirates

Record: 3-2 (3-0 Conference USA)

It appeared the Pirates were in for a rebuilding year when the season began. With just six starters returning off their league-championship team and a new head coach, it would stand to reason there would be a transition period. East Carolina lost 34 lettermen from 2009, the highest number of all FBS schools. But Ruffin McNeill has found a quarterback to run his high-octane offense. Boston College transfer Dominique Davis emerged as the starter following a heated fall competition and perhaps set the tone for the rest of the season with his Hail Mary touchdown pass to Justin Jones as time expired to give his team a 51-49 win over Tulsa in the opener. The Pirates also came from behind to beat Southern Miss and are in the conversation for the league title. The defense has been shaky at best, and depth on the defensive line is a question.

Offensive MVP, QB Dominique Davis – Davis had thrown for 14 touchdown passes and rushed for three more. He leads Conference USA in passing, averaging 288 yards a game. No question Davis has been put in the position to keep up with the opposition, but he has proven to be more than capable of leading this offense.

Defensive MVP, LB Dustin Lineback – No question the defense has struggled this season, giving up an average of 42 points a game. But Lineback has been the consistent leading tackler. He just posted back-to-back double-digit tackle games against Memphis and Southern Miss. He leads the team with 41 tackles, a career-high already.

We’re at the midway point of the SEC football season, and all of a sudden, the mighty in this league don’t look quite as mighty as they once did.

Maybe it’s not a two-team league after all.

During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Alabama and Florida were a combined 33-3 in all SEC games, and two of those losses were to each other.

Through six games this season, the Crimson Tide and Gators have already combined to lose three SEC games, paving the way for somebody else to break the Alabama/Florida stranglehold in this league.

Who’s it going to be?

For starters, don’t count out Alabama or Florida.

The Crimson Tide had their 19-game winning streak stopped last Saturday by South Carolina, illustrating once and for all that this isn’t the same defense that spearheaded the national championship run a year ago. Still, Alabama remains the most talented team in the league and isn’t going anywhere.

The Gators, despite losing consecutive games for the first time since the 2007 season, still technically control their own fate in the Eastern Division race. But they’ll have to do it with the weakest offense Urban Meyer has had since taking the job in 2005.

And the new guys on the block?

Auburn is unbeaten with a favorable schedule. The Tigers get Arkansas and LSU at home each of the next two weeks. Like all of Alabama’s SEC opponents the rest of the way, the Tigers get a bye the week before they face the Crimson Tide. That rivalry game is the regular-season finale.

That Nov. 26 game in Tuscaloosa could easily decide the West champ.

That is, if LSU doesn’t have something to say about it. The bounces have gone Les Miles’ way. The penalties have gone his way, and he has one gem of a defense.

So don’t count out the Tigers, who should go to 7-0 this week with McNeese State coming to town.

And in the East, Steve Spurrier has his Gamecocks positioned to do something everybody said they couldn’t do -- get to Atlanta and play for the SEC championship.

Fresh off taking down then No. 1-ranked Alabama, the Gamecocks won’t be sneaking up on anybody the rest of the way. We’ll see how they handle prosperity, something that hasn’t been that program’s strong suit historically.

Strap it on tight, because with five teams ranked in the top 12 nationally, the finish this season in the SEC ought to be one for the ages.

Offensive MVP: Auburn QB Cameron Newton

With everything he’s meant to Auburn to this point, Newton would factor into the national conversation when you start talking about college football’s most valuable player. He’s also a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Simply, he’s one of those players you just don’t see come along very often. He’s 250 pounds, runs with the expertise, power and confidence of a tailback and has a cannon for an arm. He’s already accounted for 21 touchdowns. Honorable mention goes to South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery, who’s been an absolute force for the Gamecocks.

Defensive MVP: LSU DT Drake Nevis

This was a two-man race the whole way. Nevis just barely nudged past Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley because LSU’s defense is better overall. The Tigers are ranked fifth nationally and first in the SEC in total defense, and the havoc that Nevis has wreaked up front is a big reason why. He leads all SEC interior defensive linemen with 33 total tackles and he was unblockable last week with 4.5 tackles for loss against a veteran Florida offensive line. He and Fairley are tied for second in the league with five sacks apiece, and Nevis is tied for second with 10.5 tackles for loss. Fairley’s 12.5 tackles for loss leads the SEC.

Biggest surprise: South Carolina

The talk before the season was that this might be the Gamecocks’ best chance yet under Steve Spurrier to make a run at the Eastern Division championship. But the Head Ball Coach was down on quarterback Stephen Garcia and not sure his offensive line was made of the right stuff. Well, here the Gamecocks are, ranked in the Top 10 nationally and leading the East at the midway point. They have some of the best young talent in the league and are playing with a ton of confidence right now.

Biggest disappointment: Georgia

Even though the Bulldogs wrestled out from under their four-game losing streak last week with a 41-14 win against Tennessee, they’ve still woefully underachieved this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray has been one of the bright spots. He sure isn’t the reason Georgia’s 2-4 heading into the second half of the season. It’s more an offensive line that hasn’t lived up to its billing, critical fumbles by the running backs and a defense that has given up way too many big plays.

Best game: LSU at Florida, Oct. 2

This one had it all -- a game-winning touchdown pass on the final offensive play of the game, a fake field goal to keep that game-winning drive alive, a little controversy and a divine bounce. LSU rallied to beat Florida 33-29 in the Swamp last weekend. Les Miles called for a fake field goal in the final minutes, and the Tigers got a great bounce on the over-the-head-flip to kicker Josh Jasper, who picked up the first down. The flip was close to being a forward lateral, but was too close to overturn by the replay official. Jarrett Lee then capped what was a wild game by lofting a strike to Terrence Toliver, who was able to get one foot down in the end zone to keep the Tigers unbeaten.

Best coach: Auburn’s Gene Chizik

Two years on the job, Chizik has this Auburn program rolling. He was able to keep his entire staff intact during the offseason, the only one in the SEC that didn’t have any turnover, and the Tigers have been a resilient, tough football team in the second half. They rallied in the second half to beat both Clemson and South Carolina, and showed enough poise on the road last week to come up with a pressure drive at the end and hold off Kentucky. The defense still isn’t great, but it’s gotten better and has produced big plays when Auburn has needed them. Of course, the best move Chizik’s made was getting Newton to sign with the Tigers last December.

The preseason expectation for the Pac-10 was lots of quality depth, though probably no national title contender. It also looked to be loaded with exceptional quarterbacks with NFL futures ahead.

As we pause to take a measure at midseason, some of that proved true. Other aspects have not.

Yes, the Pac-10 is deep. It might be the nation's deepest conference. It has nine quality teams that can compete on a high level, and over the past few weeks team No. 10 -- woeful Washington State -- has shown clear signs of improvement. It doesn't appear there is any game on the conference schedule that qualifies as "easy" any longer.

But there also is, against expectation, an elite team: Oregon is No. 2 in the country and it looks capable of doing what few thought possible in the preseason -- running the table in the Pac-10. That, of course, won't be easy. But it's surprising that entertaining the possibility is now reasonable and relevant.

As for the quarterbacks, that's mostly held true. Stanford's Andrew Luck, Arizona's Nick Foles and USC's Matt Barkley each rank in the top-21 in the nation in passing efficiency. Each looks to have a future playing on Sundays. Moreover, a number of youngsters have stepped up, including Oregon's Darron Thomas, Washington State's Jeff Tuel and Oregon State's Ryan Katz. Arizona State's Steven Threet has put up big passing numbers -- though also too many interceptions -- and California's Kevin Riley has been mostly solid. UCLA's Kevin Prince, when healthy, has been proficient running a new pistol offense, though his passing has regressed.

Perhaps the most hyped of the group, however, Washington's Jake Locker, has underperformed. It's fair to say that three of his five games haven't been very good, including a career-worst performance against Nebraska.

Besides Oregon, we hit the midseason with Stanford, Arizona and Oregon State nationally ranked, though each has suffered a defeat, and in the Beavers case, two.

The Wildcats and Beavers look like the top potential obstacles for Oregon -- the Ducks already dispatched Stanford soundly -- but don't count out Cal, which plays host to the Ducks on Nov. 13.

Oregon State, slotted third in most preseason conference rankings, regained its mojo after winning at Arizona this past weekend. The Wildcats posted perhaps the best nonconference win with a victory against then-No. 9 Iowa.

Arizona State, Washington, UCLA and USC form a second tier. Each has had some good moments. And some bad. The scramble among these teams for bowl eligibility will be a big story in the season's second half, though obviously the Trojans can only play the spoiler as they are ineligible for the postseason because of NCAA sanctions.

Offensive MVP: LaMichael James leads the nation with 169.6 yards rushing per game. He's scored 10 total touchdowns, including nine rushing. He's a leading Heisman Trophy candidate. He's the speedy face of the nation's best offense.

Defensive MVP: UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers is the best defensive player in the conference -- and one of the best in the nation -- but the MVP is Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Bair, who leads the Pac-10 with 12 tackles for a loss. He also has three sacks and -- get this -- five passes defended.

Biggest surprise: This was going to be Arizona's defense until the Oregon State loss. Instead, it's Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas, whose rapid growth running the Oregon spread-option offense has been a revelation and is the prime reason the Ducks are national title contenders. Someone else played quarterback for the Ducks last year but no one remembers his name anymore.

Biggest disappointment: USC built a reputation for outstanding defense under Pete Carroll. And Carroll was widely considered the nation's best recruiter -- the builder of an NFL factory line, in fact -- on the mean side of the ball. So when new coach Lane Kiffin arrived at USC with his dad, Monte Kiffin, one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, the widely held assumption was the Trojans would recover their mojo. Nope. They presently rank 100th in the nation in total defense, surrendering 428.7 yards per game.

Best game: While UCLA's blowout win at Texas was the most shocking result, Arizona's 34-27 win against then-No. 9 Iowa probably generated the most national respect. The Wildcats came out on fire then tried to hand the game back to the Hawkeyes with a flurry of mistakes. Only instead of wilting, the Wildcats asserted themselves and imposed their will on both sides of the ball, first driving for the winning touchdown and then slamming Iowa's chance for an equalizer with three consecutive sacks. It was a clear, decisive KO victory. The Wildcats showed that, sure, Pac-10 teams are fast, but they also can break your nose.

Best coach: After transforming Oregon's offense into a ridiculously potent and entertaining operation as its coordinator, Chip Kelly got the Ducks to the Rose Bowl in his first season as head coach. Neh. Now he's got the Ducks ranked No. 2 and in serious national title contention. And it benefits the Pac-10 to have a guy who's not afraid to be his colorful self even when the cameras are on. So: Show some respect, OK!

Nebraska and Texas both find themselves in unfamiliar positions, no doubt the stories of the first half of the Big 12 season. Bo Pelini declared after the Holiday Bowl win to cap last season that Nebraska was back, and the Huskers' ascent into the top 5 for the first time since 2001 has proved him right.

Meanwhile, Texas is nowhere to be found in the top 25 for the first time since the 2000 season.

On Saturday, the teams' paths will cross in Lincoln, Neb. This is no longer the national championship elimination game it could have been. Instead, the Longhorns are relegated to the role of spoiler, heading to Huskerland with an intent to upset, derailing Nebraska's run at a title.

The stakes are gone.

The emotion remains.

"Ever since that last game in the Big 12 championship, the whole state of Nebraska has been leading up to this game," said quarterback Taylor Martinez.

So no matter where Texas is or isn't in the polls, it'd be remiss to think Nebraska has forgotten who denied it a BCS bowl berth and the program's first Big 12 championship since 1999. Now, the road to another run at a title meets Texas. And just because the Longhorns more closely resemble a speed bump than a road block, the Huskers don't want to beat them any less badly.

And of course, there was that whole thing this summer.

Nebraska didn't leave because it was mad at Texas. It didn't leave solely because of championship game or league office locations. But give Texas this, Nebraska: Had the Big 8 not reached out to Texas & Co. in the mid-1990s after the Southwest Conference disbanded, Nebraska almost surely would not be preparing to become the 12th member of the Big Ten. Whatever that means, it's still probably a fact.

And Nebraska would like nothing more than to improve its 1-7 record against the Longhorns and take control of the bragging rights upon exiting the league, further setting up what might end up being a heavyweight fight in the Big 12 title game with an old Big 8 rival and current fellow undefeated, No. 6 Oklahoma.

Beating Texas is the next step to reaching that game. Saturday might just mean a move to 2-0 in Big 12 play for Bo Pelini and his players. But for the state of Nebraska and its beloved program, it means much, much more.

Now for some midseason awards:

Offensive MVP: Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska. Who would have seen this coming? Martinez broke a 46-yard touchdown on his first career carry, and he hasn't stopped running. He's the Big 12's leading rusher with 737 yards, and looks like he's only getting better. His 241 yards and four touchdowns against Kansas State were career highs, and through five games he's been the Big 12's most exciting player, with 12 touchdown runs, most in college football.

Defensive MVP: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma. He's looked the part of the Big 12's best pure pass-rusher through five games this season, leading the Big 12 with six sacks, fourth most nationally, and he's forced three fumbles. Consider also that those six sacks in five games include a game against Air Force, whose option attack has given up three sacks all year and has just 69 pass attempts. Beal also has 8.5 tackles for loss.

Biggest surprise: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys were picked by the media to finish fifth in the Big 12 South. Through five games, they've looked like the third-best team in the Big 12. They've risen on the legs of one of the nation's best offenses and a crazy-good combination of skill-position talent in receiver Justin Blackmon, running back Kendall Hunter and quarterback Brandon Weeden. The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in total offense and scoring offense, and rank fourth and second nationally in both stats, respectively.

Biggest disappointment: Texas. No arguments here. The Longhorns offered a little foreshadowing for their fall out of the polls with underwhelming wins against Rice and Wyoming early in the season, before suffering a shocking 34-12 loss to unranked UCLA, which now sits at 3-3 and 1-2 in the Pac-10. The Texas offense has sputtered, the defense has been inconsistent, and the Longhorns look likely to fall to 3-3 with a game at Nebraska on Saturday. The schedule softens up later in the season, and my guess is the Longhorns rebound to finish in the top 25, but any team who starts the season in the top 5 and ends up unranked by Week 6 is going to be slapped with the "disappointment" label.

Best game: Oklahoma State 38, Texas A&M 35. The excitement of the game's numerous twists and momentum swings were surpassed only by Dan Bailey's game-winning field goal. Oklahoma State rebounded from a 21-7 halftime deficit to take a 35-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a crazy fumble return. Then Jerrod Johnson led two scoring drives to tie it at 35 in the game's final minutes. Then, after a clutch defensive stop by the Aggies, Johnson handed the game back to Oklahoma State on an ill-advised interception -- his fourth of the night -- setting up Bailey's kick.

Best coach: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State. Gundy admitted that running his offense took too much of a physical toll on him to continue doing it. After a pair of poor offensive performances to close the 2009 season, Gundy went shopping and found Dana Holgorsen at Houston, who coordinated the most productive offense in college football a year ago. Gundy's move has paid off. Hunter has returned to form and Oklahoma State has found two new stars in Weeden and Blackmon, helping the Cowboys race to a 5-0 start and a top-20 ranking in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year after the losses of four offensive linemen, quarterback Zac Robinson and receiver Dez Bryant.

In a sport where perception means everything, the Big Ten has maintained the image it had entering the season.

The league came through the 2009-10 bowls with the arrow pointing up, and little has changed through the first six games this fall. Most still view the Big Ten as a good conference; not quite elite, but having the ingredients to get there.

Ohio State entered the season as a bona fide national title contender, and the Buckeyes reach the season's midway point as the nation's No. 1 team. They have some flaws, namely an inconsistent run game aside from quarterback Terrelle Pryor, but they're certainly capable of getting to Glendale.

Most forecasted a three-team race for the Big Ten title, and they could still be right. The only difference is Michigan State has leapfrogged Wisconsin as a legitimate challenger to both Ohio State and Iowa. Although the Spartans have teased us before with quick starts, their unblemished first half feels genuine, as they've overcome plenty of adversity both in games and off the field with coach Mark Dantonio's health situation.

Somewhat overshadowed by Ohio State and Michigan State is an Iowa squad that still might control the Big Ten title race, as it hosts both the Spartans (Oct. 30) and Buckeyes (Nov. 20). Senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi and the Hawkeyes have looked very strong aside from a disastrous first half at Arizona.

The Big Ten's depth also is better than expected. Wisconsin can beat anyone on a good day, and both Michigan and Northwestern surged to 5-0 starts. Led by dynamic quarterback Denard Robinson, Michigan's offense has been electric for much of the season, although the Wolverines need to bounce back from Saturday's beating at the hands of Michigan State.

Illinois has been a pleasant surprise, hanging tough with Ohio State and pounding Penn State in Happy Valley. And don't forget about a Purdue team that overcame a rash of key injuries to stun Northwestern on Saturday night. Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell leads a dynamic pass attack, although the Hoosiers' defensive woes aren't going away.

The league isn't without its disappointments. Minnesota continues its downward spiral under Tim Brewster, and Penn State is yearning for health on defense and an identity on offense. Joe Paterno likely will be waiting much longer than expected for his 400th victory.

All in all, a decent first half.

But the Big Ten understands, perhaps more than any other league, that judgment day comes in January.

Offensive MVP: Michigan QB Denard Robinson

You can knock Robinson’s three-interception game against Michigan State, but no Big Ten player has meant more to his team in the first half. Without Robinson’s heroics against Notre Dame and Indiana, Michigan likely loses those games. Pryor also has been essential for Ohio State’s offense, and other Big Ten quarterbacks like Stanzi, Kirk Cousins, Dan Persa, Chappell and Scott Tolzien merit mentions.

Defensive MVP: Michigan State LB Greg Jones and Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan

These two defenders have separated themselves from the pack. Jones’ value shows up on nearly every play, as he’s always around the ball. The All-American also has become a bigger factor in pass coverage this year while maintaining his effectiveness on blitzes. Kerrigan's statistics are staggering -- he leads the Big Ten with 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles -- and without him, an average Purdue defense would be in real trouble.

Biggest surprise: Illinois

Some might expect Michigan State to be here, but those of us who study the league knew the Spartans had the ingredients to be very good this fall. Illinois, meanwhile, has been a pleasant surprise after last year’s 3-9 disaster. The Illini held their own against Ohio State and won their first game in Happy Valley in convincing fashion. Coach Ron Zook’s offseason staff overhaul is working.

Biggest disappointment: Penn State

Pretty much everyone except those voting in the preseason Coaches’ Poll expected Penn State to take a step back after losing a lot of talent and leadership from the 2009 team. But few forecasted the Lions to freefall to the bottom of the league. Penn State has no offensive identity after expecting big things from Evan Royster and the run game, and the recent swell of injuries on defense could really hurt in the second half of league play.

Best game: Notre Dame at Michigan State, Sept. 18

Both Michigan State and Michigan played memorable contests with Notre Dame, but the Spartans’ overtime thriller has a bit more staying power. The game went from defensive struggle to offensive explosion to the extra period, where Dantonio made the gutsiest call of the college season (sorry, Les Miles). The Spartans executed a fake field goal to perfection and scored the game-winning touchdown to ignite their current surge.

Best coach: Mark Dantonio/Don Treadwell

Dantonio made the Call of the Year, but Treadwell’s work during Dantonio’s health-related absence is even more impressive. The Spartans’ offensive coordinator steadily guided the ship for several weeks, making several bold play calls in the win against Wisconsin and producing an excellent game plan of offensive balance in the Michigan victory. If Treadwell keeps this up, he should have an opportunity to be a head coach somewhere in 2011.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offensive MVP: Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut

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

Defensive MVP: Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

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

Biggest surprise: Syracuse

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

Biggest disappointment: Pittsburgh

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

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

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

Best coach: Doug Marrone, Syracuse

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

What began as a season filled with potential has turned into a conference race on the backburner of the national radar halfway through the season. Five ranked preseason teams quickly shrank to one, and even the Florida State-Miami rivalry game couldn’t live up to its blockbuster billing.



The first half of the ACC’s season was defined by its lack of success in nonconference games, as the league’s best hope at a national title contender was shattered as early as Labor Day when Virginia Tech lost to Boise State. The conference went 0-for-4 against top-10 competition with losses to Boise State, Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State. They were resounding reminders of that gap that remains between the ACC and the nation’s elite.

Not only couldn’t the ACC hold its own against the best, it became college football’s punch line after Virginia Tech lost to James Madison, and Georgia Tech, the defending ACC champs, couldn’t beat Kansas, a 5-7 team in 2009. The ACC finished the first half of the season with a 3-9 record against the five other automatic qualifier conferences, and all three wins came against the lowly Big East.

The biggest story of the first half of the season, though, has been the ongoing NCAA investigations at North Carolina into improper contact with agents and possible academic misconduct. The entire saga has been an embarrassment to the university, the league, and should have coach Butch Davis concerned about his future -- regardless of how many games the team finds a way to win.

With no team a clear front-runner in the Coastal Division, though, North Carolina’s chances are as good as anyone’s. Separation has started to occur in the Atlantic Division, with Florida State and NC State leading the way. Their Oct. 28 Thursday night game is likely to determine the division winner, but on a weekend when a league-high five interdivisional games were played, the Coastal Division earned a 3-2 record and could still prove to be deeper.

Don’t confuse mediocrity this year, though, with parity. The ACC is comprised of mainly average teams that will continue to beat up on each other in the second half of the season. As Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said this past summer at ACC media days, the league has had good teams, but not a great one.

And at the midpoint of the regular season, that hasn’t changed.

Offensive MVP: Florida State offensive guard Rodney Hudson. Yes, Russell Wilson will likely win the people’s choice award, and he is a legitimate candidate, but Florida State, the ACC’s lone ranked team this week, would be nowhere without Hudson. Since the loss at Oklahoma, Hudson has earned grades of 94, 80, 87 and 94, respectively. He has had no missed assignments and 18 knockdown blocks during that span as Florida State has averaged 6.3 yards per carry, 258.2 rushing yards and 452.7 total yards per game.

Defensive MVP: Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. He had two sacks for 16 yards in the loss to North Carolina. He now has six sacks in just five games and 11.5 tackles for loss. In five games he has already exceeded his 2009 season totals in terms of sacks and tackles for loss. Bowers ranks third in the nation for tackles for loss and is tied for fourth in sacks.

Best coach: NC State coach Tom O’Brien. He has guided the Wolfpack to a 5-1 record, the program’s best start since 2002. It’s not just the fact that the Pack is winning, though, that has been impressive. Consider that NC State entered this year having to replace all four starters on its defensive line and without a single tailback that had any starting experience. The program finally seems to have turned the corner and is a legitimate contender for an ACC title.

Best game: Boise State 33, Virginia Tech 30. The Hokies fell behind 17-0, but never quit. Instead, led by the dynamic play of quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech rallied to a 27-26 lead in the final quarter thanks to a critical fourth-and-5 conversion. Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore got the final word, but not until 1:09 was left in the game.

Biggest surprise: North Carolina. Even with seven starters missing on defense for the season opener against LSU, the Tar Heels could have won that game. The investigations into possible academic misconduct and improper contact with agents have overshadowed the on-field efforts and improvement of players who did no wrong. T.J. Yates has thrown just one interception, and running back Johnny White has come out of nowhere to lead the team in rushing. The backups on defense have proven capable starters, and UNC has been able to overcome the distraction.

Biggest disappointment: Heisman hopefuls. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams has been sidelined with a hamstring injury the past three games, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder lost the attention when the Seminoles lost at Oklahoma, and Miami quarterback Jacory Harris was overshadowed by Terrelle Pryor in head-to-head competition and has continued his turnover trend. Nobody else in the ACC has separated himself from the likes of Denard Robinson and Kellen Moore.

The teams from non-automatic qualifying conferences could not have asked for a better start to the season. Boise State and TCU remain in the top 5. Utah, Nevada and Air Force are ranked, too, giving the schools from outside conferences a major presence in the polls.

All of this means the non-AQs remain on course for a shot to play for a national championship. Boise State is at No. 3, TCU is at No. 4 and Utah is No. 11 in the AP poll, making them all viable candidates. Utah was No. 10 last week and that made a bit of history, with three non-AQ teams ranked in the top 10 for the first time in history.

Of course, the top non-AQ contenders have to win out, hope for the teams from power conferences to lose and then some. We still have no idea whether an undefeated non-AQ would finish ahead of a one-loss team from a bigger conference. But they are still in position, and that is all they can ask at the midpoint of the season.

The early results bode well for the future of the Mountain West. Three of its current members are ranked. Utah leaves for the Pac-10 next season, but Boise State joins up for 2011. Fresno State and Nevada will be joining, too, either in 2011 or 2012. So that gives the future Mountain West four ranked teams.

Also important to remember, how Boise State finishes will be counted for the Mountain West when it comes time to calculate whether it deserves to get an automatic bid into the BCS. If Nevada is allowed to join for 2011, its results would count, too.

Conference USA has not had as much luck. It lost its top BCS contender in Houston when Case Keenum went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 against UCLA. His backup, Cotton Turner, was also hurt. Without them, Houston has started two true freshmen -- Terrance Broadway started once and David Piland started once. Now its hopes for a league championship remain in jeopardy, too, as SMU, UCF, East Carolina and Southern Miss are all contenders for the league crown.

Meanwhile, the MAC is shaping up the way most expected. Northern Illinois and Temple remain the favorites to meet in the league title game. The Huskies just beat the Owls 31-17, perhaps giving them a leg up.

As for the Sun Belt, Middle Tennessee had hopes to win the conference title this season, but quarterback Dwight Dasher was suspended for the first four games of the season for improperly accepting a $1,500 loan. Troy just won the head-to-head meeting between the two schools, giving the Trojans the inside track at their fifth straight league title. As for the service academies, all three appear on track to make it to a bowl game.

Offensive MVP: Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. There have been so many outstanding offensive performances from all five non-AQ conferences. Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore is right up there, too, considering he is getting Heisman consideration. But it is hard to ignore the numbers Kaepernick has put up. He ranks No. 6 in the country in total yards with 1,960 and has 19 total touchdowns.

Defensive MVP: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall. Curry has been one of the bright spots for a struggling Marshall team. He ranks No. 1 in the country with eight sacks, No. 2 in the country in tackles for loss with 11.5 and No. 16 with 50 total tackles. Curry also has two forced fumbles and three quarterback hurries.

Biggest surprise: Nevada. The Wolf Pack are off to the best start since joining FBS in 1992, and are now being used as a model program as others start to imitate the Pistol offense coach Chris Ault installed there. With Kaepernick and Vai Taua returning, there was no question the offense would be able to put up some numbers, but the defensive improvement under new coordinator Andy Buh has made a huge difference.

Biggest disappointment: BYU. Nobody expected the Cougars to be 2-4 and fighting for their bowl lives at this point in the season. They were off to their worst start since 1973 after losing four straight. A win over San Diego State last week stops some of the bleeding, but this is a team that still has serious questions with a true freshman quarterback and a defense that has been inconsistent all season.

Best game: Boise State 33, Virginia Tech 30. All the pressure was on the Broncos going into this one, because they had so much to prove. They answered the call with an outstanding fourth-quarter comeback. Moore drove his team 56 yards down the field in 38 seconds, throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Austin Pettis with 1:09 left to win the game.

Best coach: Chris Ault, Nevada. I would rather list five here, as Boise State coach Chris Petersen, TCU coach Gary Patterson, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun have all done outstanding jobs so far. But Ault gets the nod because of the way his team has emerged.