ESPN College Football

With one day to go before signing day, it is worth taking a look back at how the players on the Big East first-team fared when they were coming out of high school.

You will see, once again, that recruiting rankings generally have nothing to do with the way a player will do in college. So anybody freaking out about what your school does or does not have in the way of commitments for 2012, just take a deep breath. And look at how some of the most unheralded players out of high school become some of the best in the Big East.

I used ESPN recruiting rankings. Note only one player honored on the first team was ranked as an ESPNU150 player. Many on defense came in as either athletes, receivers or quarterbacks.

Offense

WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. Sanu was ranked the No. 18 safety in the nation coming out of high school in 2009, with a scout grade of 80.

WR/RS Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Austin was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation coming out of high school in 2009 -- three spots behind De'Antwan Williams (Rutgers) and one spot behind Jason Douglas (Pitt). Know who else was ranked ahead -- Victor Marc and Bradley Battles of USF.

OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse. Unranked at his position for the class of 2009, Pugh got a scout grade of 40. Talk about making the most of somebody who was "undervalued."

OT Don Barclay, West Virginia. Ranked No. 65 at his position in the class of 2007. One other West Virginia player was ranked athead of him, at No. 55 -- Gino Gradkowski, who transferred to Delaware.

OG Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Rated the No. 161 defensive end in the class of 2007.

OG Art Forst, Rutgers. Forst was ranked the No. 25 offensive tackle in the class of 2008 -- the second-highest Big East player on the list behind Lucas Nix of Pitt.

OG Andrew Tiller, Syracuse. Tiller was unranked and did not even get a scouts grade when he was being evaluated in 2009 out of Nassau Community College.

C Moe Petrus, Connecticut. The best center in the Big East was unranked and had no scouts grade when he signed with UConn in 2007.

TE Nick Provo, Syracuse. Provo was ranked No. 86 at his position in the class of 2007

QB Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith has lived up to his billing -- ranking No. 97 on the ESPNU150 in the class of 2009. He was the No. 8 player at his position and No. 15 in the state of Florida.

RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The No. 152 ranked running back in the class of 2008, Pead got a scout grade of 71. He just won MVP Honors on the Senior Bowl.

RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh. Rated the No. 66 running back in the class of 2009, Graham was rated behind West Virginia's Daquan Hargrett (left program) and USF's Adaris Bellamy (academics).

RB Antwon Bailey, Syracuse. Ranked the No. 128 running back in the class of 2008 -- well behind fellow signee Averin Collier (No. 42). Collier was considered the gem of the class, but academics derailed his career.

K Dave Teggart, Connecticut. Teggart was ranked the No. 25 kicker in the class of 2007.

Defense

DL Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe was unranked at his position in the class of 2008 and got a scout grade of 40. Four years later, he was the co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

DL Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Reyes also was unranked in his position in the class of 2007 with a scout grade of 40. Believe it or not, he came into UConn at 220 pounds (he's now around 300) and now has a shot to be a mid-round draft pick.

DL Chandler Jones, Syracuse. Jones came to Syracuse as a 230-pound tight end, unranked and giving a scout grade of 40. Now he is headed to the NFL draft as a projected second-to-third round pick.

DL Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Irvin took an incredible journey to West Virginia through Mt. SAC junior college after dropping out of high school.

LB JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer was ranked the No. 93 outside linebacker in the class of 2008, behind such players as Tyler Urban, Marvin Booker (Rutgers), Quavon Taylor (USF) and Marcus Witherspoon (Rutgers).

LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. No ranking or scout grade for Greene, who went to prep school before arriving at Rutgers.

LB Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a quarterback and linebacker in high school who was not ranked.

CB Adrian Bushell, Louisville. Bushell was ranked the No. 21 cornerback in the class of 2008 and originally signed with Florida. After playing at junior college, he made an immediate impact with the Cardinals.

CB Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy was ranked the No. 207 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2007. The same group that featured Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett.

S Drew Frey, Cincinnati. Frey was a receiver coming out of high school and unranked, with a scout grade of 40.

S Hakeem Smith, Louisville. Smith was ranked the No. 93 receiver in the class of 2009, but his athleticism allowed him to switch to defense and emerge as one of the best safeties in the league.

S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh. Also a receiver in the class of 2008, Holley was ranked No. 230 at that position with a scout grade of 65.

S Duron Harmon, Rutgers. The No. 49 athlete in the class of 2009, he was ranked below teammate Jamal Merrell, Todd Thomas of Pitt and Kayvon Webster of USF.

P Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati. O'Donnell was unranked with a scout grade of 40, but he has emerged as one of the most impressive iron men in the league.

The Big East may not have had many players in the Senior Bowl, but it is quality, not quantity that matters.

Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead continued his impressive week, winning game MVP honors with 129 all-purpose yards in the annual college all-star game. Pead was able to show off his versatility on punt returns -- passing J.D. Hill of Arizona State as the Senior Bowl’s all-time leader in punt return yardage with 98. The previous record of 73 had stood since 1971.

Pead also led all rushers with 31 yards on the ground. It was only in the final few games of his senior season that Cincinnati allowed him to start returning punts, something he had done in high school.

“A win caps off the week," Pead said after the North beat the South 23-13 on Saturday in Mobile, Ala. "You want to go in and practice hard, interview well and meet fans, but going away with a loss -- as a competitor -- I wouldn’t like that. We’re all out here competing and for the North side to come in and get a win caps off everything. I got everything I wanted out of this week. I got good work done at practice and I got a win for this game."

"I got everything I wanted out of this week. I got good work done at practice and I got a win for this game."

UConn defensive tackle Kendall Reyes and Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe also played for the North team. Reyes earned the start, and had three tackles and one sacks, while Wolfe had three tackles. Both Pead and Reyes made the CBSSports.com Senior Bowl all-practice team.

Let me take you back to December, when the Big East unveiled its player of the year awards.

Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead won Offensive Player of the Year honors over West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, sending Mountaineers fans into a wild fury.

It was a conspiracy!

West Virginia was being punished for leaving the Big East!

It was obvious Smith was the best player!

That just about sums up the feedback I got into the mailbag, and the comments I saw on the blog.

I was surprised, too. Smith had my vote for Big East Offensive Player of the Year. But I also saw the merits of giving Pead the award, and tried to explain that rationale in one of my mailblogs last month. What helped me to understand was talking to several coaches around the league, who simply thought Smith had a much better supporting cast around him, which helped him boost his numbers.

Well, lo and behold. Another school has supported that theory.

West Virginia itself.

Last week, the school announced its team award winners. Taking home Offensive Player of the Year: receiver Tavon Austin. Not Smith.

So perhaps we should revisit the Pead vs. Smith debate one last time.

To support the idea that Smith had help in boosting his numbers, all you need to do is take a look at this one impressive stat: going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson, Austin had 1,063 yards receiving. Do you know how many yards came after the catch? According to ESPN Stats & Information, that would be 807 -- the most of any player in the BCS Top 25. Or to put it another way, 75.9 percent of his yards came after he caught a pass.

That is some impressive shakin' and bakin' -- which no doubt played a part in Austin being named his team's Offensive Player of the Year. When he got into open space, he was unstoppable. I think the Orange Bowl summed up the way they complemented each other. Austin got my vote for MVP of the game because I felt he was the biggest difference-maker on the field. But Smith won MVP honors for his eye-popping numbers.

It is entirely possible the two split votes among the eight league coaches who cast their ballots. There already is early talk that they could split Heisman votes next season. If anything, the old debate about whether a quarterback makes a receiver or vice versa is an intriguing one when it comes to these two players.

As for Pead, anybody who watched Cincinnati play this season noticed a transformation on offense. Last season, the Bearcats ranked No. 1 in the league in pass offense, averaging 260.7 yards a game, and No. 5 in rushing offense. This season, Cincinnati ranked No. 2 in rushing offense, averaging more than 20 yards more a game in this area. Pass offense was down to 207.6 yards a game.

You could say that is a function of Cincinnati trailing in games last season, but the reality is that Pead was the best player on offense in 2011, and coach Butch Jones made a commitment to making sure he was utilizing his best player. Pead had a carer-high 237 carries -- 80 more than last season. He also had a career-high 12 touchdown runs and more than 1,200 yards on the ground.

Smith and Austin posted career-highs as well, and so did West Virginia receiver Stedman Bailey in this new offense. But clearly the coaches looked beyond the numbers and at the value of each player to their respective teams. Did Austin give Smith a boost? Absolutely. Did the new offense give them both a boost? Absolutely. Nobody will dispute that.

But after seeing Austin win his own team's offensive player of the year award, I felt it necessary to re-think who is most deserving of being Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

Every team has plenty to do in the offseason. Today, I present to you my top priorities for each Big East program headed into the 2012 season.

Cincinnati

• Settle on a quarterback. If 2011 was any indication, then Munchie Legaux seems a sure bet to start next season. He showed flashes, but he needs to spend the bulk of his offseason developing a nice rhythm and chemistry with his receivers. That was one of the biggest roadblocks for him when he took over for Zach Collaros. Cincinnati has some good talent at receiver -- with Anthony McClung, Kenbrell Thompkins and Alex Chisum coming back -- so this must be a top priority.
• Develop senior leadership. The Bearcats are losing the best senior class in school history, filled with leaders left and right. With guys such as Collaros, Isaiah Pead and JK Schaffer gone, who is going to take the responsibility of leading this team? That is something that must be worked on throughout the offseason.

UConn

• Find a quarterback. Sounds the same as last season, right? The Huskies never really found one in 2011 and that is a big reason why they struggled. Spring practice has the potential to have five different quarterbacks taking reps in Johnny McEntee, Scott McCummings, Michael Nebrich, Chandler Whitmer and Casey Cochran. Somebody has to emerge to take a hold of this offense.
• Work on improving the secondary. The weakest part of this team last season ranked No. 113 in the nation, so this is a clear area that has to get better. The Huskies were hurt when starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson missed a good chunk of the season with a knee injury, and they also had to rely on freshmen in Byron Jones and Ty-Meer Brown. This group will be much more experienced, so you have to hope they will be much better, too.

Louisville

• Mature. The Cardinals were one of the youngest teams in the nation last season, and their immaturity showed at times. But now they enter the offseason with exceedingly high expectations. Many preseason lists have them ranked in the Top 25 and challenging for the Big East title. This team will still be young in 2012, so it will be imperative for coach Charlie Strong to help get this group to mature quickly and stay focused.
• Work on the run game. Strong wants the run game to be the bread-and-butter of the offense, and this was an area that took a step back in 2011 with Bilal Powell gone. Louisville went from being ranked No. 1 in the Big East to No. 5 in the Big East, averaging 121.5 yards per game. That is down over 50 yards per game. Dominique Brown and Jeremy Wright are back, but they have to be consistent and the Cardinals probably need somebody else to emerge.

Pitt

• New identity. A new coach means a new identity, so it will be interesting to see how the Panthers look under Paul Chryst and his new staff. We will find out when spring practice opens in March. There is plenty of talent on the roster, but the big question is how will the talent be utilized?
• Is Tino the man? This is starting to sound like a trend, right? The Panthers have quarterback issues as well after Tino Sunseri had a season to forget. Much of his performance can probably be laid at the feet of former coach Todd Graham, who stubbornly tried to run an offensive system that was not suited for the players he had. You can be sure Chryst will open up the quarterback competition to see who emerges.

Rutgers

• Handle expectations. The Scarlet Knights have not been so good in the past when the pressure is on. All you have to do is look back at what happened this season, with a shot to win a share of the Big East title. Now they are getting some preseason love and probably have their best team since 2006. So coach Greg Schiano is going to have to do a good job of managing preparation and focus because expectations were raised off a successful 2011 campaign.
• Quarterback derby. Yet another Big East team with a quarterback question mark. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova ended up splitting the starts this past season. Now there is the possibility that former quarterback Tom Savage transfers back in. I don't know if Schiano can afford to keep playing musical chairs with his quarterbacks every season.

USF

• Re-focus. The Bulls have to put 2011 behind them and focus on the future. This is still a team that has the talent to win. Coach Skip Holtz has to find a way to get that done. This is going to be a veteran team that has been through good times and bad. He needs leaders who will their teammates to victory, who know how to win close games and are determined to get this team back on top. Who are they?
• New defense. USF brings in new defensive coordinator Chris Cosh from Kansas State, its third different coordinator in the past four years. Getting the players adapted to his scheme as soon as possible has to be a point of emphasis in the spring and throughout the offseason.

Syracuse

• More offensive consistency. To be sure, Ryan Nassib and Alec Lemon both had career years and made strides for the Orange. But a lot of that was because the run game was inconsistent, and Syracuse found itself trailing late in several games. This team has to find a way to sustain drives and score -- Syracuse was No. 7 in the Big East in scoring offense (24.2 ppg).
• Shore up the defense. The Orange lose some of their best players on the defensive line, and have to get better in the secondary, which was a major problem for most of the year. Syracuse ranked No. 98 in the nation in pass defense, and they lose some key contributors. Shamarko Thomas is really going to have to step up and take control of this group.

West Virginia

• Big 12 or Big East? The Mountaineers are bent on leaving for the Big 12, regardless of any court outcomes. On-field issues have nothing on trying to figure out where you are going to be playing. And who you are going to be playing.
• Defense. Coach Dana Holgorsen has hired a few defensive assistants, but still no word yet on who is going to run the show. That, of course, will determine the future course of this defense. It appears an inevitability that they will no longer use the 3-3-5 that former coordinator Jeff Casteel ran. Plus, players such as Keith Tandy, Najee Goode, Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller are gone. Shoring up this unit has to be tops on Holgorsen's list.

Without further adieu, here is your 2011 Big East All-Bowl team:

OFFENSE

QB: Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith was named the Discover Orange Bowl MVP after the Mountaineers routed Clemson 70-33. Smith ended up with Orange Bowl records for passing yards (401), touchdowns responsible for (six) and total offense (433). He threw just 11 incompletions and had zero interceptions.

RB: Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year turned in a terrific final performance as a member of the Bearcats in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt. Pead set a school bowl record with 149 yards rushing in a 31-24 win, his sixth 100-yard game of the season. His 12-yard touchdown run with 1:52 remaining sealed the team's first bowl victory since 2007.

RB:Jawan Jamison, Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights run game was inconsistent all season, but the redshirt freshman stepped up against Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Jamison was named MVP of the game after gaining 131 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. It was his third 100-yard game of his career. All of them happened this season.

WR: Tavon Austin, West Virginia. The best playmaker on the Orange Bowl field was pretty much unstoppable. Austin racked up an Orange Bowl record with 280 all-purpose yards, including 117 yards receiving, 46 yards rushing and 117 yards on kickoff returns. He also set Orange Bowl records for receptions (12) and receiving touchdowns (four).

WR: Josh Bellamy, Louisville. Bellamy set a season-high with 98 receiving yards in a loss to NC State in the Belk Bowl. Still, he had the most receiving yards by a Cardinal in a bowl game since Harry Douglas had 165 against Wake Forest in the 2007 Orange Bowl. His 53-yard reception in the first quarter was a career long and the second-longest pass play for Louisville this season.

OG: Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Martinez has been one of the most consistent offensive linemen for the Bearcats over the past two seasons, and he graded out near the top once again in the Liberty Bowl. Martinez helped pave the way for 221 rushing yards -- second most against FBS competition this season.

OG: Betim Bujari, Rutgers, OT: Desmond Wynn, Rutgers. Bujari made just his third start of the season, on the left side no less. Wynn slid over from guard to tackle. But the combination worked for the Scarlet Knights, who put together perhaps their best effort on the offensive line all season. Rutgers ran for 173 yards -- their second-highest total of the season. And they did not allow a sack.

OT: Don Barclay, West Virginia, C: Joe Madsen, West Virginia. One of the biggest knocks against the Mountaineers this season was their inconsistency on the offensive line. In the days leading up to the Orange Bowl, Madsen said he felt the unit had played to the level of its competition. The hope was that facing several NFL draft prospects on the Clemson line would help West Virginia play better. Whatever works, right? West Virginia ran for 188 yards and did not allow a sack in its domination of the Tigers.

DEFENSE

DL: Myles Caragein, Pitt. The Panthers may not have had the greatest game in the BBVA Compass Bowl against SMU, but Caragein was solid for most of the afternoon, with six tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup.

DL: Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe ended his Co-Defensive Player of the Year season with six tackles, including two for loss, against Vanderbilt.

DL: Aaron Donald, Pitt. Donald did his part for the Panthers, with one sack, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and five tackles in all. Pitt racked up four sacks on the day and held SMU to 61 yards rushing in the loss.

LB: Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a part of an outstanding defensive effort, with 1.5 tackles for loss, one sacks, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery against Clemson.

LB: Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. After posting one of the best regular seasons in school history, Greene finished everything off with a team-high 13 tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl to finish the year with 140, tied for fifth in the school single-season record books. Unfortunately, he could not complete the game after breaking his ankle. He is expected to be fine for 2012.

LB: JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer had nine tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss in a win over Vanderbilt. He closes out his career with 337 stops, a mark that ranks him ninth on the Big East career list.

LB: Nick Temple, Cincinnati. The true freshman saved his best performance of the season for the final game of the season. Temple had a career-high eight tackles, a forced fumble and his first career interception in a win over Vanderbilt. Simply put, he was everywhere for the Bearcats.

S: Darwin Cook, West Virginia. Cook had perhaps the play of the game in the Orange Bowl, when he scooped up a fumble by Andre Ellington and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown to seize momentum in the second quarter against Clemson. West Virginia ended up scoring 35 points in the frame to put the game way, way, way out of reach.

S: Eain Smith, West Virginia. With starting Terence Garvin out because of a knee injury, many wondered whether Cook and Smith would take more on their shoulders. They both delivered in a big way. Smith finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 12 solo stops, and assisted on a tackle for loss.

CB: Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy had six tackles and an interception on the night, and was part of a secondary that completely shut down Sammy Watkins, holding him to 66 yards on five catches. After a shaky start, West Virginia hunkered down and gave up just 78 yards passing in the second half. Tajh Boyd completed only 52 percent of his passes.

CB: Logan Ryan, Rutgers. Ryan really seemed to grow up throughout the season and ended the year with another big performance. Logan had seven tackles -- 2.5 for loss -- one interception and half a sack in the win over Iowa State.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Tyler Bitancurt, West Virginia. Bitancurt was 10-for-10 on extra-point attempts in the Orange Bowl, setting a new record for extra points attempted and made in any bowl game.

P: Justin Doerner, Rutgers. Doerner had a terrific performance against Iowa State with a season-best 49.7-yard average on six punts. Two of them went inside the 20. One of them went 57 yards. His average was tops among the five Big East punters in bowl games.

KR: Ralph David Abernathy IV, Cincinnati. After Vanderbilt went up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter, Abernathy took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a score to put the Bearcats up for good. It was the first return for a score in his career.

AP: Austin. See above.

Because I love you all so much, I now present to you my early 2012 Big East power rankings. The season is one day old, so I reserve the right to change my mind based on spring practice and then fall practice. To say these are way early is to say West Virginia beat Clemson. Understatement!

1. West Virginia.* You see the asterisk there for obvious reasons. Will the Mountaineers be in this league in 2012, or will somebody else get to be called the favorite in the preseason? Should West Virginia return to this league, that performance in the Orange Bowl should frighten the rest of this conference. Now granted, there will be some major questions on this defense, but if Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey can put up half a hundred every week, the Mountaineers are going to be really tough to beat.

2. Rutgers. This was a tough call for me. The Scarlet Knights still have quarterback issues, a nonexistent running game and are losing Mohamed Sanu. But they also return 16 starters, including Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene. Everything should be in place for this team to make a serious run. The offensive line will be better; I firmly believe the quarterback play will be better; and there is enough talent at receiver to make up for Sanu's loss.

3. Louisville. Right now, I think it is a toss up between Louisville and Rutgers. The Cardinals also return a majority of their starters, including freshman of the year Teddy Bridgewater, along with a talented receiving corps and an offensive line that solidified itself as the season went on. What I worry about most right now is maturity and leadership. Louisville seems to thrive in an underdog role, and that will not be the case in 2012.

4. Cincinnati. The Bearcats lose 21 seniors, including Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead, Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe, defensive leader JK Schaffer and starting quarterback Zach Collaros. There is a lot of young talent on this team, but the key word is young. How will the Bearcats handle themselves without so many of their best players?

5. USF. This has got to be the year the Bulls make a serious run at the Big East. The only problem is they have no idea how to win Big East games, and that prevents me from listing them higher than middle of the road in this league. There are going to be a lot of returning starters and returning seniors on this team, and plenty of talent. But there are some holes that have to be filled on the offensive line, defensive line and in the secondary. B.J. Daniels must win this season.

6. Pitt. I truly believe Paul Chryst is the best hire Pitt could have made this time around. But does that mean he has what he needs to be able to turn this team into a serious Big East contender? There are major question marks at quarterback, offensive line, defensive line and linebacker. The defense was the strength of this team but it's losing most of its best players. How does Ray Graham come back from knee surgery? I think of all the Big East teams, the Panthers have the most questions headed into the offseason.

7. UConn. Should we talk again about quarterback issues for the Huskies? It was the same theme in the preseason last year. We are no closer today to knowing who is going to lead this team, because there will be yet another quarterback competition. Running back should be an area of strength, just like last season, and there are some good players returning on the defensive line. But offensive line and secondary are also two major questions that must be improved for this team to contend again.

8. Syracuse. The Orange lost their best players on defense in Phillip Thomas, Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich, along with 1,000-yard rusher Antwon Bailey. There are also depth questions on the offensive line, defensive line and at receiver. Ryan Nassib took a good first step this season, but he's got to make bigger steps this year. First and foremost, this team must find an identity and solve all the issues that plagued them at the end of this season.

Cincinnati dropped the SEC to 1-1 in bowl play with a 31-24 win against Vanderbilt, in what was a pretty exciting AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

After a bit of a sluggish first half from both offenses, each team found more ways to find the end zone in the last two quarters, combining for 34 points. The Bearcats put more of an emphasis on the running game, pounding Vandy's defense with Isaiah Pead, and another costly turnover doomed the Commodores.

How the game was won: Defenses led the way in the first half, as the offenses combined for 292 yards and 21 points. But things were very back-and-forth in the fourth quarter. There were three lead changes before two minutes passed in the quarter. Cincinnati took the lead for good when Ralph Abernathy took a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown immediately after Vanderbilt took a 21-17 lead on a 68-yard touchdown reception by Chris Boyd. Pead sealed the Bearcats' win with his 12-yard touchdown run, three plays after a costly interception thrown by Vandy quarterback Larry Smith.

Best call: With Vanderbilt's offense stumbling through the first two quarters, coach James Franklin made the decision early in the third to permanently sit starting quarterback Jordan Rodgers after Rodgers suffered an injury. Smith replaced him, and the Commodores compiled 183 yards and 17 points with Smith under center. Rodgers appeared to be healthy enough to return, but Franklin stuck with Smith.

Turning point: Vanderbilt's offense was much more efficient with Smith at quarterback, but he made a fatal mistake with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth when he threw behind receiver Jordan Mathews and into the hands of Cincinnati's Nick Temple, who returned the ball 12 yards to Vandy's 31-yard line. Three plays later, Pead's touchdown run made it 31-21 Cincinnati.

Stat of the game: The teams combined for 15 punts for an average of 42.5 yards per kick. Four punts went for 50-plus yards and three were down inside the 20-yard line.

Player of the game: Pead was an absolute workhorse for the Bearcats. He carried the ball 28 times for 149 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown.

Unsung hero: Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros returned from his broken ankle and showed good game management late. He was far from great and was shaky early, but he limited his mistakes for the most part. He did have just 80 passing yards and two interceptions, but for as rusty as he looked early, he could have been a lot worse.



Second guessing: With the score tied 7-7 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, Franklin decided to go for a fourth-and-2 at the Cincinnati 44-yard line. On the play, running back Zac Stacy took the handoff, but then tried a jump pass to tight end Brandon Barden. The pass was way off and Cincinnati took over. The Bearcats then drove 56 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 halftime lead.

What it means: Cincinnati, which might have been in a BCS bowl game if not for Collaros' injury, heads into the offseason with a ton of momentum following a 10-win season. Vanderbilt will have to deal with losing another big game because of costly mistakes. Still, things feel different at Vandy, and even with the loss, the Commodores have to feel good about Franklin's first year.

Record performance: With his two interceptions Saturday night, Vanderbilt senior cornerback Casey Hayward tied Leonard Coleman for first all-time in Vanderbilt history with 15 career interceptions.

You saw the preview and prediction. Now here are three keys for Cincinnati (9-3) headed into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon:

1. Slow down Zac Stacy. Cincinnati has been solid against the run in every game except one this season. I know Bearcats fans are still wondering how Rutgers rushed for over 200 yards on the ground back in November. The larger point is this -- Cincinnati has held opponents under 100 yards in six games this season. Twice the Bearcats held opponents to negative yards rushing. They are 5-1 in those games. Meanwhile, if you limit Stacy you have a greater chance for success. In five of Vanderbilt's six losses this season, Stacy was held under 100 yards.

2. Protect Zach Collaros. Cincinnati has been much improved in this department, but it has got to be a huge point of emphasis going into this game because Collaros is coming off a broken ankle. The last thing the Bearcats want is for Collaros to be sacked, or forced to scramble for his life on every down. Coach Butch Jones says Collaros is 100 percent healthy, but this is his first game action in eight weeks and presumably the most he will be doing on his ankle. Collaros is a good runner and scrambler, so Cincinnati is not going to want to take that ability away from him. But it's best to allow him to make plays with his feet on his own, and not as a result of a relentless pass rush.

3. Make some big plays. Cincinnati does have the capability of getting big plays from all areas of its team. This season, the Bearcats had 97 plays go for 20 yards or more -- including 19 from Big East Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead. Included in there is a 65-yard touchdown run against Tennessee earlier in the season. That is tied for the team's longest rushing play of the year. If Cincinnati can hit on some big plays for touchdowns early this could be a huge advantage.

Cincinnati (9-3) takes on Vanderbilt (6-6) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Here is a quick preview:

WHO TO WATCH: Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. I have a feeling that very few in SEC country has ever heard of Wolfe, who had one of the best seasons for an interior lineman in the entire country. Wolfe ranked No. 6 in the nation in tackles for loss (19.5) and No. 11 in sacks (9.5), and is going to be an integral part of this game because he is disruptive both in the run game and in the pass game. His ability this season to get behind the line and cause massive disruptions has been a big reason why Cincinnati had the most improved defensive front in the Big East this season.

WHAT TO WATCH: Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros and his injured ankle. Collaros has been practicing for several weeks now, but he has not played in an actual game for two months. So how he handles the rust factor early on is going to be a big key. One other tendency he has is to throw at least one silly interception a game. He had at least one in five of his past six starts (minus West Virginia). Also, running back Isaiah Pead was much better with Collaros behind center. When Munchie Legaux started, everybody keyed on stopping Pead to make Legaux try and win it. But with Collaros and Pead in the backfield, Cincinnati should be much more balanced and much more difficult to stop.

WHY TO WATCH: In the all-important battle between conferences, you know it is highly important for a Big East co-champion to beat anybody from the SEC. Even a team that went 6-6 and does not have a prolific bowl history like Vanderbilt. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, all the folks in the SEC remember is the way the Bearcats played in a 45-23 loss to Tennessee in Week 2. Never mind the Bearcats are a much better team today than they were back in September. Those results matter, and so does this record -- Cincinnati is 2-17-1 against SEC teams since 1980.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 27, Vanderbilt 21. From my predictions post Monday: The quarterback matchup between Jordan Rodgers and Collaros should be a good one as well, but I still give the advantage to the Bearcats. This is a team that was on pace to get to a BCS game before Collaros broke his ankle. Cincinnati has been terrific at getting after the quarterback and making tackles behind the line, and the secondary is much improved. The seniors are eager to win their first bowl game and eager to prove the naysayers wrong once again.

Here it is bowl season, and Cincinnati has exceeded expectations again. Picked to finish fifth in the conference, the Bearcats won a share of the Big East championship.

Picked to finish fifth in 2008, the Bearcats went to the Orange Bowl.

Picked to finish fifth in 2009, the Bearcats went to the Sugar Bowl.

You can see why players and fans feel their program is disrespected. So how did Cincinnati (9-3) react to the fact that it is an underdog to a 6-6 Vanderbilt team headed into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday?

"That's every week," defensive tackle Derek Wolfe said in a recent phone interview. "Cincinnati is never considered a favorite."

What is different about this season compared to 2008 and 2009 is the recognition the Bearcats received from league coaches. Wolfe was selected co-defensive player of the year , and running back Isaiah Pead was selected offensive player of the year. They are the first Cincinnati players to win those honors. Butch Jones also was picked Coach of the Year.

Still, Cincinnati players do play with a boulder on their shoulders. There really is nothing new about proving themselves. But there may be an added sense of urgency for the seniors in this bowl game. The Bearcats have not won a bowl game since 2007, and they are Cincinnati is 2-17-1 against SEC teams since 1980. Whether it is fair or not, all other leagues are measured against the SEC. So even wins over .500 teams are considered pretty big.

One player who will have to come up big in the game is Wolfe, who was a second-team All-American in three different publications. Wolfe leads the Big East and ranks sixth nationally with 19.5 tackles for a loss and ranks third in the league and tied for 12th in the FBS with 9.5 sacks. While it was known throughout the league that Wolfe was one of the best interior linemen, he was not on anybody's preseason list for potential defensive player of the year.

"It's a great honor and whenever you work hard something is going to come back for you," Wolfe said. "That's what I always preach to people. I did everything I possibly could to make myself better each and every day."

All that work will eventually pay off with a spot in the NFL. Wolfe is listed as a sleeper pick who could make a nice transition from tackle to end in a 3-4 scheme in the pros. Wolfe already has experience playing on the edge, and said he really enjoys when Cincinnati goes with three down linemen and he is on the end because, "I get a lot of space to work on one guy."

He has one game left to show what he can do, and to get that elusive bowl victory.

"We're just trying to finish strong," he said. "I'd hate to leave with a loss. We're going to play as hard as we possibly can."

The time has come for me to make my can't-be-beat Big East bowl predictions. All year you guys wanted me to think outside the box and pick some upsets. I shall deliver today. The pick for the Orange Bowl comes later this week, so West Virginia fans have to wait a few more days.

Belk Bowl: Louisville (7-5) vs. NC State (7-5), Dec. 27, 8 p.m. Here comes Test 1 against the ACC. The Wolfpack will have the benefit of playing in front of a partisan crowd, but Louisville goes into the game on a bit of a hot streak, having closed the season with a 5-1 mark. The Cardinals have simply found their identity. This offense is not going to light up the scoreboard, but it has become more efficient and balanced since play-calling duties switched to Shawn Watson. The defense has been solid, and will be one of the best the Wolfpack have faced this season. Louisville ranks No. 10 nationally in rushing defense (103.5 ypg), No. 14 in scoring defense (19.2 ppg) and No. 23 in total defense (327.8 ypg). Here is the bottom line for me: You know what you are going to get out of the Cardinals. They have been exceptionally consistent in the second half of the season. You cannot say the same for NC State, one of the most inconsistent teams in the nation. Will we see the NC State team that beat Clemson or the one that lost to Boston College and nearly lost to Maryland? Louisville 24, NC State 20.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6), Dec. 30, 3:20 p.m. Once again, Rutgers is playing the quarterback shuffle game, and coach Greg Schiano has not announced whether Chas Dodd or Gary Nova will start in the bowl game. No matter who is behind center, you can bet one thing has been emphasized since Rutgers lost to UConn -- hold onto the football. Rutgers turned the ball over six times against the Huskies and simply never gave itself a chance to win. Iowa State has been solid at forcing turnovers, but the Cyclones have given the ball away too many times this season. Rutgers owned the turnover margin earlier this season but has fallen off lately. The key for Rutgers in all its wins this season has been simple -- create turnovers, limit mistakes and allow defense and special teams to carry the day. Schiano always gets his team up for bowl games, and Iowa State has dropped two games in a row since beating Oklahoma State. Rutgers 27, Iowa State 20.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6), Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. I have been outspoken on this game in the past week so you know where I am going with this one. Zach Collaros might be back at quarterback for the Bearcats, which should be a huge advantage. Still, these teams are very similar -- good running backs (Isaiah Pead, Zac Stacy) and good defenses (Vandy ranks No. 19 in the nation, Cincinnati ranks in the top 10 against the run and leads in sacks). The quarterback matchup between Jordan Rodgers and Collaros should be a good one as well, but I still give the advantage to the Bearcats. This is a team that was on pace to get to a BCS game before Collaros broke his ankle. Cincinnati has been terrific at getting after the quarterback and making tackles behind the line, and the secondary is much improved. The seniors are eager to win their first bowl game and eager to prove the naysayers wrong once again. Cincinnati 27, Vanderbilt 21.

BBVA Compass Bowl: Pitt (6-6) vs. SMU (7-5), Jan. 7, 1 p.m. The big question headed into this one is how Pitt responds with interim coach Keith Patterson leading the way. The Panthers played under an interim coach in this game last year against Kentucky and won, so clearly this is not a unique situation. Pitt has to do what has worked best this season -- establish the run and let quarterback Tino Sunseri manage the game. The defense has been much improved in the second half of the season, and SMU has struggled to put up points of late. The Mustangs also will be without leading rusher Zach Line, who played a big role in the offense. If the Panthers can continue to get after the quarterback and play well in the secondary, they should be able to win this game. Pitt 28, SMU 17.

When the Big East unveiled its Offensive Player of the Year earlier this month, many were surprised to see Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead walk away with the award.

Including Pead himself.

Pead was at home in Columbus, Ohio, when he got a phone call from coach Butch Jones delivering the good news. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was considered the favorite to win the honor, but he may have split votes because teammates Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey were excellent as well. All eight Big East coaches vote for the conference awards, and first and second teams.

"I was honored and the first thing I did was thank my teammates and coaches because they were the first ones who helped me," Pead said in a recent phone interview. "To be voted upon by the Big East coaches as one of the best offensive players in the conference means a lot to me. All the coaches don't know me, they don't see me on a day-to-day basis, but they see my work on film. They see I can be a threat offensively."

Was he surprised?

"I was," he said. "I figured it would go to a West Virginia guy and the years I've been here, Cincinnati hasn't gotten a lot of praise. We've won championships, but none of us has gotten the respect we deserve. I was just thankful for it."

That respect came this season for the Big East co-champions, as Pead and co-defensive player of the year Derek Wolfe picked up the big awards. It is the first time Cincinnati has been honored in each category. Jones also won Big East Coach of the Year honors, a fact he neglected to tell Pead when the two spoke on the phone.

For Pead, this season has been especially gratifying because of a challenge Jones issued to him when the season began. Jones wanted Pead to get himself into better shape and become more physical, because he wanted to place more of the workload on his rising senior.

"I walked right out from that meeting and went to the weight room and started lifting weights," Pead said. "Coach said I have all the talent in the world, I've got all the speed but at the next level they don't look for a runner, they look for a running back. That means being elusive but also being physical. I had to get that in my game. I lifted heavier weights, and set personal bests in the bench, squat and clean."

Pead also set career marks for carries (209), yards rushing (1,110), rushing touchdowns (11), receptions (36), yards receiving (304) and receiving touchdowns (three). That just about sums up every statistical category. Though he did not lead the Big East in rushing (Lyle McCombs of UConn did), Pead had the most rushing touchdowns and most points scored for a non-kicker with 84.

Because he did not lead the league in rushing, many have howled about him winning the award. But perhaps Pead was honored for more than just his stats line. He was Cincinnati's best offensive player even before Zach Collaros got hurt. After Collaros went down, he did everything he could to put the Bearcats on his back. He even returned punts for the first time in his career.

Now he hopes to close out his career with a win over Vanderbilt in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.

"I've never been a part of a bowl game victory," Pead said. "I think to go out and have a great time, a great week and go out and win the game and have a great night -- that would cap off my college career."

Editor’s Note: Tune into the “AT&T ESPN All America Team Show” on Saturday (ABC, 1:30 p.m. ET) to see who ESPN’s writers and experts selected.

You saw what the coaches had to say when they picked the All-Big East team. Now it is my turn. I only have a few different opinions than the coaches. To start, West Virginia receiver Stedman Bailey is on my first team over Tavon Austin. Bailey finished with more yards; Austin with more receptions. But I thought Bailey was a little more consistent over the course of the entire season.

I also have West Virginia defensive lineman Julian Miller on the first team ahead of Bruce Irvin. Miller got off to a slow start, mostly because he was hobbled with an injury. But late in the season with games on the line, he was almost unstoppable. Pitt running back Ray Graham also gets a nod even though he missed the final five games of the season with a knee injury.

Without further adieu:

OFFENSE

QB: Geno Smith, West Virginia

RB: Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

RB: Ray Graham, Pitt

OT: Don Barclay, West Virginia

OT: Justin Pugh, Syracuse

C: Joe Madsen, West Virginia

OG: Randy Martinez, Cincinnati

OG: Andrew Tiller, Syracuse

WR: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

WR: Stedman Bailey, West Virginia

DEFENSE

DL: Julian Miller, West Virginia

DL: Kendall Reyes, UConn

DL: Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati

DL: Chandler Jones, Syracuse

LB: JK Schaffer, Cincinnati

LB: Najee Goode, West Virginia

LB: Khaseem Greene, Rutgers

S: Hakeem Smith, Louisville

S: Duron Harmon, Rutgers

CB: Adrian Bushell, Louisville

CB: Keith Tandy, West Virginia

SPECIALISTS

PK: Dave Teggart, UConn

P: Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati

RS: Tavon Austin, West Virginia

Time to take a look at the week that was in the Big East:

The good: Defense ruled the day in all three games this past weekend. Four teams combined for five defensive scores. You can see more about that in my One Good Thing video later today. West Virginia is the new "cardiac team" of the Big East, after needing last-minute wins in its final three games of the season to get a share of the Big East championship and a BCS spot. The Mountaineers faced late deficits in all those games, and found a way to win. Against South Florida, it was Najee Goode with a forced fumble by B.J. Daniels that allowed Tyler Bitancurt to make the field goal to win the game 30-27. Running back Dustin Garrison had a 5-yard touchdown run for his sixth touchdown of the season -- but his first since the UConn game Oct. 8. Pat Miller had an interception return for a touchdown, the third defensive score of the season. The last time West Virginia got three defensive scores in a season was 2007. ... Cincinnati coach Butch Jones earned his third conference championship as a head coach (2007, 2009 Central Michigan) after the Bearcats claimed a share of the Big East. The Bearcats had two defensive scores, giving them six this season. That is the most since Cincinnati got seven defensive scores in 2002. Linebacker JK Schaffer has 103 tackles this season, becoming the fifth Cincinnati player to eclipse the 100-tackle plateau for three consecutive seasons. ... Pitt forced six turnovers against Syracuse, a season-high for the Panthers. The six turnovers are the most for Pitt since is recorded six against Ohio on Aug. 31, 2002 (five interceptions, one fumble recovery). Freshman running back Isaac Bennett got his first career start. The Panthers burned his redshirt once Ray Graham was lost for the season. ... Though Syracuse lost, Antwon Bailey went over 1,000 yards rushing this season, giving the Big East three 1,000 yard rushers (Isaiah Pead, Lyle McCombs).

The bad: The season could not have ended worse for USF and Syracuse. The Orange lost five straight to close out the year, and had six turnovers against the Panthers, essentially dooming their chances of making a second-straight bowl game. Syracuse played without defensive end Mikhail Marinovich, who sat out with an injury. That ended his team-best streak of 36 consecutive starts. The last time the
rst-string defense took the
eld without Marinovich was on Nov. 29, 2008 at Cincinnati. ... USF was able to get quarterback B.J. Daniels to start despite a bruised shoulder, but his late fumble against the Mountaineers proved costly. Daniels seemed hesitant to run all night and favored his shoulder, but he did have some good plays that sparked a Bulls rally in the second-half. But as has been the theme this season, the defense could not come up with a critical stop when it mattered most. Ryne Giddins was called for a personal foul penalty on what ended up being the game-winning drive. Had he not attempted to punch a player, USF would have gotten a stop on West Virginia. The Bulls ended their worst season since 2004. ... UConn moved to 0-5 in games at Cincinnati, though the Huskies gave it a valiant effort after trailing 28-6 at halftime. The Huskies had several wasted opportunities to score touchdowns inside the red zone, and close the season without winning consecutive games. UConn also was 0-3 on the road in Big East play, with losses to West Virginia, Pitt and the Bearcats. This is the first season the Huskies will not be in a bowl game since 2005.

Quick bowl look:

Belk Bowl, Dec. 27: Louisville vs. NC State. The Cardinals are the hottest team in the Big East, having finished the season 5-1, while the Wolfpack are probably one of the most inconsistent teams in the ACC. Louisville barely lost to UNC, which did lose to NC State. Cincinnati smacked the Wolfpack earlier this year, too.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 30: Rutgers vs. Iowa State. Fans might not be happy about not getting a vacation destination, but at least they get to stay close to home to see Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have been good in bowl games -- 4-1 under Greg Schiano -- and get a team that has lost two straight since pulling one of the biggest upsets of the season.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31: Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt. The Bearcats lost to Tennessee this season, but this is a vastly different team than the one that dropped that game. Vanderbilt is absolutely much improved, but the Bearcats are going to be motivated to post another 10-win season.

Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 4: No. 23 West Virginia vs. No. 15 Clemson. An offensive shootout is expected in this one between two of the more fun groups to watch. Love the matchup between Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd in this game. I still can't believe this is the first trip to the Orange Bowl for the Mountaineers.

BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 7: Pitt vs. SMU. How about the all-disappointment bowl in this one? The Panthers won a share of the Big East title last season and dropped to 6-6 under first-year coach Todd Graham. SMU won the West Division in C-USA last season, but finished 7-5, with losses in four of its final six games.

Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-6)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Cincinnati take from Big East blogger Andrea Adelson: Most everyone expected the Bearcats to be better this season, with veteran players returning at key positions on offense and defense. But just how much better was the big question. Cincinnati answered that early, jumping out to a 7-1 start to the season behind vastly improved play from its much-maligned defense. Then the season turned.

Quarterback Zach Collaros broke his ankle early against West Virginia and was lost for the regular season. All of a sudden, a team that controlled the Big East was no longer in control at all. The Bearcats lost to the Mountaineers and dropped one to Rutgers the following week, dealing them what would be a death blow to their BCS chances. What perhaps hurts most was this team had a lead on West Virginia in the fourth quarter and could not hold on for the win.

But the Bearcats can still call themselves Big East champions for the third time in four seasons, so that should help take the sting away. Running back Isaiah Pead had another terrific season, becoming the first Cincinnati back in 25 seasons to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. The defensive front played outstanding all season, stuffing the run and getting great pressure on the quarterback with 44 sacks and 106.5 tackles for loss. Defensive tackle Derek Wolfe was a load to handle inside, and linebacker JK Schaffer had 100 tackles for the third straight season.

This was also a team that made a complete turnaround when it came to turnover margin. Last year, the Bearcats were last in the Big East at minus-15 in this category. This year, they led the Big East at plus-11. The good news for Cincinnati is that Collaros is expected back for the bowl game, but he might remind everyone what could have been for the Bearcats this season.

---

Vanderbilt take from SEC blogger Chris Low: James Franklin vowed when he took the Vanderbilt job that he was unconcerned about what had or hadn’t happened in the past there.

Never mind that the Commodores had been the rest of the SEC’s punching bag. Franklin saw to it that they punched back, and they’re headed to a bowl game for only the fifth time in school history.

Vanderbilt earned that trip by going to Winston-Salem, N.C., on the final weekend of the regular season and routing Wake Forest 41-7 for its sixth win of the season.

The Commodores were agonizingly close to being an eight- or even a nine-win football team. They lost in overtime at Tennessee and lost three more close games to Arkansas, Florida and Georgia by a combined 13 points.

Vanderbilt leaned on its veteran defense early in the season. The Commodores intercepted 17 passes, which is tied for second in the SEC.

But where they made the most improvement was on offense, especially after Jordan Rodgers took over at quarterback in Week 7. He had plenty of help, too. Junior running back Zac Stacy set a school record with 1,136 rushing yards. The offensive line made major strides, and sophomore receiver Jordan Matthews became one of the SEC’s premier big-play threats in the passing game.