ESPN College Football

Time for my long-awaited post-spring power rankings. I made only a few changes from the pre-spring rankings. Here goes ...

1. Louisville: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked better than ever this spring, giving me renewed confidence the Cardinals are going to be the preseason favorite in the league. The secondary should be exceptionally strong, and the offensive line should be better. Questions remain at running back and with depth in the front seven. But of all the teams in the league, I think the Cardinals have the most stability headed into the season. Plus, it hugely helps to have Charlie Strong entering Year 3.

2. USF: Big jump for the Bulls. I know I said I refused to buy into USF until the Bulls actually do something. But what they have returning is hard to ignore. Generally speaking, teams with 18 returning starters -- many of them seniors -- do really well. So do teams with veteran starting quarterbacks. While USF still has some major question marks on paper -- can B.J. Daniels develop, what happens at running back, where is the depth at linebacker -- the Bulls look like they have a shot.

3. Rutgers: At one time, I had Rutgers as my preseason favorite. But I am a little nervous about the situation at quarterback. I thought there would be a resolution this spring, but neither Chas Dodd nor Gary Nova did much to impress. Mohamed Sanu is gone, there are more shifts on the offensive line, and the running game has to prove something. I think the defense will be the best in the Big East. The offense is scaring me right now, which is why I moved the Scarlet Knights down.

4. Cincinnati: The Bearcats do return talent, and players who saw some significant action last season. But they also lose 21 seniors, including Big East Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead and Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe. I don't have any doubts that the Bearcats will have a good season. I just don't know if they will win another championship.

5. Pitt: If there is any team with "ifs" all over the roster, it is the Panthers. They have a new head coach. They are returning Tino Sunseri at quarterback. Nobody knows how Ray Graham is going to do after major knee surgery. The offensive line has to be better. There is not much depth on the defensive line. If all of these come together, the Panthers could be really good. If they don't, they could be really bad.

6. UConn: The Huskies will be good on defense. But what about quarterback? I feel like a broken record saying the same thing over again. Quarterback uncertainty always makes me hesitant to rank a team in the top half of the league. I was hesitant last year, and I am hesitant again this year.

7. Syracuse: I have said this before, but it bears repeating: I think Syracuse is the hardest team to gauge in the Big East. The Orange have to be more consistent on offense. They have to find a running game to help ease some of the burden off quarterback Ryan Nassib. Does Ashton Broyld give them enough to get them more explosive plays? The defense still has depth concerns in the front seven.

8. Temple: I worry about how the Owls will make the transition to the Big East in Year 1. I think Temple has a good team, but the Owls also lost a lot of their best players and have depth concerns on the offensive and defensive lines. That is enough to worry any coach in Year 1 in a major conference.

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Pitt coach Paul Chryst came right out and said what had become obvious this spring -- Tino Sunseri is his starting quarterback going into fall practice.

Chryst said Tuesday during the ACC spring meetings, "He was the best quarterback we had out of spring. That's why he's the starter."

Sunseri had been competing with Mark Myers and Trey Anderson for the starting job after a pretty brutal 2011 season. The truth is that Sunseri was not really a match for the spread offense under former coach Todd Graham. But he was inconsistent the season before under Dave Wannstedt, so there are those Pitt fans probably scratching their heads wondering what Sunseri can do to be better entering his third season as a starter.

"The biggest thing for quarterbacking is being able to do it and doing it on a consistent level," Chryst said. "That’s your normal progression. He clearly was the best this spring that we had. You’re aware of the history but it doesn’t really matter for us. What do you have right now? It’s our job to coach them and how can you help everyone get better? He’s got a great opportunity. He has played in a lot of games, he does have experience. He’s got room to grow. If he chooses to grow, and I know it’s easier for us to say last year or two years before that doesn’t matter. It matters in the sense that you should learn from all of it, positive or negative. But it doesn’t matter going forward.

"Right now, if you were to say who gives you the best chance to have success, it would be him. So coach the heck out of him."

Chryst said nobody grabbed the backup quarterback job. As for what he anticipates for Chad Voytik once the four-star prospect arrives this summer, Chryst said, "First he's got to get here. Then we've got to see how he picks up things. I anticipate him getting work. Legitimately getting work and then we'll see."

Now here is a quick update on running back Ray Graham, coming off a knee injury. Chryst said Graham is "progressing" and anticipates his star back will be ready for the start of fall camp.

"The plan is he will be ready," Chryst said. "We’ll have him practice. He needs it. They all need it. I’m not going to project too much until it’s time. But we’re planning on it. We’re going full steam ahead."

Chryst anticipates he will have all his players available for practice when fall camp opens.

Four Big East teams went into the spring with open quarterback competitions.

Four Big East teams leave the spring with open quarterback competitions.

So much for spring practice resolving some major question marks.

Cincinnati, UConn, Pitt and Rutgers have not declared starters at the most high-profile position. While it appears front-runners have emerged at Cincinnati (Munchie Legaux), Pitt (Tino
Sunseri) and UConn (Chandler Whitmer), none of the head coaches at those respective schools have made any definitive announcements.

At Rutgers, there appears to be no true front-runner after spring practice, as neither Chas Dodd nor Gary Nova was consistent enough to win the job. Dodd has more game experience but Nova has all the physical tools you want your quarterback to have. Both started games last season, as former coach Greg Schiano continued what has been a recent trend of his -- playing musical quarterbacks.

But new coach Kyle Flood says he is going to make a decision on his starter at least a week before the season opener, and stick with that guy. He does not want to switch his starters in and out the way Schiano did the past several years.

UConn has had quarterback instability over the past several seasons as well. Last spring, the Huskies essentially went through the same routine, with four quarterbacks competing for the starting job. Nobody won it after the spring and the competition lasted until the season opener.

Johnny McEntee ended up becoming the starter, but he was largely ineffective and in over his head last season. UConn ended up playing three quarterbacks and posted its first losing record since 2006.

Those three players -- McEntee, Michael Nebrich and Scott McCummings -- were back in the spring competing to win the starting job.

Added into the mix were two early enrollees -- freshman Casey Cochran and Whitmer, a junior college transfer. It was Whitmer who had the best performance in the spring game, throwing two touchdown passes.

But coach Paul Pasqualoni was not ready to declare the competition over.

Immediately after the spring game last month, Pasqualoni said, "We'll come back in four weeks to start their summer program. Then we get to start this process all over again. Once we get into preseason camp and it's clear, then we'll make a decision. We won't make a decision right now."

The quarterback group as a whole in the Big East is not particularly strong this year, though Louisville freshman Teddy Bridgewater is on the rise. But the league goes into the year without a marquee name at the position for the first time in a long time. The Big East is the only one of the six automatic qualifying conferences without a returning 3,000-yard passer.

Look at recent history -- most everybody expected Geno Smith at West Virginia to have a breakout season last year. Folks knew about Zach Collaros at Cincinnati. Going further back, the Big East had nationally recognizable big names like Tony Pike, Pat White and Brian Brohm back to 2005. That was the first year of the reconfigured Big East.

Marquee quarterback names generally translate into more national attention, whether that involves debates, comparisons or even Heisman talk. The Big East is sorely lacking in that department. Even if the open quarterback competitions were resolved this spring, this is a position in need of a breakout star.

And fast.

With nearly every Big East team having wrapped up spring practice, one constant remains -- open quarterback competitions.

Unless coach Kyle Flood makes a last-second decision following the Rutgers spring game Saturday, four schools will go into the summer without a starter at perhaps the most important position on a team. Here is a quick look at how those competitions stack up:

Cincinnati. Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay are the top two players vying for the job. Coach Butch Jones has decided not to name a starter, but all indications point to Legaux as winning the job once the fall rolls around. Legaux said during an interview this spring he had been taking most of the reps with the first team.

UConn. Five players remain in the competition -- Junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer, freshman Casey Cochran, Michael Nebrich, Scott McCummings and Johnny McEntee. Nobody distinguished himself through the spring or in the spring game, though Whitmer had the "best" performance of the three. Don't be surprised if Whitmer is the starter, Cochran is redshirted and McCummings continues in his role as Wildcat quarterback.

Pitt. Coach Paul Chryst has not named his starter, either, but he has indicated that incumbent Tino Sunseri has separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson. Now we'll see what happens when true freshman Chad Voytik enters the mix when he arrives in the summer.

Rutgers. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova went back and forth at quarterback last season for the Scarlet Knights, and neither one has really stood out this spring. Defense has dominated the scrimmages so far. Flood has said he would not make a decision until one player stood head and shoulders above the rest, but would like a starter in place a week to 10 days before the start of the season.

Pitt coach Paul Chryst has not definitively declared Tino Sunseri as his starting quarterback headed into fall practice.

Does he need to?

Chryst said last week that Sunseri had separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson, which seemingly points in the direction of Sunseri winning the starting job. True freshman Chad Voytik enrolls this summer, so there is a chance that he could come in and blow everybody away with his amazing talent and grasp of the offense.

But right now, it appears Sunseri will go into his third straight season as the starter.

That is hard to believe for many, considering the lackluster results along the way. It is no secret that Sunseri has struggled with the deep ball, and clearly cannot run a spread offense. He should never be asked to do that again. I truly believe Sunseri should be given a pass for what happened last season, and I think the longer time goes on, perhaps more Pitt fans feel the same way. Todd Graham deserves the blame for what happened last season.

The point is that Chryst must believe Sunseri truly gives his team the best chance to win, given his experience and current understanding of the new offense. While the passing game was nothing to write home about -- Sunseri went 13-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and interception in the spring game -- you wonder how much of an ask is going to be made of the quarterbacks with the potential for such a strong running game.

Perhaps the quarterback for Pitt this season will be more of a game manager. Sunseri has been good at times throughout his career. Look back to the USF, UConn and Louisville games for recent examples. Give him time in the pocket, and he does not implode. I can guarantee the offensive line will be miles better this season.

The short passing game works for him, along with play action. Does he need to make 80-yard throws every game? Obviously a home run ball is nice every once in a while, but there have been quarterbacks without the greatest command of the deep ball that have fared just fine.

With the development of Isaac Bennett and Corey Davis, along with the return of Ray Graham and the arrival of Rushel Shell, Pitt has the perfect opportunity this season to just ground and pound, and let Sunseri throw it as a change of pace. Obviously, any great team wants to have balance with their running and passing attack. Obviously, teams will want to stack the box to force Pitt to throw. Sunseri has to learn how to beat the blitzes and make the clutch throws with games on the line.

But Ray Graham was so good last season, teams loaded the box and still couldn't stop him. The potential exists for the same to happen again this season with so much talent in the backfield. Pitt needs its ground game to work for Sunseri to work.

"(The run game) has a chance to be good," Chryst said after spring ball wrapped. "But it all starts with the line. The line made some improvements this spring. Ray's working, we need to get him back healthy and Rushel, we all know what he is ... There's also a lot of quesitons, but that will be a good problem if we have a bunch of running backs."

Especially if it takes pressure off Sunseri.

Pitt opens spring practice Thursday morning with yet another new coaching staff, another new scheme, and more questions than answers.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, this has become a familiar story line. Going on their fourth head coach since the end of the 2010 season — five if you count interim coach Keith Patterson — has brought Pitt its fair share of negative ink, along with upheaval for players who have to adjust to new coordinators and terminology all over again.

Nobody is quite sure what to expect. That goes for new head coach Paul Chryst, who embarks on his first practice as a head coach. Chryst understands there will be a "feeling out period" for the players to get to know the coaches and vice versa, along with the natural anxiety that comes along with figuring out what is being asked.

Pitt is going back to a more traditional offensive style, and switching back to the 4-3 defensive scheme that Pitt has historically run with success. The good news is that the majority of the players on the team were recruited to play those particular styles. The bad news is their brains may feel like football mush given all the tumult of the last year.

But the spring is always a time for renewal and hope for every team, and every position. That goes for quarterback, where Tino Sunseri will be under the microscope for the third straight season. Though the Pitt defense has many more holes to fill, Chryst cannot go through an interview without being asked about Sunseri, and what he can do to improve himself should he be the starter again.

"I'm glad he's here," Chryst said. "I'm looking forward to working with him. I know Brooks (Bollinger) is, I know Joe (Rudolph) is. We're fired up about that."

Sunseri never got adjusted to the hurry-up spread system former coach Todd Graham installed, and withstood withering criticism not only from fans but from Graham himself. Never once did Sunseri lash out or complain. He took every single hit on the field and off the field and kept coming back up. Rudolph, the newly installed offensive coordinator, believes Sunseri has a skill-set the Panthers can utilize effectively this season.

"You look at the offense that we run, we had two really different quarterbacks in the last two years at Wisconsin," Rudolph said in a phone interview. "You had Scott Tolzien and you had Russell Wilson, and you wouldn't watch film and mistake those guys for each other. They're different, but both had great success. You can have people with different skill sets, but if you teach them to make good decisions and grow the offense to highlight their skill set, they have a chance to be successful. That's what you feel about Tino. He has the skill set. Now it's can he make those decisions, can you be consistent, can you play within the offense? We'll find out."

The offensive line in front of him was an area of weakness last season, having to fight through injuries and inexperience as well as a scheme that did not lend itself to their strengths. But last season can stay there as far as Chryst is concerned.

"I didn't spend a lot of time watching or caring what their scheme was last year," he said.

Run-blocking generally suits an offensive lineman better than pass-blocking, so there is hope -- especially if Chryst is able to translate the success he had with the ground game at Wisconsin to the Panthers. Ray Graham is out for the spring, but that gives some young players an opportunity to gain some reps and earn playing time come the fall. Isaac Bennett, Corey Davis and Malcolm Crockett will get a majority of the carries.

Defensively, Pitt has to replace linemen Brandon Lindsey, Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih, along with leading tackler Max Gruder, and needs to work on depth along the line and at linebacker, the two positions that took the biggest hits. Starting linebacker Todd Thomas also will be out for the spring.

So yes, there is plenty of work to be done on both sides of the ball. Chryst and his staff are eager to get started on building this team — for the long run.

Pitt has lost two assistant coaches in the span of several weeks in a bit of unusual timing.

Both running backs coach Eddie Faulkner and offensive coordinator Bob Bostad were in place to help out with recruiting and seemingly committed to new coach Paul Chryst. But each left for different opportunities -- Faulkner to return to his alma mater at Wisconsin, Bostad to become offensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That has forced Chryst to do some staff reshuffling with less than a month to go before spring practice. Quarterbacks coach Joe Rudolph moves to offensive coordinator and Jim Hueber moves from tight ends to offensive line. Chryst still needs to hire a running backs coach and quarterbacks coach.

It never is good to lose coaches after such a brief period of time, but Chryst said in a phone interview he didn't think the twin departures would have a major impact on his team.

"Other than it impacting the players, I'm comfortable with what happened," Chryst said. "The communication was good so if something like this happened ... the players on recruiting trail, you weren't saying something that wasn't real. I'm not concerned about what happened or how it happened, and I really am fortunate where I feel like the current players are still going to get great, great coaching."

In the case of Bostad, Chryst seemed to anticipate something like this potentially happening. He, Bostad and Rudolph all worked together at Wisconsin.

"I've been fortunate to have been able to work with Bob for five, six years and I knew what goals and aspirations Bob has and then also he's a good friend of mine. I knew that was something if an opportunity like that came along he'd be excited about that. I'm happy for him. The only negative is I've enjoyed working with him, but would like to work longer with him. For Bob and his wife, Karen, it's a great opportunity.

"I also knew going in I wanted to be strong [at offensive line]. I felt real fortunate to hire Jim Hueber. I knew he could step right in for him. He's as good as a line coach as there is. And with Joe having been on the staff as well. I knew if anything like this happened, we had guys that are more than ready to step into those different roles. I'm excited for Bob and also excited for our players to be with Jim and Joe."

A few other notes:

• Chryst said running back Ray Graham is on schedule with his rehab from a torn ACL and should be ready for the start of the season.
• The quarterback competition is open going into the spring, but Chryst also made it sound like Tino Sunseri would have an advantage because of his starting experience. "Tino's got to learn and begin to understand the offense and how he fits into it and play within the structure," Chryst said. "It's always an open competition, and yet he's a guy I'm excited to work with because he's played a lot of football. If we're going to be good this year, we have to be productive at that spot."
• Guard Chris Jacobson did get his sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA after hurting his knee this past season, which is good news for an offensive line in major need of an upgrade.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

SMU beat Pitt 28-6 in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday. Here is an instant analysis.

How the game was won: Pitt looked uninspired from the outset, and was totally outplayed in every aspect of the game. After SMU jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead, you had to figure the game was just about over because the Panthers' anemic offense is simply not equipped to come from behind. The Pitt offensive line struggled once again, particularly left tackle Greg Gaskins, and so did quarterback Tino Sunseri -- who had two turnovers. Though Pitt was able to get pressure on SMU quarterback J.J. McDermott, he was able to avoid major sacks and find holes in the man-to-man defense to find wide open receivers.

Turning point: First quarter. This is all you need to know about how the first quarter went. Total yards: SMU 159, Pitt minus-5; First downs: SMU 7, Pitt 0; Time of possession: SMU 10:56, Pitt 3:49.

Stat of the game: 7. Total rushing yards for Pitt in the game.

Player of the game: SMU DE Margus Hunt. Pitt has now given up over 60 sacks on the season after the Mustangs got seven in the game. Hunt had four as he simply overpowered Gaskins all game long.

Second guessing: Pitt was terrible inside the SMU 25 today. In four opportunities, the Panthers came away with two field goals, a missed field goal and an interception. The interception was a fluke, as it bounced off Isaac Bennett's hands, then off a helmet and into the arms of Stephon Sanders. On several of the other possessions, Sunseri took sacks at the worst possible time. Sums up the story of the season. Pitt also had two opportunities on special teams taken away -- one was a recovered onside kick negated by an inadvertent whistle; another was a fake punt for a first down negated because of a false start. SMU also blocked one Pitt punt.

Well wishes: SMU running back Jared Williams broke his left leg on a scary hit with Pitt safety Andrew Taglianetti. Williams was carted off the field on a stretcher with an air cast on his leg, and Taglianetti was visibly distraught over the hit.

What Pitt learned: There is plenty of work for new coach Paul Chryst to do. As has been the case in 2011, quarterback and offensive line play are two of the biggest issues that have to be fixed. Good thing Chryst and incoming offensive coordinator Bob Bostad have the experience needed to make these two areas better. Pitt is going to be a more traditional offense in the future, and to be able to do that, the offensive line has got to be better. One thing has to be said about the coaching in this game -- the Panthers only had five full-time coaches on the sideline, and interim coach Keith Patterson was put in an extremely difficult position to lead this team.

What SMU learned: When the Mustangs are able to hold onto the football and make plays in the pass game, they win. SMU went into the game with the worst turnover margin in the nation (minus-17) but was plus-2 in this game. McDermott hit Darius Johnson for a 50-yard touchdown early in the game, and was able to pick apart a Pitt defense that at times had linebackers on the Mustangs' fastest receivers. Johnson ended up with seven catches for 121 yards -- and he returns next season along with injured running back Zach Line, Hunt and many other standouts on offense and defense.

You saw the preview and prediction. Now here are three keys for Pitt and SMU in the BBVA Compass Bowl:

Pitt

1. Focus. The same question has to be asked again this year heading into the BBVA Compass Bowl: What will be the motivation for the Panthers, who are playing in this game for the second straight season under an interim head coach? There is no doubt these players and this program were rocked hard by the way former coach Todd Graham left. They must put those negative emotions behind them and play for themselves and each other. This is a team that has been maddeningly inconsistent, which led to a disappointing season. Can they pull it together one final time to win their third straight bowl game?

2. Run. Pitt has experienced the most success this season when running the ball. That task got more difficult when Ray Graham was lost for the season. It will be even harder now that backup Zach Brown is questionable for the game with a bruised sternum. True freshman Isaac Bennett and Corey Davis will be relied upon to shoulder the load, so the game doesn't rest on the arm of quarterback Tino Sunseri.

3. Get after J.J. McDermott. Pitt has been terrific with its pass rush all season, tied for fourth nationally in sacks with an average of 3.25 per game. The Panthers have 39 total sacks on the season. The Mustangs have given up 27 sacks on the year, so there should be plenty of opportunity for Aaron Donald and Brandon Lindsey to get after McDermott. That obviously is a huge key if the Panthers want to disrupt their passing game -- the strength of the team.

SMU

1. Limit the mistakes. SMU ranks last in the nation in turnover margin (minus-17) and has at least one interception in 11 of its 12 games this season. Only East Carolina has thrown more interceptions than SMU’s 19 in 2011, according to ESPN Stats & Information. On the bright side, Pitt only has eight interceptions this year. On the down side, Pitt did force six turnovers the last time out against Syracuse.

2. Make Sunseri win it. SMU has some pretty talented players up front. Defensive end Taylor Thompson, who has seven sacks and six forced fumbles on the season, is going to need a big game to slow down the Pitt running attack and to take Sunseri down. Ja'Gared Davis is also an important player for the Mustangs on defense -- he has 4.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Taylor Reed is a tackling machine and will be key to slowing down the Pitt run.

3. Pass game must get going. There is no escaping this -- SMU has to pass the ball in order to win. The Mustangs went 2-4 in their last six games largely for this reason: Scoring an average of 17.7 points during the stretch, SMU averaged just 223.7 yards through the air and threw six touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Panthers have been much better on pass defense in the second half of the season but will be challenged by Cole Beasley and Darius Johnson -- each has over 900 yards receiving and the duo has combined for nine of the team's 16 touchdowns this season. If SMU can protect McDermott and connect on big pass plays early to take a quick lead, Pitt could find itself in serious trouble. The Panthers are not equipped to play from behind.

Pitt (6-6) and SMU (7-5) will play for the first time in 29 years when they meet at 1 p.m. Saturday in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. The Panthers and Mustangs last met on Jan. 1, 1983, in the Cotton Bowl. The SMU "Pony Express" backfield of Eric Dickerson and Craig James beat the Dan Marino-led Panthers 7-3.

The Panthers will try to give the Big East a 4-1 bowl record for the season.

WHO TO WATCH: Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri. It is hard to imagine any quarterback in the country taking as much criticism, and as many shots, as he has this season. He was sacked more than 50 times, and former coach Todd Graham essentially blamed him for not making his "high-octane" offense work. Through it all, Sunseri took the high road, kept his head up and kept playing. Say what you will about his football season -- he deserves credit for taking the hits while trying to remain a leader for this football team. Interim coach Keith Patterson said this week that the offense would slow down a bit to emphasize what Sunseri does best, which is running the football. Zach Brown (bruised sternum) is most likely out, so the load will fall once again to freshman Isaac Bennett.

WHAT TO WATCH: Pittsburgh defense against SMU offense. The Mustangs have the potential to put up points in a hurry, but the key is being able to limit the passing game. More emphasis will be placed on that with leading rusher Zach Line out for this game. This is really all you need to know about what SMU does when it scores: The Mustangs are 7-0 this season when scoring first and 7-0 when scoring at least 21 points. Slowing down receiver Darius Johnson will be the biggest key. Johnson has five 100-yard games this season, and three with 10 or more catches.

WHY TO WATCH: This could have been a future Big East game, but alas, Pitt is headed to the ACC when SMU joins with the Big East. Either way, June Jones has done a remarkable job in turning around the Mustangs, though they probably fell a little short of expectations this season. SMU is playing in its third straight bowl game -- tying a school record. When his offenses are on, they are fun to watch.

PREDICTION: Pitt 28, SMU 17. From my predictions post a few weeks ago: Pitt has to do what has worked best this season -- establish the run and let 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 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.

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.

The time has come for Pitt to move on from the debacle of the past year, and really, there is no better person to do that than Paul Chryst.

He is no-nonsense, a man who does not yabber on and on like a certain somebody Pitt fans want to forget. A man who has proved he can coach and can mold his players from good to great. A man who proved -- most especially this year -- he can coach both a smashmouth style and a pretty passing style, too.

Chryst may have been passed over for the job a year ago because he was not "high-octane," but that is a word that no longer fits in the Pitt vocabulary. The Panthers need solid coaching and no drama, and that is what Chryst should be able to provide.

Because the biggest mess that has to be fixed on this team is the offense. Quarterback was a disaster position in 2011, and not all of the blame belongs to Tino Sunseri. He simply was not a good fit for the spread. Seeing how Chryst was able to work with Russell Wilson this season and tailor the offense to his strengths has to make the Panthers believe he can do the same with Sunseri or whoever wins the starting job.

Ray Graham has the potential to go from being great to entering the Montee Ball stratosphere. Graham is coming off a knee injury, and this hire should encourage him to stay in school for one more season. He already was the best player on the offense, and if he returns, he should have a real opportunity to reach 1,500 yards next season.

But what about the offensive line, you ask? Pitt does not have 300-pound behemoths like Wisconsin. That is quite true. Pitt was bad in pass protection, though mostly because of strange blocking schemes that none of the players fully endorsed. Sunseri held on to the ball way too long, too. Let's face it -- neither Sunseri nor his offensive linemen ever fully grasped the timing concept that is the heart of the Graham offense.

Pitt should be better up front with Chryst in charge. Should Chris Jacobson receive a sixth year of eligibility, the offensive line will have an anchor to help lead the way. As for the receivers, there is plenty of talent here as well, from Devin Street and Mike Shanahan to Ronald Jones and Cameron Saddler. There is no reason they cannot develop further under a coach who should be able to maximize their talents.

What Chryst did as offensive coordinator speaks for all the possibilities. Over the past three seasons, Wisconsin has averaged 39.3 points a game. This season, Ball became a first-team All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist, leading the nation in total rushing yards (1,759) and scoring (38 touchdowns). Wilson completed 73 percent of his passes for 2,879 yards with 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions.

Those stats perfectly illustrate how Chryst adapts to his personnel. Wilson shattered the Wisconsin single-season passing touchdown mark. John Stocco held the old mark of 21 set in 2005. They are the only two quarterbacks to throw more than 20 touchdowns in Wisconsin history.

Then there is the coaching up part, too. According the ESPN Stats & Information, Wilson immensely improved his accuracy on passes longer than 15 yards. That has been one of the biggest areas of weakness for Sunseri. Wilson completed 52.4 percent of his passes longer than 15 yards this season, with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Last season at NC State, Wilson completed 33.6 percent of his passes longer than 15 yards, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Chryst also has started to win over his new players. Street, one of the most outspoken on Twitter when Todd Graham bolted for Arizona State, tweeted two separate messages: "Just met the new head man ! Ready to rock" and "Said its not what he says its his actions !!! Perfect."

All of these are signs of hope. Now all the Panthers need is for Chryst to stay on the job for more than 11 months.

SMU Mustangs (7-5) vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (6-6)

Jan. 7, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

SMU take from college football blogger Matt Fortuna: Following a Conference USA West division title, the Mustangs opened this season with a 5-1 record, including an overtime win at TCU. In the season's second half, however, things turned south. SMU lost four of its last six games and two of its final three to finish 7-5. A lot of that falls on the offense, which averaged 33.7 points per game through the season's first half before scoring just 17.7 points per game in its final six games.

Quarterback J.J. McDermott replaced Kyle Padron in a season-opening 46-14 loss at Texas A&M and has started every game since, throwing for 3,182 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Running back Zach Line eclipsed the 100-yard mark in eight of SMU's first 10 games and led the conference in rushing, but he is out for the remainder of the season with a foot injury. Cole Beasley and Darius Johnson have emerged at receiver, with each just shy of the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Defensively, linebackers Taylor Reed (93 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks) and Ja'Gared Davis (11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions) lead the way for a Mustangs unit that ranks 37th nationally in total defense.

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Pitt take from Big East blogger Andrea Adelson: Expectations were high for the Panthers this season. First-year coach Todd Graham predicted his team would run a “high-octane” offense, a line he used over and over again to promote his program and the new regime hitting town. To be sure, it was a huge departure from the pro-style, smash-mouth football Pitt has been known to play. Graham says he has no regrets over ratcheting up hopes, even though Pitt failed to resemble anything high or octane. Simply put, he does not have the personnel to run the hurry-up, spread system that ran to perfection in his final season at Tulsa.

Quarterback Tino Sunseri never bought in or adapted to the changes, and that contributed to Pitt giving up 56 sacks this season. Injuries on the offensive line didn’t help, either, as Pitt used myriad different starting lineups to help fill in the gaps. The line wasn’t the only area that was impacted by injuries. The Panthers lost star tailback Ray Graham to a torn ACL against UConn in October and from that point on, it was an even bigger struggle for the offense to do anything with Sunseri behind center.

Pitt needed a 33-20 win over Syracuse in the final game of the season to become bowl eligible, but at least salvaged the season. What the Panthers do have is a much improved defense from Week 1. Defensive end Aaron Donald was a breakout star, with 10 sacks. The pass defense made a huge turnaround. After giving up more than 300 yards in two of the first three games of the season, the most they gave up in the final nine weeks was 271 yards to Rutgers.