Big East Crowded at the Top:
Big East/Conference USA Division:
Whew. Lets take our time and explain how we get West Virginia as the Division Champion and then place out the 5 other division contenders and then break the teams down as we have been. The Mountaineers (8-5, 6-2) are the Big East/C-USA Division Champs. Let's breakdown each team's division AND conference losses to help clear it all up:
West Virginia - Losses in Division (1): Pittsburgh, Losses in Conf (1): UAB
Pittsburgh - Losses in Division (2): Syracuse, Louisville
Syracuse - Losses in Division (2): West Virginia, Cincy
Louisville - Losses in Division (2): West Virginia, Syracuse
So here's how it works out. West Virginia wins the division because against common division opponents (only Big East/C-USA Division teams) they have 1 loss while Pittsburgh (9-3, 6-2), Syracuse (8-4, 6-2) and Louisville (7-3, 5-2) all have 2 losses in the Division. So, Pittsburgh and Syracuse finish Tied for 2nd and Louisville finishes 4th. There you go.
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West Virginia (8-5, 6-2) -- Its hard to determine where The Division Champs will wind up in the National Championship Tournament seeding. The possibility is there for the Mountaineers to be as high as an 8 seed but the parity in the Division and the mediocrity in the other Big East Division makes it difficult to push the Mountaineers to hi in the seeding.
Tourney Profile: Coach Evan18WV, Big East/C-USA Division Champs
Big Wins: Louisville, Maryland, Syracuse, Cincy
Bad Losses: Virginia
Star Watch: Quincy Wilson 2604 yards 36 TDs, Grant Wiley 19 sacks, 3 FF
Why WV Might Not Run the Table: If Quincy Wilson is marginalized WV will struggle. Wilson accounts for the majority of the Mountaineers offense in terms of yards but particularly TDs. In three of West Virginia's 5 losses Wilson was held to just 1 TD and around 100 yards rushing. If a team neutralizes Wilson rushing yardage and TDs in the redzone the Mountaineers can be beaten. WV is dead last in the CSFL in passing with an anemic 102 ypg compared to a league best 250.4 ypg on the ground.
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Pittsburgh Panthers (9-3, 6-2) -- The Panthers like everyone else above and below them in this Division should wind up with a middle or possibly upper-middle seed in the Tournament but do hold an advantage in seeding over Syrcause because Pitt only has 3 losses overall.
Tourney Profile: Coach JTrower
Big Wins: FSU, West Virginia, Nebraska, Cincinatti
Bad Losses: None
Star Watch: Larry Fitzgerald 73 rec 1821 yards 25 TDs, Rod Rutherford 3220 yards 30 TDs 16 INTs
Why Pitt Might Not Run the Table: The Panther offense doesn't run the football all that well, just 56.3 ypg (51st) and the defense is weak against the run giving up 117 ypg (63rd). If the Panthers run into a superior secondary and particularly a shut down cover CB who can blanket Fitzgerald, Pitt may struggle to score. Of Rutherfords 30 passing TDs 25 have gone to Fitzgerald. Other than Brandon Miree's 7 rusihing TDs no Panther player has scored more than 1 with the exception of Gaines with 3 TDs receiving. Keep Fitzgerald out of the endzone and the Panthers could get bounced.
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Syracuse Orangemen (8-4, 6-2) -- The Orangeman have been a surprise player in the Division race after starting slowly. Syracuse will get in the Tournament at the backend of the seeding.
Tourney Profile: Coach CSFLCSU
Big Wins: UAB, Pitt, Louisville
Bad Losses: Virginia Tech
Star Watch: Walter Reyes 1085 yards 12 TDs, Johnnie Morant 1045 yards 13 TDs
Why Cuse Might Not Run the Table: Lack of gamebreakers. The Orangemen do not have that one player who can dominate a game -- something that will be necessary for Syracuse to force an upset in an early round match-up. Morant and Reyes had solid statistical seasons but wont dominate. The defense doesnt force turnovers (1.6 per game 63rd). In order for the Cuse to win they'll have to play flawless team football which odds are won't get them far enough.
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Louisville Cardinals (7-3, 5-2) -- The Cardinals held the top spot in the Division much of the season but faded late with losses to West Virginia and Syracuse. The Cardinals have games remaining with UAB and Kentucky. If they split Louisville could slide in the tournament as one of the final seeds. Lose them both and that door to the tournament closes to a sliver.
Tourney Profile: Coach Outlaw
Big Wins: Pitt, Cincinatti
Bad Losses: None.
Why Louisville Might Not Run the Table: They might not even get in. If they do they'll most likely be the last or second to last team in the Tournament and get a Miami, Ohio State, or any host of other tops seeds where they be seriously outmatched.
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UAB The Beast of The Least in the Big East MAC:
Big East/MAC Division:
UAB Blazers (8-2, 5-2) -- The Blazers are the best of the CSFl Punching Bag Conference and will be undisputed Division Champs even with two games still left on the schedule. The Blazers will make the Tourney as a mid to late seed with 8 wins. Even with wins over Louisville and Illinois UAB at 10 wins won't move up all that much more.
Tourney Profile: Coach FatMatt
Big Wins: UGA, West Virginia
Bad Losses: Northern Illinois
Why UAB Might Not Run the Table: The Blazers are outmatched even more so than Louisville. The Blazers have feasted on their in division foes and struggled in their cross division games in the Big East. UAB option attack while different and unfamiliar to the CSFL will face a stiff test from any team they draw in the opening round. Against the faster defenses and more potent offenses of non-MAC scholls the Blazers could get routed.
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