Da Geek's Big East Power Rankings and Bowl Projections 10/26/2011:

 

1. Cincinnati has done what it needs to do to climb to the top of this list.  They have won.  They remain the only unbeaten team in Big East play.  And they will have that title for yet another week for sure as they do not play.  Next up for the Bearcats is Pitt.  At least for a couple of weeks the Post Season reward for the Bearcats would be of the BCS persuasion. 
2. For the second week in a row, the biggest mover in the Power Rankings for me would be the Syracuse Orange.  What can I say the kicked my Mountaineers butts.  They would have moved to the top of the Power Rankings were it not for the fact that they have a conference loss already to Rutgers.  I still think that they are going to go to the Beef O'Bradies Bowl.  While at this snapshot in time they have earned the right to move toward the top of the conference discussion, they still have 5 big east games to play.    I just don’t see them running the table. 
3. WVU has fallen this week to 3^rd in the power rankings.  They are still in a good position for the conference crown but with the Cuse loss they have got to fall below them in the rankings at least this week.   For their efforts thus far I have downgraded their bowl appearance to the Champs Sports Bowl,  I think that the Mountaineers are going to win out but at this point it comes down to a race with Notre Dame for Champs.  WVU be awarded this game if the Irish have a precipitous fall. 
4. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have done the same thing WVU did and went on the road and lost. This week they will try to defeat the Mountaineers and a 16 game losing streak.  They are still playing fantastic defensive ball, and have one of the best WR’s in the game in Mohamed Sanu.  He is basically their offense.  As for their likely Bowl invite the Pin Stripe Bowl is still the leading candidate when the bids are offered. 
5. U Conn remains at this position as nothing has changed for them since last week.  They now must make another road trip this time to the ole ketchup bottle.  Can they give the Graham crackers yet another loss?  I think that they are going to find sPitt more game than they have been in a while.  I see this one as actually being an entertaining game to watch.  I also find this game intriguing as members of the Mountaineer Faithful are making the trip to cheer on the Huskies (well more accurately cheering against the Panthers.)  With a win over sPitt I see some potential for a bowl giving them a call.  The likeliest location would be the BVAA Compass Bowl. 
6. Pitt also holds onto to this position for yet one more week.  If the Panthers can overcome the challenge of the Huskies they will be back on track for another typical average season.  They are going to be fighting for the same bowling opportunity as UConn so this game has particular significance to them. 
7. With Louisville's  For the second week in a row Charlie Strong is starting to show signs of getting  through to this team.  A win over Rutgers at Papa John’s Stadium was just what the Doctor ordered for their season.  I still don’t see them bowling this year as they just have to cover too much ground to get to the 7 win threshold.  I know that a team is eligible with 6 wins but this team likely wouldn’t be awarded a bowl unless it hit the 7 win mark. 
8. For the third time in Big East play the Bulls have fallen.  This team was seemingly plagued with an inability to get up for Big East games.  Though, that wasn’t the case against the Bearcats.  Truth be told they played rather well in that game and were it not for some late game leadership and heroics by Zack this game was going to be put in the win column for the Bulls.  Alas, that didn’t materialize and South Florida has plunged into some serious doldrums.  They have all but mathematically eliminated themselves from the conference championship.  They still have a chance for a bowl game but they need to get something going and quick.  As it stands now though they have played themselves out of post season rewards.