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Big East Coast BiACC - Big East Preview, Week 4

September 24, 2010  |  By Brian McCabe

The Big East conference got off to a fast stop this week when Miami trounced the Wannstache Bash 31-3 on Thursday night in Pittsburgh. Hey, Dave, are all of the pieces in place now?

As for the other members of the best basketball conference in the land — too bad we are talking about football — the weekend’s slate runs the gamut of competition from an FCS school to a program on the verge of massive probation to a top-15 team.

The Big East section of the BiACC went 2-2 last week and stands at 5-3 on the season.

What does this Saturday hold for our beloved teams out east, kind of the east and the south?

Well, let’s get to it.

Saturday: (MRI Rankings before the team name)

Buffalo at Connecticut (-20.5) - Many expected UConn to take a big step forward this year under coach Randy Edsall, but the season has not begun in stunning fashion for the Huskies.

UConn likes to run the ball, and they will be back at it at home this weekend. Buffalo will have a tough time stopping the run, but UConn will have a harder time winning by more than 20 points.

UConn will win, but they will not cover. Take Buffalo and almost three touchdowns worth of points.

North Carolina at Rutgers (+2) - Wow. Where to start with this game? No one even knows what players North Carolina will be allowed to put on the field in Piscataway, N.J.

Rutgers doesn’t score at a rapid pace, can’t pass, and are mediocre at best on the ground. However, they average an impressive seven points against on defense through two games.

North Carolina is a top-10 passing team in the country and will look to do more of that this weekend.

No offense to Florida International, but UNC will be Rutgers’ first true test…and they will fail.

Take Butch Davis’ group of agent-involved players and lay the two points. UNC will cover.

#23 Oklahoma at Cincinnati (+14) - Oklahoma had a scare thanks to the Air Force Academy last week so Cincinnati will not be facing a team lacking focus two weeks in a row.

Landry Jones can chuck it and by chuck it, I mean really, really, totally chuck it. This will not stop against Cincinnati. UC’s defense is pedestrian at best and is lucky have to have played the Sycamores of Larry Bird U this season, or they would not be in the win-column yet.

Butch Jones’ first-season woes will continue this weekend in a bad way. Take Oklahoma and lay the 14 points. You will walk away giddy.

Western Kentucky at South Florida (-27) - Calling Western Kentucky abysmal might be an insult to the word abysmal. Meanwhile, the fighting Skip Holtzes are coming off of a bye week and are ready to put a hurtin’ on the Hilltoppers.

Look for B.J. Daniels to put up prolific numbers both through the air and on the ground as the Bulldogs roll up a large number in St. Pete on Saturday.

Take South Florida, lay the 27 points and fuhgedaboudit. Wait, maybe I should have used that word in the Rutgers section.

#24 West Virginia at #11 LSU (-10) - So, if Les Miles was a true “Michigan Man” and took the job in Ann Arbor three years ago, Rich Rodriguez would probably still be coaching at his alma mater in Morgantown … but that didn’t happen. RichRod left, Miles stayed and the Tigers welcome the Mountaineers to Death Valley on Saturday night.

See, a quick little historical and pertinent recap for the readers of the MRI there.

LSU is a tough place to play, especially on a Saturday night as chants of “Geaux Tigers” and “Tiger Bait” ring through Tiger Stadium.

Les Miles has left a lot to be desired the past few seasons, but the Tigers have showed up in a big way thus far in 2010. Look for that to continue, as Stevan Ridley will have a big night on the ground.

Both teams feature staunch defenses that give up few points, and that trend should continue. LSU will win at home, but West Virginia will cover.

Take the Mountaineers and the points.

The MRI Sports Patsy Party Continues:

It would be a long week in upstate New York if Syracuse struggles against Colgate.

It will not be a long week in upstate New York.

Lazy Saturday: Louisville

Posted September 24, 2010 4:00 PM