by Daniel Farish
Pittsburgh (0-1) @ Cincinnati (0-0) Pitt leads all time series 8-3
The first Big East conference game of the 2012 season proves to be an important one, as this conference is WIDE OPEN. Many pick the Cardinals to win, but as we've seen in the past, predictions in the Big East tend to go the way of the dodo.
Pittsburgh basketball has proven to fall short of lofty expectations in post-season play. Well, their football team one-upped the basketball team. They lost their first game, at home, to an FCS team Youngstown State 17-31. A stagnant offense was on the field, a far cry from what new head coach Paul Chryst was used to. Chryst was the former offensive coordinator for the high powered, score running up Wisconsin Badgers last season.
Pitt freshman running back Rushell Shell, the leading Philadelphia high school rushing back, was suspended along with 5 others before the YSU game. It has yet to be announced if Shell, or the others, will be back for the Big East opener.
Cincinnati is opening it's season, being the only Big East team yet to play. Bearcat QB Muncie Legaux comes in after starting 3 games last season and is looking to prove he has what it takes to keep the starting role.
Cincinnati begins it's 125th season of college football, with an overall record of 561-553-51. Winning the Big East (or holding a share) 3 of the last 4 years and going to 5 bowl games in the last 6 years leaves some lofty goals ahead for the Bearcats. Following BCS Bowl losses in 2009 (Orange Bowl, 7-20, Virginia Tech) and 2010 (Sugar Bowl, 24-51, Florida), UC would love another chance to show they, and the Big East, belong in the upper echelon.
Penn St (0-1) @ Virginia (1-0) Penn St leads all time series 4-2
Telling the players and staff at Penn St that nothing is expected of them this season is akin to telling Rudy he couldn't play for Notre Dame. They're still going to try hard as hell. Well, the opening game in Happy Valley couldn't have been more deflating after a season opening loss to Ohio. It was there first loss in a season opener since losing to Miami in 2001 (7-33).
Now granted, Ohio is one of the better mid-major football teams coming off of a 9 win season with a bowl win over Utah State. But still. This is PENN ST. Linebacker capitol of the world. It was the defense that let them down though.
Luckily for the Penn St players, there are now 0 expectations for them. Which places all the pressure on Virginia. Playing at home against a team that was facing the death penalty just a month ago is a must-win. Virginia is "supposed" to win this game.
Savannah State (0-1) @ #6 Florida State (1-0)
Savannah State took $385,000 to travel to Stillwater, OK this past weekend, facing a 59 point spread, to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It was their first game against an FBS team. The Cowboys covered. By just under half of the original spread. It was an 84-0 shellacking. SVSU head coach Steve Davenport has this to say:
"We're going to have to readdress that. You get paid for certain things, but I don't know if at the end of that day, some things are worth the payments you get. But we'll see. Those are conversations we'll have. But we've got to get better and be more competitive to do these kinds of things and play these games. But it's a process for us and we're really in the early stages of rebuilding this program."
They now travel to Tallahassee to take on a Florida State team that won't it's season opener 69-3. A Florida State team that was favored by 44 and covered by 22. Layman's terms? This is going to be ugly. Dave Jennings is going to love this one.
#7 Georgia (1-0) @ Missouri (1-0)
We have been waiting for this one. Missouri's SEC opener, as they host the 2011 SEC East champion Georgia Bulldogs. There is very few history between these two teams. Georgia defeated Missouri in the 1960 Orange Bowl, 14-0. So, it's my best guess that Mizzou DT Sheldon Richardson wanted to "spice things up" with his comments. "I tried to watch their (Georgia) season opener against Buffalo, but I had to turn it off. It was old man football, I couldn't watch it."
Neither team faced a challenge in their week one matchups, so this one could be a sloppy game. But then again, none of the top teams ever faces a challenge in their season openers. Just look at Louisville...
Kent St (1-0) @ Kentucky (0-1) Kentucky leads the all time series 6-0
Joker Phillips faces a career crisis. He was the "coach in waiting" at Kentucky, and has successfully destroyed everything Rich Brooks built up. After a loss to their rival in week one, which could've been worse, fans are already calling for his head. Here are the scores of the previous 6 game between these two teams : 56-20, 35-0, 24-6, 38-14, 37-12, 42-0. All UK wins. In order for the fans to climb off his back, Maxwell Smith and Co need to take the total point difference in those 6 games (180) and beat Kent St by that much this weekend. Ok, I kid...but seriously, they need to put up a HUGE win. Vegas has Kentucky as a 7 point favorite. Not good.
