After finishing 8-0 in the first week of the college football season, The Big East Conference programs had a disappointing Week 2 performance going 4-4. Despite the tough week, the conference is still 12-4 overall against non-conference opponents. Also, there's a lot of opportunity for the Big East to earn back some respect in Week 3 as five of the conference's eight games are against BCS-conference programs.
But, before we get to the Week 3 schedule let's reward those Big East Players that did well in Week 2. Here are last week's top performers:
(Click the link to check out SB Nation New York's Week 2 Power Rankings.)
Quarterbacks: B.J. Daniels, University of South Florida
The junior, again, was very good -- 28-of-39, 359-passing yards with a touchdown -- in a USF victory, 37-7 over visiting Ball State. The performance was good enough to help him earn Big East Player Of The Week honors and back-to-back weeks as SBN NY's top quarterback.
- Ryan Nassib (Senior, Syracuse University): 29-of-37, 318 yards and three TDs; and for the second straight week earned a spot on the Big East honor roll.
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Chas Dodd (Sophomore, Rutgers University): 25-of-47, 243 yards two TDs.
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Geno Smith (Senior, West Virginia University): 347-passing yards with four TDs
Running backs: Ray Graham, University of Pittsburgh
Another solid performance from the junior who ran 121 yards and three TDs in a 35-29 victory over Maine.
- Isaiah Pead (Senior, University of Cincinnati): 14 carries, 155 yards and a TD.
- Lyle McCombs (Freshman, University of Connecticut): 27 carries, 118 yards.
Wide receivers: Van Chew, Syracuse
After making two catches in SU's Week 1 overtime victory over Wake Forest, 36-29, the senior exploded Saturday with an eight-catch, 134-yard, one-TD performance in a 21-14 victory over Rhode Island.
- Alec Lemon (Senior, Syracuse): 10 catches, 94 yards, TD.
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Mohamed Sanu (Junior, Rutgers): 13 catches, 119, TD.
Overall Defense: USF
The Bulls' unit held the Cardinals to just 225 yards, just 77 on the ground, and forced three turnovers, one of which was a fumble recover on the opening kick off that was picked up and ran into the end zone just eight seconds into the game.
Big East Defensive Player Of The Week: Phillip Thomas, Safety, Syracuse
After struggling against Wake Forest in Week 1, Thomas responded with a solid performance -- four tackles and two interceptions -- against URI.
Here's last week's results:
- Florida International 24, Louisville 17
- North Carolina 24, Rutgers 22
- Pittsburgh 35, Maine 29
- West Virginia 55, Norfolk State 12
- Tennessee 45, Cincinnati 23
- Syracuse 21, Rhode Island 14
- South Florida 37, Ball State 7
- Vanderbilt 24, Connecticut 21
Here's this week's upcoming game times and TV schedule:
- Iowa State at Connecticut -- Friday, 8 p.m. on ESPN2
- West Virginia at Maryland -- Saturday, noon on ESPNU
- Pittsburgh at Iowa -- Saturday, noon on ESPN2
- Akron at Cincinnati -- Saturday, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN3
- Louisville at Kentucky -- Saturday, 7 p.m. on ESPNU
- Florida A&M at South Florida -- Saturday, 7 p.m. on Big East Network
- Syracuse at USC -- Saturday, 8 p.m. on FX
Here are some Big East Football links: