We're in the final weekend of the regular season and after a disappointing game against the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Panthers now have the unenviable task of trying to stay focused on beating Cincinnati to assure itself of making a bowl game. Louisville and Syracuse have finished their seasons, but we've still got three important conference matchups left. Here are my picks for all Big East games this week:
Pitt Vs. Cincinnati: Who knows which Panther team we'll get. Will it be one that's focused and determined to end the season on a high note (well, as high as one can end considering the circumstances)? Or will Pitt come out and put forth little effort in a stunning defeat? I don't think Pitt will play their best game, but I expect them to play well enough to win. The Bearcats have a high-powered offense, but has struggled against some good defenses like West Virginia, Syracuse, and UConn. Pitt 27, Cincinnati 20
UConn Vs. South Florida: If UConn wins this game, they're headed to a BCS berth This is by no means a gimme, but after throttling Cincinnati last week, I think they'll be ready. They've put together good games against West Virginia and Pitt and despite playing a good team on the road in a night game, I think they win. UConn 31, South Florida 14
West Virginia Vs. Rutgers: The Mountaineers play their game against Rutgers before UConn's game against South Florida. WVU knows that if it wins and UConn loses they're headed to the BCS, so I expect them to put everything they can into their game. I expect a dominant performance like the one they put together to defeat Pitt in the Backyard Brawl last Friday. West Virginia 28, Rutgers 10