November 19, 2009

David Fox
Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer

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After starting the season with a whimper, this is not a bad place to be for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers arguably set the tone for the Big East season by losing to Cincinnati 47-15 in the Big East opener. The Scarlet Knights fell 24-17 to Pittsburgh in their second conference game of the season.

Since that point in mid-October, the Big East has been a two-team race, which will culminate with Cincinnati's trip to Pitt on Dec. 5.

While those are two high-profile losses, the Scarlet Knights have not lost any other games and quietly appear poised for a nine- or 10-win season. Rutgers is 7-2, with road games left against Syracuse and Louisville - the bottom two teams in the Big East standings - and a home game remaining with West Virginia.

Granted, Rutgers hasn't played the toughest schedule. The Scarlet Knights have not played a team with a winning record outside of Big East play; that includes two losing FCS teams. Rutgers' non-conference opponents from the FBS (Florida International, Maryland and Army) are a combined 9-21.

Still, Rutgers can feel good about the future because of a young offense. The Big East title is out of reach this season, but the Scarlet Knights could be in position to challenge for years to come.

"We have a tremendous amount of young talent in our program," coach Greg Schiano said.

A major factor will be true freshman quarterback Tom Savage, one of six first- or second-year starters on offense. Savage is completing only 55 percent of his passes this season, but he also has thrown just two interceptions.

"For any quarterback, that's great. But for a freshman, that's extraordinary," Schiano said. "[Quarterbacks coach Kirk Ciarrocca] has fed him at just the right speed, where you don't let him get bored but you don't overwhelm him. Tom has done a good job of grasping what we've asked him to grasp."

Savage has passed for 1,535 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has received help from another freshman playmaker - wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. Sanu eventually will be Rutgers' go-to receiver, and he also takes snaps in the Scarlet Knights' version of the "wildcat" formation and returns punts.

While the offense largely has been led by young players this season, the defense has benefited from experience. After struggling against Cincinnati and Pitt, Rutgers held USF to 30 rushing yards and forced four turnovers. The 31-0 win over the Bulls was Rutgers' first Big East shutout since blanking Temple - in 1993. Five seniors and four juniors start on a defense that leads the nation in turnover margin at plus-21.

"They've been in our defensive system for four years, or five years for some of them," Schiano said. "It affords you the opportunity to take a chance here or know a situation when you can get a strip on a ballcarrier."

With a young offense and a veteran defense, Rutgers has found the right mix to extend its bowl streak to five seasons.

KEY MATCHUP: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame in the fourth quarter. Disregard the score at the end of the third quarter. These teams have played more gut-wrenching fourth quarters than any other teams in the nation. Notre Dame needed to score to win in the fourth quarter or in overtime in four of its six victories this season. UConn, meanwhile, led in the fourth quarter in four of its five losses this season.

PLAYERS ON THE SPOT: USF's offensive line and QB B.J. Daniels. Daniels, a redshirt freshman, must feel a lot like former QB Matt Grothe used to - the offense is almost entirely on his shoulders. The Bulls, therefore, need to make sure he can do his job. Daniels was sacked seven times against Rutgers last week. USF is allowing four sacks per game in its five Big East contests; that number is 1.25 per game in its non-conference schedule. Louisville's pass rush is nothing special, but LB Chris Campa is coming off a two-sack performance against Syracuse.

NUMBERS GAME: Cincinnati RB Isaiah Pead became the third Bearcat to rush for 100 yards this season when he gained 175 against West Virginia. The Bearcats had gone 30 consecutive games without a 100-yard rusher before the streak was broken this season. In addition to Pead, RB Jacob Ramsey and QB Zach Collaros have hit the century mark this season.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:

"Until somebody tells me different, I plan on being here. I'm not going anyplace voluntarily, so if it's involuntarily - I can't answer that question. But I plan on being here, and that's the mode that I'm in." - Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe, on his job security

"I think everyone dreams to play at Notre Dame or with Notre Dame. I'm fortunate that I get to do both - go there and now play against them. Hopefully, it will live up to everything that it is." - Connecticut quarterback Zach Frazer, to UConnReport.com. Frazer transferred to UConn from Notre Dame in 2007

"We're still going out there to win games, not to give people experience for next year. It's not next year until the last game is over. The way people are getting experience now on this team is through injury." - Syracuse coach Doug Marrone, on whether to stick with senior QB Greg Paulus or switch to redshirt freshman Ryan Nassib

"To be honest with you, I don't hear it. I don't read the paper. I don't listen to the radio. I don't follow the blogs. ... If you lose, you always feel like it's your fault. I put it on myself. I always feel like it's the head coach's program. If the offense isn't playing well, that's me. I've got to make sure the offense plays better." - USF coach Jim Leavitt, to the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times

ETC.: Cincinnati's 2012 game against Virginia Tech will be played at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C., rather than at UC's Nippert Stadium. This is a return game from the Bearcats' trip to Blacksburg in 2006. Cincinnati plans to begin construction on on-campus practice fields, scheduled to be completed in fall 2010. ... After going nine games without losing a fumble, Cincinnati lost one against West Virginia. The Bearcats still have the fewest turnovers in the country with six. ... Connecticut WR Marcus Easley has caught a touchdown pass in five consecutive games. He also has at least 80 yards in each of those games. ... ... Syracuse backup QB Ryan Nassib was 7-for-10 passing against Cincinnati on Oct. 31 and 5-for-16 against Pittsburgh on Nov. 7, but his playing time decreased to five attempted passes in the loss at Louisville last week. ... In the absence of Syracuse star DT Arthur Jones, his brother Chandler Jones - also a defensive tackle - recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack in the loss to Louisville. ... USF has started the last three seasons with a combined record of 16-0. The Bulls are 7-12 in the remaining games. ... Pittsburgh CB Aaron Berry (shoulder) is day-to-day. ... Syracuse KR Mike Jones is out for the rest of the season with a tear in his hip flexor. ... West Virginia coach Bill Stewart declined to comment on a video review in WVU's game against Cincinnati that overturned a fumble by Bearcats RB Isaiah Pead. It was ruled a fumble on the field, but the reversal led to Pead scoring a touchdown that tied the game at 14.

David Fox is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dfox@rivals.com.