1) CINCINNATI  - There's no doubt that head coach Brian Kelly has one hand firmly on BIG EAST Coach of the Year. He's going for the hat trick and this team just might capture the league championship for the second consecutive season. The Bearcats are sitting in the top 10 of the AP poll, the USA Today poll and the BCS Standings. They are led by quarterback Tony Pike who is off to a terrific start, despite re-injuring his left forearm against South Florida a couple of weeks ago. Pike has thrown for three 300-yard games this season already and is a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award. In his absence, backup quarterback Zach Collaros threw for 253 yards and three scores against Louisville in his first career start. Kelly's offense has been able to roll right along the past two seasons using multiple quarterbacks and not miss a beat. They rank among the nation's best in passing offense and in total offense. Wideout Mardy Gilyard is a threat on the outside and the Bearcats find ways to get him the ball.  He ranks in the top 10 in the country in receptions per game and is in the top 20 in receiving yards per game. As an ex-quarterback, I marvel at their schemes and their execution.  The big question is can they do it down the stretch against West Virginia and Pitt? The Bearcat defense has responded nicely after losing 10 starters off of last year's group. They are ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense and have forced more than their share of turnovers this year.

2) PITT  - The two biggest questions facing the Panthers coming into this season seemed to be quarterback and running back.  Consider those questions answered. Quarterback Bill Stull has been one of the biggest surprises in the country. He's in the top five in the country in passing efficiency and his touchdown-to-interception ratio is keeping the Panthers in the win column.  And they are ranked in the top 20 in the national polls and the BCS Standings. The other question has been answered with a big exclamation point.  Running back Dion Lewis, a true freshman, is without a doubt having an all-American season. He's rushed for 100 yards five times this year in eight career games! His elusiveness and jump cuts make defenders miss by a wide margin, and he seems to avoid the big hit. The Panthers have put themselves in a position to win the conference, but can the pre-season favorite in the BIG EAST media poll take down West Virginia and Cincinnati at the end of the year?

3) WEST VIRGINIA  -  It's a little odd to me since I have been covering the league for many years, but many people seem to be forgetting about WVU, except the Mountaineer faithful who cheer them on each and every week. The Mountaineers have moved their way into the top 25. Quarterback Jarrett Brown has fit into departed Pat White's shoes nicely. Brown is 8-1 all time as WVU's starting quarterback and the Mountaineers have won 40 of their last 50 Big East games. Brown has completed about two-thirds of his passes for over 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns. He's recovered from a head injury and is looking to lead his team into the national spotlight. Running back Noel Devine has been up to his usual tricks, sprinting 56 yards with 2:10 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift his team to victory versus Connecticut on Oct. 24. Devine totaled 178 yards on the afternoon, making it the 13^th time in his career to break the century mark. Remember, he's only a sophomore.  Sometimes it looks like he might score every time he gets his hands on the football! He has been ranked in top five nationally in rushing. Wide receiver Jock Sanders has been leading the league in receptions.  Between Sanders and Devine, the Mountaineers can break a game wide open with one touch of the football.

4) USF - The Bulls have dropped a couple after starting the season 5-0.  It looked pretty grim when BIG EAST career yardage leader Matt Grothe went down with a season ending knee injury early in the season, but redshirt freshman B.J.Daniels has done a nice job moving the offense, and showing incredible athletic ability when asked to run with the football. He leads the team in rushing and passing.  Still, I think USF's strengths reside on the defensive side of the ball in ends George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul. Both are serious pass rushers who put fear into quarterbacks.  I have been impressed with the defensive team speed and production in the secondary. Safety Nate Allen knows how to pick off passes and leads the BIG EAST in passes defended. Big-hitting linebacker Sabbath Joseph has three forced fumbles for the leaders in the BIG EAST in pass defense. 

5) CONNECTICUT - Don't put too much into the order that I've listed the teams.  The Huskies are capable of taking down any team in the league.  Beyond all on-the-field issues is the extraordinary courage and strength shown by head coach Randy Edsall and his team coping with the death of cornerback Jasper Howard.  UConn, always so sound in the fundamentals, still have a strong running attack with Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman.  Both have been in the top five in the league in rushing.  Linebacker Lawrence Wilson has been a force on defense.  He leads the conference in tackles.

6) RUTGERS - The Scarlet Knights got out of the conference gate slowly with a couple of losses, but head coach Greg Schiano's club finished with a flourish last year and there's no reason why they can't do it again.  RU is going with true freshman quarterback Tom Savage.  As a former quarterback at Pitt, believe me that is not easy.  Still, Savage is improving every week.  Running back Joe Martinek is solid and the defense is always known to play hard-nosed football. 

7) LOUISVILLE - Like Rutgers, the Cardinals also had to find a new quarterback.  Adam Froman has taken most of the snaps and he has a talented group of receivers in Scott Long, Doug Beaumont and Josh Chichester.  UofL has moved the ball through the air, but turnovers have sometimes been a problem.  Defensively, cornerback Johnny Patrick and linebacker Jon Dempsey have stood out to me.

8) SYRACUSE - I know it's not a new story anymore, but I continue to be impressed with what quarterback Greg Paulus has been able to accomplish.  I think of all of the regimented hard work I had to put in to try to be a good college quarterback at Pitt and Greg takes four years off to play basketball at Duke and looks like he hasn't missed a beat!  Linebacker Derrell Smith looks like an All-BIG EAST player to me.  In less than one season, new coach Doug Marrone looks like he has the Orange headed in the right direction.

Of course, no one knows what's going to happen down the stretch of the regular season.  The BIG EAST does not have a championship game, but check out the schedule on the final day of the season, Dec. 5.  Cincinnati at Pitt, WVU at Rutgers and USF at Connecticut.  I'll be very surprised if at least one of those games doesn't have championship implications.

Thanks for letting me throw my two cents in.  Keep watching the BIG EAST Game of the Week!

-John Congemi is a former University of Pittsburgh quarterback (1982-86) and MVP of the 1984 Fiesta Bowl. He is currently a college football commentator for ESPNU and the BIG EAST Network.