The number of unbeaten teams in FBS college football is down to 16, and three can be found in the BIG EAST. Louisville and Rutgers both take 5-0 records into this weekend, while Cincinnati stands at 4-0. Only the SEC (with four unbeaten teams) has more unbeaten teams than the BIG EAST. The Big 12, Pac-12 and WAC have two undefeated teams each.

 

Three key BIG EAST games will get Saturday’s college football schedule started, beginning with an 11 a.m. matchup on ESPNU as Louisville visits Pittsburgh. Syracuse plays at Rutgers at noon for the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week, while Temple heads to Connecticut for a 1 p.m. kickoff on ESPN3. After the sun sets, Cincinnati will play its fourth straight nonconference game when the Bearcats host Fordham at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. 

 

After watching the BIG EAST’s stars of today on Saturday, you’ll have no problem finding BIG EAST representatives on Sunday’s NFL docket. Entering this weekend, there are 146 former BIG EAST players who have seen action on an NFL field, or are on injured reserve, this year. Among current league members, Pittsburgh has 21 alums who have played in an NFL game this season, while Rutgers has 17 and Syracuse 15. The Indianapolis Colts are the most BIG EAST-friendly franchise, with 11 players from the conference. The Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who are coached by former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano) have 10 former BIG EAST players each.

 

Temple coach Steve Addazio, who grew up and coached at the high school level in the state of Connecticut, returns to the Nutmeg State when his Owls face UConn Saturday. On the opposite sideline will be Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni, who hired Addazio as an assistant on two occasions – at Western Connecticut and Syracuse.