We know 7-5 Louisville won’t represent the Big East in a BCS bowl, but Cincinnati’s 35-27 victory over UConn did give us a three-way tie for the conference championship.
Now West Virginia (9-3, 5-2) and Cincinnati (9-3, 5-2) will have to see which one is ranked higher in Sunday’s BCS Rankings. The Mountaineers are the best bet, but Dana Holgorsen & Co. know nothing is set until those rankings come out.
Connecticut didn’t hand Cincinnati a share of the crown, though. Paul Pasqualoni’s team has improved throughout the season and almost became bowl eligible. But the magic ran out at Nippert Stadium.
The Bearcats capitalized on two defensive touchdowns in the first half to take a 28-6 lead into halftime. Cincinnati could have put the game away early in the second half, but quarterback Johnny McEntee heated up in the fourth quarter.
UConn also has an NFL-caliber kicker in Dave Teggart, who made four field goals including a 53-yarder.
On the other side, Cincinnati has found its quarterback of the future in Munchie Legaux. While he’s not as refined as Zach Collaros, Legaux has improved with each start. He actually threw a career-high three touchdowns, but only completed 15-of-35 passes and was picked off twice.
The Bearcats probably won’t get a BCS bid, but Butch Jones should be the Big East Coach of the Year for the turnaround experienced in Cincinnati this fall. In Jones’ first season, the Bearcats went 4-8 after back-to-back conference championships.
Now Jones’ reputation has been restored and many are questioning how long he will remain the Bearcats coach.
If not for Collaros breaking his ankle in the WVU game, Cincinnati might have easily walked away with the Big East crown outright.
But I think Jones has to be pleased with how things are progressing in The Queen City.
