Jonathan Lee    AccuScore Analyst
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Scratch another conference off the list.  There are only four you need to pay attention to the rest of the year.

The ACC flopped big time in week one.  Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Virginia were all embarrassed on the opening weekend.  Last Saturday was not any better as the Hokies and Cavs held just 3-0 halftime leads against Furman and Richmond respectively.  Maryland got beat by Middle Tennessee.  Wake Forest barely managed to survive with a last second win against rebuilding Ole Miss at home.

As hard as it is to believe however, the Big East could be in even worse shape.  There is less margin for error for it than any other BCS league simply because of a numbers game.  The raiding of the conference by the ACC left it with only eight schools, and there were widespread notions that it would no longer be worthy of being included among the power conferences.  That proved to be unfounded with the rise to prominence of West Virginia under Rich Rodriguez, and Louisville under Bobby Petrino.  Both coaches are now gone, and so too it appears the swagger of the Big East.

Wannstedt has yet to elevate Pitt
to an elite level.

This was supposed to be the year for Dave Wannstedt at Pitt.  The Panthers already lost at home to Bowling Green.  Louisville got embarrassed by in-state rival Kentucky.  Cincinnati got eviscerated by Oklahoma.  Rutgers showed that it can’t moved the ball without Ray Rice in a blowout against Fresno State at home.  West Virginia, supposedly the one elite team this season, was held without a touchdown for the first time in seven years in a manhandling by East Carolina.  Syracuse is Syracuse.  Connecticut needed overtime just to edge Temple by three, but at least it managed to stay unbeaten.

Along with the Huskies, South Florida is the only other team in the Big East without a blemish so far this year.  The Bulls showed some toughness by beating Central Florida in overtime, and are looking to build on the success it had last year reaching the land of the rankings for the first time.  This season they are currently No.18, and may need to carry the torch of the conference by themselves.

There are only three chances left for the conference to redeem itself this season.  Syracuse takes on Penn State this Saturday, but are 27 underdogs at home.  The far more plausible shots at a big non-conference win are South Florida against Kansas on Friday and West Virginia taking on Colorado and Auburn later in the season.  The rest of the Big East had better hope the Bulls and Mountaineers are up to the task.

• Is there light at the end of the tunnel for the ACC?
There is still some hope for the ACC.  Clemson is still very talented, but the loss too Alabama showed it is a typical Tommy Bowden team that wilts under pressure.  While I think the Demon Deacons are a quality team they are certainly not among the elite in college football.  At least Florida State showed some semblance of an offense (albeit in a glorified scrimmage) and youthful Miami stayed with Florida for a half.  That brings hope for the future.  The conference desperately needs those two traditional powers to return to prominence.

• Remember the name: Jahvid Best.
Pacific-10 games are often hard to find and watch outside of the West Coast, but fans would do well to catch a glimpse of Cal tailback Jahvid Best.  The true sophomore has blazing speed having won the California state 100-meter title in high school, and that speed translates incredibly well to the football field.  He has already piled up 311 yards and 4 touchdowns averaging 8.4 yards per carry.  Against Washington State last week he scored on runs of 80 and 86 yards.  If the Bears continue to win and challenge for second in conference behind USC, expect to see Best in New York at the Heisman trophy celebration.

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