2011 Big East Conference football season

The 2011 Big East football season was the NCAA football season of the Big East Conference.

2011 Big East Conference football season
League	NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
Sport	football
Duration	September 1 - present
Number of teams	8
TV partner(s)	ESPN-Big East Network
2012 NFL Draft
Top draft pick	Bruce Irvin (West Virginia)
Picked by	Seattle Seahawks, 15th overall
Regular season
Co-Champions	West Virginia, Cincinnati, & Louisville

2011 Big East Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 17 West Virginia $+		5	–	2					10	–	3
No. 25 Cincinnati +		5	–	2					10	–	3
Louisville +		5	–	2					7	–	6
Rutgers		4	–	3					9	–	4
Pittsburgh		4	–	3					6	–	7
Connecticut		3	–	4					5	–	7
South Florida		1	–	6					5	–	7
Syracuse		1	–	6					5	–	7
$ – BCS representative as conference champion + – Conference co-champions As of January 11, 2012 Rankings from AP Poll

The conference consists of 8 football members: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, and West Virginia.^[1]

Regular season

Key

Index to colors and formatting
Big East member won
Big East member lost
Big East Conference Game
Big East teams in bold

All times Eastern time.

Week 1

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
September 1*	6:00 p.m.	Murray State	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	ESPNU	W 21–9	46,157
September 1*	7:30 p.m.	North Carolina Central	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPN3	W 48–0	40,061
September 1*	8:00 p.m.	Wake Forest	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	ESPN3	W 36–29 OT	40,833
September 3*	12:00 p.m.	Fordham	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	ESPN3	W 35–3	34,562	[2]
September 3*	3:30pm	South Florida	No. 16 Notre Dame	Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN	NBC	W 23–20	80,795	[3]
September 3*	6:00 p.m.	Buffalo	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN3	W 35–16	48,359
September 3*	7:00 p.m.	Austin Peay	Cincinnati	Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH	FSO	W 72–10	23,282	[4]
September 4*	3:30pm	Marshall	No. 24 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV (Friends of Coal Bowl)	ESPN	W 34–13	60,758	[5]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 2

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
September 9*	8:00 p.m.	Florida International	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	ESPN	L 17–24	47,228
September 10*	12:30 p.m.	Rutgers	North Carolina	Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC	ACC Network	L 22–24	53,000
September 10*	1:00 p.m.	Maine	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN3	W 35–29	41,230
September 10*	1:00pm	Norfolk State	No. 19 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV	ESPN+	W 55–12	51,911	[6]
September 10*	3:30 p.m.	Cincinnati	Tennessee	Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN	ESPN2	L 23–45	94,207	[7]
September 10*	4:30 p.m.	Rhode Island	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	TWC Sports	W 21–14	36,421
September 10*	7:00pm	Ball State	No. 22 South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	BHSN	W 37–7	45,113
September 10*	7:30 p.m.	Connecticut	Vanderbilt	Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN	SNY	L 21–24	32,119	[2]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 3

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
September 16*	8:00 p.m.	Iowa State	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	ESPN2	L 20–24	37,195	[2]
September 17*	12:00 p.m.	Pittsburgh	Iowa	Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA	ESPN2	L 27–31	70,585
September 17*	12:00pm	No. 18 West Virginia	Maryland	Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD	ESPNU	W 37–31	53,627	[8]
September 17*	3:30 p.m.	Akron	Cincinnati	Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH	ESPN3	W 59–14	24,991	[9]
September 17*	7:00 p.m.	Louisville	Kentucky	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY (Governor's Cup)	ESPNU	W 24–17	68,170
September 17*	7:00pm	Florida A&M	No. 20 South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	BHSN	W 70–17	50,128
September 17*	8:00 p.m.	Syracuse	USC	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA	FX	L 17–38	65,873	[10]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 4

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
September 22*	8:00 p.m.	NC State	Cincinnati	Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH	ESPN/ESPN 3D	W 44–14	28,431	[11]
September 24*	12:00 p.m.	Notre Dame	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ABC	L 12–15	65,050
September 24*	12:00 p.m.	Toledo	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	BIG EAST Network	W 33–30 OT	39,116
September 24*	2:00 p.m.	Ohio	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPN3	W 38–26	41,388
September 24*	6:00 p.m.	Connecticut	Buffalo	University at Buffalo Stadium • Buffalo, NY	SNY/BIG EAST Network	W 17–3	18,215	[2]
September 24*	7:00pm	UTEP	No. 17 South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	ESPN3	W 52–24	48,231
September 24*	8:00pm	No. 2 LSU	No. 16 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV (Gold Rush)	ABC	L 21–47	62,056	[12]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 5

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
September 29	8:00pm	No. 14 South Florida	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN	PIT 44-17	40,025	[13]
October 1	12:00 p.m.	Rutgers	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	BIG EAST Network	RUT 19-16 2OT	42,152
October 1*	1:00 p.m.	Cincinnati	Miami (OH)	Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH (Victory Bell)	ESPN3	W 27–0	16,408	[14]
October 1*	3:30 p.m.	Marshall	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	BIG EAST Network	L 13–17	53,267
October 1*	3:30pm	Bowling Green	No. 22 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV	ESPN+	W 55–10	46,603	[15]
October 1*	3:30 p.m.	Western Michigan	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	SNY	L 31–38	36,648	[2]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 6

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
October 8	12:00 p.m.	Connecticut	No. 16 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV	SNY/BIG EAST Network	WVA 43-16	56,179	[2]
October 8*	12:00 p.m.	Louisville	North Carolina	Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC	ESPN2	L 7–14	51,500	[16]
October 8	3:30 p.m.	Pittsburgh	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPNU	RUT 34-10	46,079
October 8*	8:00 p.m.	Syracuse	Tulane	Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA	Cox	W 37–34	39,116
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 7

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
October 15	12:00 p.m.	Louisville	Cincinnati	Paul Brown Stadium • Cincinnati, OH (Keg of Nails)	BIG EAST Network	CIN 25-16	40,971	[17]
October 15*	12:00 p.m.	Utah	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPNU	L 14–26	43,719	[18]
October 15*	2:00 p.m.	Navy	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPN3	W 21–20	47,138
October 15	3:30pm	South Florida	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	BIG EAST Network	CON 16-10	37,162	[19]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 8

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
October 21	8:00 p.m.	Rutgers	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	ESPN2	LOU 16-14	48,435
October 21	8:00pm	No. 11 West Virginia	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	ESPN	SYR 49-23	45,265	[20]
October 22	12:00pm	Cincinnati	South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	BIG EAST Network	CIN 37-34	39,456
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 9

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
October 26	8:00 p.m.	Connecticut	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN	PIT 35-20	40,219	[2]
October 29	12:00 p.m.	Syracuse	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	BIG EAST Network	LOU 27-10	44,817
October 29	3:30 p.m.	No. 24 West Virginia	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ABC	WVA 41-31	47,303
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 10

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
November 5	12:00pm	Louisville	No. 24 West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV	ESPN+	LOU 38–35	57,287	[21]
November 5	12:00 p.m.	Syracuse	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	ESPNU	CON 28-21	38,769
November 5	7:00 p.m.	No. 23 Cincinnati	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA (River City Rivalry)	ESPNU	CIN 26-23	49,362	[22]
November 5	7:00pm	South Florida	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPN3	RUT 20–17 OT	36,911
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 11

Yankee Stadium for a game between Army and Rutgers.

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
November 11	8:00 p.m.	South Florida	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	ESPN2	USF 37-17	41,582
November 12	12:00 p.m.	Pittsburgh	Louisville	Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY	BIG EAST Network	PIT 21-14	51,321
November 12	12:00 p.m.	West Virginia	No. 23 Cincinnati	Paul Brown Stadium • Cincinnati, OH	ABC	WVA 24-21	48,152	[23]
November 12*	3:30 p.m.	Rutgers	Army	Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY	CBS SN	W 27–12	30,028
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 12

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
November 19	12:00 p.m.	Cincinnati	Rutgers	High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ	ESPNU	RUT 20-3	52,454
November 19	12:00 p.m.	Louisville	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	BIG EAST Network	LOU 34-20	34,483	[2]
November 19*	3:30pm	Miami (FL)	South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	ESPNU	L 3–6	47,745
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 13

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
November 25	11:00am	Louisville	South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	ESPN2	LOU 34–24	46,666
November 25	7:00 p.m.	Pittsburgh	West Virginia	Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV (Backyard Brawl)	ESPN	WVA 21–20	60,932	[24]
November 26	12:00 p.m.	Cincinnati	Syracuse	Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY	BIG EAST Network	CIN 30-13	38,159
November 26	12:00 p.m.	Rutgers	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	ESPN2	CON 40-22	37,857
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week 14

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
December 1	8:00pm	No. 20 West Virginia	South Florida	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL	ESPN	WVA 30-27	41,743
December 3	12:00 p.m.	Connecticut	No. 25 Cincinnati	Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH	ESPN	CIN 35-27	27,930	[2]
December 3	12:00 p.m.	Syracuse	Pittsburgh	Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN2	PIT 33-20	40,058
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

^[25]

Bowl Games

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
December 27*	8:00 p.m.	Louisville	North Carolina State	Bank of America Stadium • Charlotte, NC (Belk Bowl)	ESPN	L 24–31	58,427
December 30*	3:20 p.m.	Iowa State	Rutgers	Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY (Pinstripe Bowl)	ESPN	W 27–13	38,328
December 31*	3:30 p.m.	No. 25 Cincinnati	Vanderbilt	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TN (Liberty Bowl)	ABC	W 31–24	57,103	[26]
January 4*	8:30pm	No. 23 West Virginia	No. 14 Clemson	Sun Life Stadium • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	ESPN	W 70–33	67,563
January 7*	1:00 p.m.	Pittsburgh	SMU	Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (BBVA Compass Bowl)	ESPN	L 6–28	29,726
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

^[25]

Records against other conferences

Conference	Wins	Losses
ACC	4	4
Big 12	1	1
Big Ten	0	1
CUSA	3	2
Independents	3	1
MAC	9	1
Mountain West	0	0
Pac-12	0	2
SEC	2	3
Sun Belt	0	1
WAC	0	0
All FCS	5	0
Against BCS	7	10
Against FBS	22	16
Overall	27	16

Big East Conference Awards

The following individuals received postseason honors as voted by the Big East Conference football coaches.^[27]

2011 Big East Football Individual Awards
Award	Recipient(s)
Offensive Player of the Year	Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
Defensive Player of the Year	Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
Special Teams Player of the Year	Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
Rookie of the Year	Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Coach of the Year	Butch Jones, Cincinnati

2011 All-Big East Conference Football Teams[27]
First Team		Second Team
Offense	Defense	Offense	Defense
WR – Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers WR – Tavon Austin, West Virginia OT – Justin Pugh, Syracuse OT – Don Barclay, West Virginia OG – Randy Martinez, Cincinnati OG – Art Forst, Rutgers OG – Andrew Tiller, Syracuse C – Moe Petrus, Connecticut TE – Nick Provo, Syracuse QB – Geno Smith, West Virginia RB – Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati RB – Ray Graham, Pittsburgh RB – Antwon Bailey, Syracuse K – Dave Teggart, Connecticut RS – Tavon Austin, West Virginia	DL – Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati DL – Kendall Reyes, Connecticut DL – Chandler Jones, Syracuse DL – Bruce Irvin, West Virginia LB – J. K. Schaffer, Cincinnati LB – Khaseem Greene, Rutgers LB – Najee Goode, West Virginia CB – Adrian Bushell, Louisville CB – Keith Tandy, West Virginia S – Drew Frey, Cincinnati S – Hakeem Smith, Louisville S – Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh S – Duron Harmon, Rutgers P – Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati	WR – Alec Lemon, Syracuse WR – Stedman Bailey, West Virginia OT – Alex Hoffman, Cincinnati OT – Mike Ryan, Connecticut OG – Desmond Wynn, Rutgers OG – Jeremiah Warren, USF C – Joe Madsen, West Virginia QB – Zach Collaros, Cincinnati TE – Ryan Griffin, Connecticut RB – Lyle McCombs, Connecticut RB – Darrell Scott, USF K – Maikon Bonani, USF RS – Jeremy Deering, Rutgers	DL – Trevardo Williams, Connecticut DL – Chas Alecxih, Pittsburgh DL – Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh DL – Ryne Giddins, USF LB – Dexter Heyman, Louisville LB – Max Gruder, Pittsburgh LB – Marquis Spruill, Syracuse CB – Dwayne Gratz, Connecticut CB – Antwuan Reed, Pittsburgh CB – Logan Ryan, Rutgers CB – Kayvon Webster, USF S – Jerrell Young, USF S – Eain Smith, West Virginia P – Cole Wagner, Connecticut P – Justin Doerner, Rutgers
† - denotes unanimous selection  Additional players added to the All-Big East teams due to ties in the voting