No one in the eight-team Big East has been eliminated from the conference championship race, but only Miami and Virginia Tech seem to have realistic hopes for a league title.

The Hurricanes and Hokies, ranked No. 1 and No. 3 respectively, are headed for a showdown in the regular-season finale on Dec. 7 that will likely decide the league champ and a possible berth in the Fiesta Bowl, site of this year's national championship game.

Nothing new there. Either Miami or Virginia Tech has won the Big East in eight of the 11 years the conference has been in existence.

Few Surprises So Far In MAC

The MAC is playing out pretty much as expected with Marshall taking control of the East Division and Bowling Green, Toledo and Northern Illinois duking it out in the West. A victory against Miami on Nov. 12 would virtually clinch a sixth successive division crown for the Thundering Herd. Bowling Green, Toledo and Northern Illinois will engage in a round-robin over the next month that will decide the other participant in the MAC title game The conference championship game will be played on the home field of the East Division winner, which could be all the advantage Marshall needs to reclaim the league crown. Biggest surprise: It might be a stretch to call Northern Illinois a surprise, but few expected the Huskies to play so well, especially after the early-season losses of standouts Thomas Hammock and P.J. Fleck. Biggest disappointment: After years of struggles, it appeared Kent State had turned its fortunes around following last year's 6-5 campaign. But, the Golden Flashes have made an abrupt U-turn and are headed backward. Midseason MVP: A three-player race between Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich, Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris and Northern Illinois tailback Michael Turner. Toledo quarterback Brian Jones also deserves consideration. We'll give it to Leftwich by a nose. Midseason Coach of the Year: Bowling Green's Urban Meyer has turned in one of the best coaching jobs in the country, not just the MAC. The Falcons could be headed for their first conference title since 1992. Bowl bound: The MAC is tied into the Motor City and GMAC Bowls. We'll pick Marshall to regain MAC supremacy and earn the Motor City invitation. The Herd will beat Toledo for the conference championship, handing the Rockets the GMAC berth. -- Jorge Milian

Pittsburgh and West Virginia are tied with the Hurricanes and Hokies atop the league standings with 2-0 conference records. That probably won't last for very long.

The Panthers must play Miami and Virginia Tech on the road. Pittsburgh hasn't beaten the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl since 1963 and has never won in Blacksburg.

West Virginia has bounced back from its worst season in more than two decades to post a 5-2 record, but none of the victories have come against a winning Division I-A program. The Mountaineers are, at least, another season away from competing against the Big East's elite.

Boston College, which some saw as the league's darkhorse, has never finished better than third in the conference and seems headed for another such showing this season.

The real race may be at the bottom of the conference, where Temple, Rutgers and, surprisingly, Syracuse will battle to stay out of the basement.

Biggest surprise: Expected to loiter most of the season in the conference cellar, West Virginia is still hanging with the league heavyweights and is only one victory shy of postseason eligibility. Credit goes to coach Rich Rodriguez, whose system is taking hold, and tailback Avon Cobourne, who has propped the Mountaineers on his back.

Biggest disappointment: A dropoff seemed inevitable for Syracuse after it suffered huge personnel losses from last season's 10-3 team. But, few expected the Orangemen to fall off a cliff. Other than a hard-fought 37-34 triple overtime loss at Auburn, Syracuse has played abysmally. At 1-6, the Orangemen are assured of their first non-winning season since 1986 and must defeat Rutgers on Saturday to stave off the embarrassing possibility of finishing last in the conference.

Midseason MVP: Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey may not even be the best player in his own backfield, but there is no Hurricane that is more valuable. Dorsey helped lead a stirring comeback against Florida State two weeks ago and leads the Big East with 17 touchdown passes. But, the senior's most important statistic is his 32-1 career mark as a starter. Other quarterbacks may have stronger arms, quicker feet and better numbers than Dorsey, but no one wins like he does.

Midseason Coach of the Year: No coach consistently does more with less than Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer. Sure, no one expected the Hokies to struggle this season, but No. 3 in the country? Credit Beamer, who has Virginia Tech vying for a national title berth despite the lack of a true passing game and with a defense that was gutted following the 2001 season.

Bowl bound: Miami and Virginia Tech have already qualified for the postseason. The only question remains whether both teams will earn BCS berths, which would mark a first for the Big East. Pittsburgh and West Virginia are one victory away from bowl eligibility with five wins and five games to go. Boston College needs two more victories to make the postseason for the fourth year in a row. With four of the Eagles' final six games on the road, that may not be easy. Syracuse, Temple and Rutgers are already looking toward next year. (P.S. Notre Dame has an agreement with the Big East that allows the Irish to play in one of five conference-affiliated bowls if they don't qualify for the BCS. The result could be that one of the league's permanent members might be shut out of the postseason.)

Around the Big East

Boston College
The Eagles (4-2, 0-2) are repeating their routine of the past several seasons -- good enough to beat average or below-average teams, but still lagging behind the nation's elite. How else does one explain BC's 1-23 record against ranked teams since 1994? The Eagles' four victories have come against teams with a combined 8-19 record.

Midseason MVP: The early departure of William Green to the NFL has been easier to absorb with the performance of junior running back Derrick Knight. Knight came off the bench to lead BC to victories against Connecticut and Stanford and, save for a costly fumble against Virginia Tech, has been outstanding. Knight is fifth in the conference in rushing yards (100.0 ypg) and fourth in all-purpose yards (126.8 ypg).

What's next: The next three weeks could mark a make-or-break stretch for the Eagles, who play Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and West Virginia. Each of the games is on the road. The only home games left for BC are against Syracuse and Rutgers. The Eagles may have to win both to qualify for another bowl game.

Miami
Trying to find holes in the Hurricanes is like looking for pimples on a beauty queen. Good luck. Yes, Miami looked human in its 28-27 win against Florida State, but in the end, the Hurricanes registered their 28th consecutive victory. Miami may not be as good as it was last season, but the Hurricanes may still be the best team in college football.

Midseason MVP: Tailback Willis McGahee is having a sensational year, but the one player Miami cannot afford to lose is quarterback Ken Dorsey. Some say Dorsey is the beneficiary of the talent that surrounds him. Maybe. But know this: the Hurricanes have lost 11 NFL draft choices from its offense in the past two years and continue to put up numbers at a record-setting pace. Why? Think Dorsey.

What's next: The Hurricanes figure to have two dicey games remaining on their regular-season schedule. Miami must play Tennessee in Knoxville on Nov. 9 before finishing up the year against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 7. As long as Dorsey stays healthy, don't bet against the Hurricanes returning to the national title game.

Pittsburgh
If not for its own mistakes, Pittsburgh could easily be 7-0. Late-game blunders against Texas A&M and Notre Dame cost the Panthers a chance for their first national ranking since 1991. Still, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Quarterback Rod Rutherford has generally played well after struggling early and the defense has been first rate.

Midseason MVP: While Pittsburgh's offense has played inconsistently, the Panthers' defensive has been a tower of strength. Leading the charge has been linebacker Gerald Hayes, a two-time all-Big East selection who tops the team in tackles (68) and tackles for losses (9) while adding a pair of interceptions.

What's next: The difference between a good and great season will come down to how Pittsburgh fares against Virginia Tech (Nov. 2) and Miami (Nov. 21). The rest of the schedule -- home games against Boston College, Temple and West Virginia -- is winnable. Eight victories would be the most by the Panthers since 1989.

Rutgers
Look hard enough and one can find subtle hints of improvement in Rutgers' program. The defense is better than it has been and the Knights managed to stay in games against Tennessee and Virginia Tech. But, for every instance of optimism, there are three or four more reasons to believe Rutgers still has a long -- real long -- way to go before it's anything more than a Division I-A doormat.

Midseason MVP: The pickings are slim, but junior cornerback Nathan Jones has played well. Jones is 11th in the nation in kickoff returns with a 26.8 average and one touchdown and ranks second on the Knights with 55 tackles and four pass breakups.

What's next: Rutgers may be hard pressed to match the two victories it registered last season. The best chance at wins are against Syracuse and Temple. Maybe. Mostly, the Knights will continue to build. One has to wonder if coach Greg Schiano really knew how difficult this job would be.

Syracuse
Are the Orangemen, picked to finish third in the conference, this bad or have they just given up? Through seven games, Syracuse has yet to beat a Division I-A opponent. The offense is bad and the defense even worse. While some rebuilding was expected, battling Rutgers to stay out of the Big East cellar wasn't anticipated.

Midseason MVP: Don't blame Syracuse's woes on middle linebacker Clifton Smith, who is having another solid season despite the chaos surrounding him. Smith is leading the Big East in tackles with 90.

What's next: The only game left on the schedule that Syracuse can feel optimistic about winning is Saturday's meeting with Rutgers. But, don't bet on it. Quarterback R.J. Anderson should be on the bench, but senior Troy Nunes is not a long-term solution. The Syracuse Post-Standard is already asking fans if coach Paul Pasqualoni should be back for a 13th season. This could get ugly.

Temple
The Owls will undoubtedly finish with their 12th consecutive losing season, but they're not the patsies they've been in the past. Temple has been blown out only once and played top-ranked Miami even for one half. Credit coach Bobby Wallace, who gets the most out of his team despite obstacles that range from the school's lame duck Big East status to a home field situation that provides few advantages.

Midseason MVP: After slumping last season, senior tailback Tanardo Sharps has regained the form that made him a 1,000-yard rusher as a sophomore. Sharps has rushed for 100 yards five times this season and is second among Big East runners with 877 yards.

What's next: A five-victory season may be a modest goal in most places, but not at Temple, which hasn't won that many games since 1990. With Rutgers left on the schedule, the Owls must upset Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Pittsburgh or Boston College to reach the five-win mark. It won't be easy, but nothing ever is at Temple.

Virginia Tech
Coach Frank Beamer has concocted another delicious blend of stifling defense, opportunistic special teams and the best tailback tandem in the country to move within striking distance of a national championship berth. With wins against LSU and on the road at Texas A&M, the Hokies have also finally proven they can win against top competition outside the conference.

Midseason MVP: Knee injury? What knee injury? Tailback Lee Suggs has bounced back from surgery better than he was before. Kevin Jones is top-notch, but the Hokies wouldn't be where they are today without Suggs.

What's next: Four of Virginia Tech's next five games are in Blacksburg. Barring an unexpected slip-up, that should put an undefeated Hokies squad in the Orange Bowl for a winner-takes-all showdown with Miami. Between now and then, quarterback Bryan Randall will have to emerge as a passer or the Hokies could become victims of a one-dimensional offense.

West Virginia
The Mountaineers have taken a step up after a forgettable 2001 season. Rich Rodriguez's spread offense seems to have it backward, relying on the run instead of the pass. But, hey, whatever works. The defense can still be a problem, although its played well the last two weeks. A couple more wins and Rodriguez could make a run for Big East coach of the year.

Midseason MVP: If Dorsey isn't the league MVP, then Avon Cobourne is. The senior running back has been sensational, not just this season but throughout his career. Last Saturday against Syracuse, Cobourne became only the fifth runner in Division I-A history to rush for 1,000 yards in four seasons.

What's next: The second half of the schedule will be tougher than the first, with not a single certain victory among the Mountaineers' final five games. If West Virginia hopes to continue its turnaround, a passing game must be found to take the pressure off the running game. Time for quarterback Rasheed Marshall to step up.

Around the MAC

Akron
The Zips' lone victory came against Division I-AA Liberty. The defense, which gives up more than 40 points a game, has been the biggest problem.

Midseason MVP: Sophomore Charlie Frye is having a solid season in rather trying circumstances.

What's next: Upcoming games against Central Florida and Marshall may result in pinball scores.

Ball State
The MAC's West Division is separated by the haves and have-nots. Ball State (3-4, 1-2) is part of the have-not crowd.

Midseason MVP: Tailback Marcus Merriweather is all about production. The senior is aiming for his third straight 1,000-yard season.

What's next: A move to Andy Roesch at quarterback has picked up the passing game. The change may have come too late in the super-tough West Division.

Bowling Green
The Falcons (6-0, 3-0) showed their mettle by surviving Western Michigan. They haven't lost in nearly a year.

Midseason MVP: Quarterback Josh Harris doesn't just throw the ball well. He can run and catch it, too. One other thing he does proficiently -- win.

What's next: All roads seem to point to the Glass Bowl for a Nov. 30 showdown with Toledo that should decide the West Division title.

Buffalo
The road to success in the MAC is not a short one. The Bulls (1-7, 0-4) know this.

Midseason MVP: Senior Andre Forde has provided Buffalo with some offense at receiver and as a punt returner.

What's next: Unless everything gets better in a hurry, Buffalo won't match last season's 3-8 record.

Central Florida
It's been a rocky first season for the MAC novices. With a little luck, the Knights (2-4, 1-2) could be leading the East instead of stuck in the middle.

Midseason MVP: Quarterback Ryan Schneider has had a good, not great, season. He'll have to be more consistent in the second half.

What's next: Three of UCF's losses have come by a total of 11 points. There's still time to turn the season around although a division championship appears out of the question.

Central Michigan
The Chippewas (3-4, 1-2) had a chance to start 4-0, but blew a big lead to Indiana and lost. CMU hasn't been the same since.

Midseason MVP: Tailback Robbie Mixon took over for injured starter Terrence Jackson and there's been no dropoff in production. Mixon is fifth in the MAC in rushing and third in all-purpose yards.

What's next: State of mind has to be a concern after a 49-0 loss to Northern Illinois last Saturday. Marshall, up next, won't provide any relief.

Eastern Michigan
The Eagles (3-4, 1-3) haven't given up less than 32 points in a game this season, so it's a wonder how they have three victories.

Midseason MVP: Everyone wishes they had a walk-on like Ime Akpan, who is third in the MAC in rushing.

What's next: With four games to play, EMU has already surpassed the school record for points allowed. The Eagles' new record may never be matched.

Kent State
After starting the season by building on optimism created by last season's 6-5 finish, the Golden Flashes (2-5, 0-4) appear to have regressed drastically. A 2-1 start has been followed by four losses, including a 50-0 drubbing at home by Ohio on Saturday.

Midseason MVP: Quarterback Joshua Cribbs can't do it all by himself, but sometimes he does.

What's next: Do the Golden Flashes turn it around or do they implode? Stay tuned.

Marshall
The Thundering Herd (5-1, 3-0) didn't allow a disappointing early-season loss to Virginia Tech to stray their concentration. Marshall looks to be a good bet to earn a sixth consecutive East Division title.

Midseason MVP: Byron Leftwich's numbers are off the charts. If there's a better quarterback in the country, he isn't playing on Saturdays.

What's next: The only obstacle between Marshall and the division championship is a meeting with Miami on Nov. 12, but that game will be in Huntington. Leftwich may still have time to make a late run at the Heisman.

Miami
The RedHawks (5-3, 3-1) have played very well except for a meltdown against Northern Illinois that cost them a 20-point lead and a victory. Miami is still in the running for the East Division title, but it won't be easy.

Midseason MVP: Ben Roethlisberger, the MAC's freshman of the year, is even better as a sophomore.

What's next: A tough stretch to close the season with road games at Toledo and Marshall before finishing the year at home against Central Florida.

Northern Illinois
The Huskies (5-3, 4-0) have been on a roller coaster. After beginning the season with an overtime victory against Wake Forest, they lost three in a row before bouncing back to win their last four games.

Midseason MVP: You could make an argument for tailback Michael Turner as the MAC's MVP. Teams know Turner is coming, but they can't stop him..

What's next: The West Division championship goes through Huskie Stadium, where both Bowling Green and Toledo must play and win to keep NIU from its MAC title since 1983.

Ohio
After opening the season by losing four straight, the Bobcats (3-5, 3-1) have bounced back with victories in three of their last four games. Surprisingly, Ohio is in the thick of the East Division race.

Midseason MVP: Running back Chad Brinker sat out much of last season with a arachnoid cyst, He's bounced back to help give the Bobcats the best rushing attack in the MAC.

What's next: Ohio has already exceeded expectations. That's good because the Bobcats face a difficult road

Toledo
With the loss of tailback Chester Taylor among others, many expected Toledo (5-2, 3-0) to take a set back. But, there's been little dropoff, if any.

Midseason MVP: Nobody expected quarterback Brian Jones to match the productivity of Tavares Bolden. Jones may be playing better..

What's next: The Rockets are in a three-way battle for West Division supremacy in the MAC with Northern Illinois and Bowling Green. They will play both in the season's final two weeks.

Western Michigan
The Broncos (2-5, 1-2) appear headed for their worst record in Gary Darnell's six seasons as coach. WMU has lost three games by four points or less, including last Saturday's 48-45 overtime heartbreaker to Bowling Green.

Midseason MVP: Junior Jason Babin has been the among the MAC's top defenders, registering a conference-high 10 sacks.

What's next: The Broncos aren't nearly as bad as their record indicates. Darnell seems to have settled on Chad Munson at quarterback, but WMU will have to do a better job protecting him and find some semblance of a running game.

Jorge Milian covers college football for the Palm Beach Post.