Big East: 5 storylines for Week 10

RB Ray Graham and WR Devin Street were expected to play for Pittsburgh at Notre Dame. The Bearcats look to bounce back after the loss of DE Stewart. Louisville looks to avoid letdown vs. Temple; Owls and Huskies look to cap tough weeks with road victories.

5 Big East storylines for Week 10

1. Will alleged assault involving three top players be a distraction for Pittsburgh?

RB Ray Graham, WR Devin Street and DB Lafayette Pitts will play Saturday at No. 3 Notre Dame despite being charged with simple assault in connection with an altercation near the University of Pittsburgh campus last month. Graham, Street and Pitts were not arrested following the incident, but received a summons to appear at a preliminary hearing on Jan. 9. A female Pittsburgh student alleged in a police report that Street hit her in the head with a bottle, the Associated Press reported. University of Pittsburgh spokesman E.J. Borghetti said in a statement the players have offered to speak with police, but have yet to be questioned. The Panthers don’t need the distraction heading into a matchup against a Notre Dame team ranked second in scoring defense (9.88 points per game). Graham and Street combined for 320 total yards last week vs. Temple.

2. Can Cincinnati's defense step up without DE Walter Stewart?

The Bearcats have lost two straight since Stewart, their unquestioned leader on defense, was unexpectedly scratched from the lineup against Toledo on Oct. 20. Stewart has a congenital defect in his spine and his football career is over, according to his foster father. Senior LB Greg Blair has stepped up in Stewart’s absence with 34 tackles over the last two weeks. Cincinnati will face a Syracuse offense that has averaged 38.5 ppg during a two-game winning streak. Orange QB Ryan Nassib ranks 11th in FBS in total offense (321.62 yards per game). Last week, Nassib rallied Syracuse from a 23-3 halftime deficit with four second-half touchdowns.

3. Can Louisville avoid a letdown against Temple?

Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater added to his already spectacular season with a career-high 416 yards in last week’s 34-31 overtime win over Cincinnati. Bridgewater placed several throws in tight windows on three completions of 50 yards or longer against the Bearcats. The Cardinals’ quarterback is completing more than 70 percent of his attempts this season. Louisville has had several close calls this season against opponents that shouldn’t have presented a challenge. Two weeks ago, Temple led Rutgers 10-0 at the half. Since then, the Owls have been outscored 82-17 in their last six quarters.

4. How much will injuries impact the South Florida-Connecticut matchup?

USF RB Lindsey Lamar could be out for the season with a clavicle injury. Lamar rushed for 255 yards on 10.2 yards per carry over the Bulls’ last two games. The loss could be devastating for the Bulls. Senior RB Demetrius Murray has 459 yards and five TDs on the season. USF will face a UConn team that ranks 10th in FBS in total defense (316.75 yards per game). Huskies LB Sio Moore injured his neck two weeks ago at Syracuse. UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni expects the Huskies’ fourth-leading tackler (53) to play in Tampa.

5. How much has Hurricane Sandy affected the gameday preparations this week?

Both UConn and Temple missed practice earlier in the week because of the storm. Temple made up for it by having a practice last Sunday after its 47-17 loss to Pittsburgh. UConn returned to practice on Tuesday after the school was closed on Monday. Rutgers also missed practice time, but the Scarlet Knights have a bye this week. UConn and Temple are both on the road on Saturday. The Huskies and Owls are a combined 2-6 in away games in 2012.

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Big East, follow bloggers Evan Hilbert and Matt Rybaltowski @CBSBigEast.