BIG EAST SUCCESS MUTED BY REALITY.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF

These are the salad days for the Big East Conference. Unfortunately, the league's decision makers are a bunch of meat-eaters.

The conference has three teams in the Associated Press Top 10 this week - Miami at No. 2, Virginia Tech at No. 8 and Pittsburgh at No. 9 - which hasn't happened since 1992. But the Big East isn't exactly celebrating its success. Miami and Virginia Tech are leaving after the season for the Atlantic Coast Conference, spoiling the conference's renaissance.

It's ironic Miami and Virginia Tech bolted just as the conference proved it's one of the strongest in the nation. Especially Virginia Tech, which had almost nothing going for it before the Big East gave it national visibility.

``Right now, we can't worry about the sadness (of losing the schools), we are still together,'' Pitt coach Walt Harris said. ``It's unfortunate, but that's a whole other subject. It's just exciting to have three of our teams in the top 10 and more exciting we are one of the three.''

Harris is right and wrong. He can't worry about the gutting of the Big East because he has no control over it. On the other hand, we'll see how he likes it next year when his league will more closely resemble Conference USA without its two marquee teams.

Imagine the excitement if Cincinnati and Louisville replace Miami and Virginia Tech? Should create a real electric atmosphere in the Carrier Dome next year.

``Miami and Virginia Tech are going to do what they feel is best for their institutions,'' Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said. ``We understand that. At the same time, it's kind of bittersweet because we have some strong teams.''

--Nightmare in Pasadena: The Rose Bowl, already grumpy over last year's Oklahoma-Washington State matchup, is rooting for USC and Michigan to lose at least one or two games this season. If the two schools went undefeated and finished 1-2 in the Bowl Championship Series poll, they would play each other in the Sugar Bowl.

It's just another reason for the Rose Bowl to consider dropping out of the BCS completely and go back to its traditional Big Ten Conference/Pacific-10 Conference format.

--Hollow victory? Florida State coach Bobby Bowden was not impressed after the Seminoles overcame a 13-point deficit against Georgia Tech.

``It doesn't seem like we won,'' Bowden said.

--No injuries: Texas Tech coach Mike Leach became the second coming of Kansas State's Bill Snyder last week when he issued a statement refusing to discuss the status of any injured players.

``From this day forward, Texas Tech football coaches, student-athletes, trainers, managers and anyone associated with Texas Tech football will not comment on injuries within the Texas Tech football program. This includes the amount of time a student-athlete may miss due to injury, the nature of an injury, the location of an injury, etc.''

Wonder whether Leach ever will use injuries as an excuse for a loss?

--Long commute: The Michigan scoring drive against Notre Dame that made it 31-0 on Saturday covered 80 yards in 19 plays and set a school record for time of possession: 10:25.

--Slumping Sherrill: It might be time for Jackie Sherrill to start looking for a job. Mississippi State's loss to Tulane at the Superdome was the Bulldogs' 21st in the past 28 games. Tulane had lost 24 consecutive games to Southeastern Conference schools before Saturday.

--Too tough to watch: Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles is known for leaving during games because watching is too much for the old coach to stand. At Texas last week, he left before the game even started.

Broyles went to midfield with former Texas coach Darrell Royal for the coin toss, then started walking and didn't stop until he was a few miles away.

``I just walked three or four miles this way and three or four miles back,'' Broyles said. ``By then, the game was over.''

Broyles called his daughter Betsy back home in Fayetteville, Ark., to find out who won.

--Mr. Humility: Miami tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. raised eyebrows when he nicknamed himself ``The Chosen One'' this year and again when he struck the Heisman pose after a touchdown catch in the season opener at Louisiana Tech.

But Winslow hasn't scored since. He had two catches for 27 yards against East Carolina last weekend and has just 11 receptions this season. Winslow had that many in one game (11 receptions, 122 yards) in the Fiesta Bowl national-championship game against Ohio State.

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- Scott Wolf