ESPN replays showed the ball crossing the goal line. Decide for yourself
So, 365 days later WVU fans will get their shot to avenge a loss in 2009, and an overtime loss to the UC Bearcats in 2008. That ’08 game shifted the title of top dog in the Big East to Cincinnati from Morgantown, and now Bill Stewart has his shot to regain the power in the conference from former West Virginia wide out coach Butch Jones, who now leads UC.Talk about storylines. Here’s week 11:
Week 11 Big East Schedule
Thurs., Nov 11-Connecticut vs Pittsburgh
Sat., Nov 13-West Virginia vs Cincinnati
Nov 13-Louisville vs USF
Nov 13-Rutgers vs Syracuse
Thurs., Nov 11-Connecticut vs Pittsburgh
Sat., Nov 13-West Virginia vs Cincinnati
Nov 13-Louisville vs USF
Nov 13-Rutgers vs Syracuse
AN: As much as I’d love to continue talking about UC and West Virginia, and one of the most dangerous venues in all of sports—Milan Puskar Stadium—I have to turn it over to Jake. Pitt and UConn have similar “pro style” offenses, so on Veteran’s Day in Hartford, Conn., who takes the “W”?
JM: Well, Pitt’s “pro-style” offense has been improving from week to week this season and is starting to get back to the effectiveness that Pitt fans enjoyed last year with Bill Stull at the helm. Meanwhile, UConn’s offense has been a mess all season they’ve gone through several quarterbacks and still cannot find a viable passing game.
UConn can run the ball however with a talented running back, Jordan Todman. The combination of a good night from Todman and a solid performance by UConn’s defense could be enough to beat the Panthers, but I don’t see that happening. Pitt has made too much progress this season and controls its own destiny for a BCS bowl bid.
Honestly, one of my biggest concerns this week is the weather in Hartford. Around this time of year, Connecticut becomes basically a frozen hell, so some intense weather conditions are very possible and could play a major factor in this game.
AN: I look forward to going to Milan Puskar Stadium every other year because it is full of rabid, passionate Mountaineer fans. And as crazy as it sounds, it’s one of the coolest gameday atmospheres I’ve ever encountered (second to Oklahoma and NC State). Last year Isaiah Pead, Zach Collaros and Tony Pike all combined to put UC up 24-14, and a late WVU touchdown made it 24-21, but it was all too little too late for the Mountaineers. UC moved to 10-0, and asserted that the Big East title moves through Cincinnati, not Morgantown.
Speaking of Pead, the then sophomore running back rushed the ball a career high 18 times for 175 yards and one touchdown against West Virginia last year. The 3-3-5 “Stack” defense that Rich Rodriguez made so popular was torched by the UC offense, which never was known for its run game prowess under Brian Kelly.
If anyone knows what the atmosphere will be like in Morgantown, it’s Butch Jones who was the wide receivers coach for Rodriguez in 2005 and 2006. Will that experience translate into a win for UC? With so many injuries on both sides of the ball for the Bearcats, it’s tough to say if it will.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bill Koch, Collaros is expected to start after resting up during the UC bye week last week. A fully healthy Collaros and an offensive line that dominates the questionable scheme West Virginia runs will lead to a Bearcat win. Anything else may effectively end UC’s chances of even going bowling this holiday season.
Jake, I know you’ll have a free Saturday to watch Big East football. What stands out to you?
JM: Rutgers vs. Syracuse stands out to me because the Orange have a chance to lock up their first bowl game bid since 2004. However, the Orange may have seen any hopes of a Big East title go out the window in last week’s loss to Louisville as Syracuse is now a virtual two games back of Pitt.
AN: And beyond our trip to Morgantown, I want to keep my eyes stuck on the Pitt-UConn game on Thursday night. As an Elder Panther football fan from the early part of the decade, I’m used to seeing pound-it-out, power football. Jake, you can attest to the likes of Kyle Koester and Bradley Glatthaar pounding the ball behind those big offensive lines that we had in the early 2000s.
JM: Back in my day, we didn’t have these fancy spread offenses. If you wanted to win, you ran the football. Man, those were the days…
AN: So the “power” rushing attack that both teams will employ may look boring to the fans who love seeing the ball fly through the air, but I’ll definitely tune in to see some old-time football. I’d say the over/under on how many times each team runs “power” is 50. Over or under Jake?
JM: I’ll take the over. We’re in for a little good, old fashioned caveman football.
AN: I do think that the Pitt Panthers have a little more balance on the offensive side of the ball, but I think this game will be an epic Big East battle. Even though West Virginia couldn’t pull it off in Hartford, I believe the Panthers win, and keep the stranglehold on the Big East title.
JM: Well, Pitt’s “pro-style” offense has been improving from week to week this season and is starting to get back to the effectiveness that Pitt fans enjoyed last year with Bill Stull at the helm. Meanwhile, UConn’s offense has been a mess all season they’ve gone through several quarterbacks and still cannot find a viable passing game.
UConn can run the ball however with a talented running back, Jordan Todman. The combination of a good night from Todman and a solid performance by UConn’s defense could be enough to beat the Panthers, but I don’t see that happening. Pitt has made too much progress this season and controls its own destiny for a BCS bowl bid.
Honestly, one of my biggest concerns this week is the weather in Hartford. Around this time of year, Connecticut becomes basically a frozen hell, so some intense weather conditions are very possible and could play a major factor in this game.
AN: I look forward to going to Milan Puskar Stadium every other year because it is full of rabid, passionate Mountaineer fans. And as crazy as it sounds, it’s one of the coolest gameday atmospheres I’ve ever encountered (second to Oklahoma and NC State). Last year Isaiah Pead, Zach Collaros and Tony Pike all combined to put UC up 24-14, and a late WVU touchdown made it 24-21, but it was all too little too late for the Mountaineers. UC moved to 10-0, and asserted that the Big East title moves through Cincinnati, not Morgantown.
Speaking of Pead, the then sophomore running back rushed the ball a career high 18 times for 175 yards and one touchdown against West Virginia last year. The 3-3-5 “Stack” defense that Rich Rodriguez made so popular was torched by the UC offense, which never was known for its run game prowess under Brian Kelly.
If anyone knows what the atmosphere will be like in Morgantown, it’s Butch Jones who was the wide receivers coach for Rodriguez in 2005 and 2006. Will that experience translate into a win for UC? With so many injuries on both sides of the ball for the Bearcats, it’s tough to say if it will.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bill Koch, Collaros is expected to start after resting up during the UC bye week last week. A fully healthy Collaros and an offensive line that dominates the questionable scheme West Virginia runs will lead to a Bearcat win. Anything else may effectively end UC’s chances of even going bowling this holiday season.
Jake, I know you’ll have a free Saturday to watch Big East football. What stands out to you?
JM: Rutgers vs. Syracuse stands out to me because the Orange have a chance to lock up their first bowl game bid since 2004. However, the Orange may have seen any hopes of a Big East title go out the window in last week’s loss to Louisville as Syracuse is now a virtual two games back of Pitt.
AN: And beyond our trip to Morgantown, I want to keep my eyes stuck on the Pitt-UConn game on Thursday night. As an Elder Panther football fan from the early part of the decade, I’m used to seeing pound-it-out, power football. Jake, you can attest to the likes of Kyle Koester and Bradley Glatthaar pounding the ball behind those big offensive lines that we had in the early 2000s.
JM: Back in my day, we didn’t have these fancy spread offenses. If you wanted to win, you ran the football. Man, those were the days…
AN: So the “power” rushing attack that both teams will employ may look boring to the fans who love seeing the ball fly through the air, but I’ll definitely tune in to see some old-time football. I’d say the over/under on how many times each team runs “power” is 50. Over or under Jake?
JM: I’ll take the over. We’re in for a little good, old fashioned caveman football.
AN: I do think that the Pitt Panthers have a little more balance on the offensive side of the ball, but I think this game will be an epic Big East battle. Even though West Virginia couldn’t pull it off in Hartford, I believe the Panthers win, and keep the stranglehold on the Big East title.
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