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Following an extended break from the gridiron that has seen West Virginia sitting idle since October 15th, the 18th-ranked Mountaineers get back to business in a special Wednesday night affair this week versus Big East Conference foe Connecticut in Morgantown. WVU, which began the 2005 campaign with four straight victories before yielding to nationally-ranked Virginia Tech at home at the beginning of October, hasn't played a competitive game since facing Louisville, another ranked program that was imported from Conference USA to join the Big East this season. The resulting 46-44 triple- overtime thriller was perhaps the most exciting win in regular season history for the Mountaineers and certainly deserved some time off, but that extra week to prepare for the Huskies came courtesy of hurricane conditions that caused the postponement of WVU's meeting with South Florida back on October 22nd. That date is now being slated for December 3rd following the annual Backyard Brawl at Pittsburgh. As for the Huskies, they took four of their first five outings this season but have come out on the losing end of two straight. In addition to falling to Cincinnati at home in the middle of October (26-7), UConn also struggled versus the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers at home in a 26-24 final. This game is just the second in the brief series between these conference foes, with the Mountaineers having taken the first meeting last season on the road, 31-19.
Heading into last weekend's action, the Huskies were recognized as the 17th- best team in the nation in rushing with an average of 217.4 ypg. Usually a program with such a healthy ground attack has one or two players that have done most of the damage, but in the case of UConn there are a total of five runners who have gained at least 205 yards on the ground this season. Each one of them have scored at least one touchdown rushing, with Terry Caulley being the lead man with six scores thanks to a team-best 540 yards rushing. Like the running back position, the quarterback slot has also seen several different hands in the mix, with three different players having attempted at least 35 passes. Against the Mountaineers, the most recent depth chart shows freshman signal-caller Dennis Brown getting the start in front of Peder von Harten, despite the latter being a senior. Quarterbacks D.J. Hernandez and Matt Bonislawski are both on the injured list with a bad wrist and collarbone, respectively, so expect the pressure to be that much greater for Brown to perform.
After seven games the Huskies were tied with Ohio State for eighth in the country when it came to scoring defense, allowing only 14.6 ppg, mainly because the pass defense has been so difficult to break. The unit was ranked as high as third in the country while allowing a meager 149.1 ypg through the air, leading to just six touchdowns. Considering the run defense is not too shabby either, permitting just 134.1 ypg and seven touchdowns, it should come as little surprise that the Huskies are a top-five team nationally when it comes to total defense, giving up only 247.8 ypg and less than 3.9 yards per play. Trying to earn first downs against this group is a miserable proposition as UConn has permitted opponents to turn the trick just 17 percent of the time on third down. Jonathon Smith ranks first with 47 tackles for the Huskies, while James Hargrave boasts nine TFLs and Shawn Mayne has four sacks to lead the unit as well.
Even after having so much time off, quarterback Adam Bednarik is still being listed as questionable with a foot injury for this meeting against the Huskies. If that proves to be the case then Pat White will again be under center for the Mountaineers, trying to improve upon his 59.6 percent completion rating that has led to only 53.1 ypg. Overall, West Virginia is gaining a meager 127.9 ypg by way of the pass, ranking the school 114th in the nation in that department. However, head coach Rich Rodriguez, who is having to piece together one of the youngest programs in all of college football this year, is well aware that his team makes it bones by running the ball, to the tune of 229.4 ypg to rank ninth in the country at the moment. However, all that yardage has yielded only 14 touchdowns, and six of those were produced by Steve Slaton in a single half of play the last time out. Aside from Brandon Myles and Darius Reynaud, who have combined for 37 receptions for 459 yards and four scores, there really isn't a threatening receiver on the roster for the Mountaineers.
Getting the chance to practice over and over again versus one of the top rushing attacks in the nation has done the WVU run defense a huge service, placing the program 16th in the nation by allowing only 106.7 ypg on the ground. Opponents have scored a total of 10 touchdowns running the ball, the highest total of any defense among the top 22 in the country, but limiting those opponents to only 2.7 yards per rushing attempt is a huge step in the right direction for this bunch. In terms of total defense, West Virginia ranks ninth in the country in permitting only 290 ypg. Kevin McLee currently leads the unit in total tackles with 50 and is also first in tackles for a loss with six. But the real driving force behind this group has been senior Mike Lorello who has 47 tackles and is first on the team with three forced fumbles, while tying for the high with three sacks and three interceptions. Never far from the action, Lorello is well on his way to earning All-Big East recognition and should be playing in a bowl game before his college career is through.
It`s alot of points...But..
Let`s go with the favorite tonight...
BET ID=129886293
Straight Wager 11/02/05 01:10 ET
200.00/181.82 Result: Pending
Connecticut
WVirginia 11/02/05 (19:35 ET)
WVirginia -15
Following an extended break from the gridiron that has seen West Virginia sitting idle since October 15th, the 18th-ranked Mountaineers get back to business in a special Wednesday night affair this week versus Big East Conference foe Connecticut in Morgantown. WVU, which began the 2005 campaign with four straight victories before yielding to nationally-ranked Virginia Tech at home at the beginning of October, hasn't played a competitive game since facing Louisville, another ranked program that was imported from Conference USA to join the Big East this season. The resulting 46-44 triple- overtime thriller was perhaps the most exciting win in regular season history for the Mountaineers and certainly deserved some time off, but that extra week to prepare for the Huskies came courtesy of hurricane conditions that caused the postponement of WVU's meeting with South Florida back on October 22nd. That date is now being slated for December 3rd following the annual Backyard Brawl at Pittsburgh. As for the Huskies, they took four of their first five outings this season but have come out on the losing end of two straight. In addition to falling to Cincinnati at home in the middle of October (26-7), UConn also struggled versus the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers at home in a 26-24 final. This game is just the second in the brief series between these conference foes, with the Mountaineers having taken the first meeting last season on the road, 31-19.
Heading into last weekend's action, the Huskies were recognized as the 17th- best team in the nation in rushing with an average of 217.4 ypg. Usually a program with such a healthy ground attack has one or two players that have done most of the damage, but in the case of UConn there are a total of five runners who have gained at least 205 yards on the ground this season. Each one of them have scored at least one touchdown rushing, with Terry Caulley being the lead man with six scores thanks to a team-best 540 yards rushing. Like the running back position, the quarterback slot has also seen several different hands in the mix, with three different players having attempted at least 35 passes. Against the Mountaineers, the most recent depth chart shows freshman signal-caller Dennis Brown getting the start in front of Peder von Harten, despite the latter being a senior. Quarterbacks D.J. Hernandez and Matt Bonislawski are both on the injured list with a bad wrist and collarbone, respectively, so expect the pressure to be that much greater for Brown to perform.
After seven games the Huskies were tied with Ohio State for eighth in the country when it came to scoring defense, allowing only 14.6 ppg, mainly because the pass defense has been so difficult to break. The unit was ranked as high as third in the country while allowing a meager 149.1 ypg through the air, leading to just six touchdowns. Considering the run defense is not too shabby either, permitting just 134.1 ypg and seven touchdowns, it should come as little surprise that the Huskies are a top-five team nationally when it comes to total defense, giving up only 247.8 ypg and less than 3.9 yards per play. Trying to earn first downs against this group is a miserable proposition as UConn has permitted opponents to turn the trick just 17 percent of the time on third down. Jonathon Smith ranks first with 47 tackles for the Huskies, while James Hargrave boasts nine TFLs and Shawn Mayne has four sacks to lead the unit as well.
Even after having so much time off, quarterback Adam Bednarik is still being listed as questionable with a foot injury for this meeting against the Huskies. If that proves to be the case then Pat White will again be under center for the Mountaineers, trying to improve upon his 59.6 percent completion rating that has led to only 53.1 ypg. Overall, West Virginia is gaining a meager 127.9 ypg by way of the pass, ranking the school 114th in the nation in that department. However, head coach Rich Rodriguez, who is having to piece together one of the youngest programs in all of college football this year, is well aware that his team makes it bones by running the ball, to the tune of 229.4 ypg to rank ninth in the country at the moment. However, all that yardage has yielded only 14 touchdowns, and six of those were produced by Steve Slaton in a single half of play the last time out. Aside from Brandon Myles and Darius Reynaud, who have combined for 37 receptions for 459 yards and four scores, there really isn't a threatening receiver on the roster for the Mountaineers.
Getting the chance to practice over and over again versus one of the top rushing attacks in the nation has done the WVU run defense a huge service, placing the program 16th in the nation by allowing only 106.7 ypg on the ground. Opponents have scored a total of 10 touchdowns running the ball, the highest total of any defense among the top 22 in the country, but limiting those opponents to only 2.7 yards per rushing attempt is a huge step in the right direction for this bunch. In terms of total defense, West Virginia ranks ninth in the country in permitting only 290 ypg. Kevin McLee currently leads the unit in total tackles with 50 and is also first in tackles for a loss with six. But the real driving force behind this group has been senior Mike Lorello who has 47 tackles and is first on the team with three forced fumbles, while tying for the high with three sacks and three interceptions. Never far from the action, Lorello is well on his way to earning All-Big East recognition and should be playing in a bowl game before his college career is through.
It`s alot of points...But..
Let`s go with the favorite tonight...
BET ID=129886293
Straight Wager 11/02/05 01:10 ET
200.00/181.82 Result: Pending
Connecticut
WVirginia 11/02/05 (19:35 ET)
WVirginia -15
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