Countdown to Kickoff
October 07, 2005 11:17 PM | General
October 7, 2005
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia puts its undefeated Big East record on the line Saturday at Rutgers in a noon game against the Scarlet Knights at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. This tussle to stay atop the Big East standings will be televised by ESPN Regional as the Big East “Game of the Week” with Dave Sims and John Congemi handling the call.
Earlier this week, ESPN announced it would pick up the West Virginia-Rutgers game as part of its Game Plan college football package. The Mountaineers took a charter from Clarksburg to Newark Friday afternoon in time for an evening workout.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – West Virginia has won the last TEN straight games against Rutgers, outscoring the Knights by an average of 43 points in Morgantown and 21.4 points in Piscataway.
9 – The Mountaineers have had NINE scoring drives lasting longer than 10 plays. West Virginia’s longest scoring drive came against Maryland, lasting 15 plays and covering 97 yards.
8 – West Virginia has had a ball carrier reach 100 yards in each of the last EIGHT games against Rutgers, starting with Amos Zereoue’s 103 yards against the Knights in 1997 and extending through last year’s game when Jason Colson also ran for 103 yards.
7 – Senior safety Mike Lorello ranks SEVENTH on West Virginia’s career list for tackles for losses with 28.5. Lorello also shows 208 career tackles.
6 – SIX West Virginia ball carriers have now topped 100 yards rushing this season. Quarterback Pat White is at the top of the list with 238 yards, followed by Pernell Williams (156), Adam Bednarik (144), Steve Slaton (132), Jason Gwaltney (129) and Owen Schmitt (100).
5 – The Mountaineers have won FIVE of their last six Big East road games under Coach Rich Rodriguez. The only Big East road loss during this stretch came at Pittsburgh last year.
4 – West Virginia’s last FOUR victories against Rutgers have come by decreasing margins: 80-7 in 2001, 40-0 in 2002, 34-19 in 2003 and 35-30 in 2004.
3 – WVU has had just THREE scoring plays covering 46 yards or longer so far this year. Antonio Lewis returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown against East Carolina, Pat White ran for a 48-yard touchdown against Wofford and Dorrell Jalloh caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from White in last weekend’s loss to Virginia Tech.
2 – The Mountaineers needed TWO fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Rasheed Marshall to pull away from Rutgers, 35-30 in Piscataway last year. The Mountaineers are playing at Rutgers for the second straight year due to the addition of new Big East teams Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida.
1 – West Virginia true freshman tailback Steve Slaton is expected to get his FIRST college start Saturday against Rutgers. Last week against No. 3-rated Virginia Tech, Slaton came off the bench to run for 90 yards on just 11 carries.
Enjoy Saturday’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete post-game coverage.
