Countdown to Kickoff
September 23, 2005 11:21 AM | General
September 23, 2005
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia (3-0) plays host to East Carolina (1-1) in a noon game on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000) in Morgantown. The game will be televised as the Big East “Game of the Week” (Dave Sims and John Congemi) but will NOT be a part of this week’s ESPN Game Plan package.
Stations carrying the game in West Virginia markets include WCHS (Charleston), WVFX (Clarksburg), WOAY (Oak Hill) and WTAE (Pittsburgh).
It’s Fall Family Weekend on the WVU campus and a number of Mountaineer Parents Club activities are scheduled. There are no single-game tickets remaining. Saturday’s contest will be the 17th time these two teams have met on the football field with West Virginia holding a 14-2 advantage.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – The last TEN times West Virginia has started a football season 10-0 it has gone on to a bowl game. The last time West Virginia began a season 3-0 and failed to go to a bowl game was in 1973 when the Mountaineers finished 6-5.
9 – Senior safety Mike Lorello is now NINTH on West Virginia’s career tackles for losses list with 27.5. The Powell, Ohio, resident needs one more TFL to pass both Henry Slay and Darryl Talley for seventh place with 28.
8 – West Virginia opponents have successfully converted just EIGHT of 42 third-down conversions for a .190 conversion percentage.
7 – West Virginia is ranked SEVENTH in the nation in three team statistical categories this week: scoring defense (11.0 ppg.), rushing offense (270.7 ypg.) and rushing defense (48.7 ypg.).
6 – West Virginia’s offense has had SIX scoring drives lasting at least 10 plays so far this year. The Mountaineers’ long was a 15-play, 97-yard drive last weekend at Maryland.
5 – FIVE different West Virginia ball carriers have rushed for touchdowns in three games so far this year. Freshman Jason Gwaltney leads the team with three rushing TDs, followed by two from Pernell Williams. Quarterbacks Pat White and Adam Bednarik have one rushing TD each, as does fullback Owen Schmitt.
4 – West Virginia’s defense has permitted just FOUR offensive touchdowns in three games so far this year: one each by Syracuse and Wofford and two by Maryland. WVU’s defense is giving up and average of just 11 points per game.
3 – West Virginia’s last THREE meetings against East Carolina have resulted in a combined 1,745 yards of total offense against the Pirate defense. Last year the Mountaineers generated a series-high 621 yards of offense in a 56-23 win in Morgantown.
2 – East Carolina has won TWICE in a 16-game series that dates back to 1970. The Pirates’ two wins came in North Carolina: 23-20 in 1995 and 23-20 in 1999 in Charlotte.
1 – East Carolina quarterbacks have thrown at least ONE touchdown pass in 13 of its last 14 games dating back to 2003. Last year in Morgantown, ECU quarterback James Pinkney threw three TD passes against the Mountaineers.
Enjoy Saturday’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete post-game coverage.
