Countdown to Kickoff
September 13, 2007 09:54 AM | General
September 13, 2007
TONY'S GAME CHART
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia faces Maryland tonight in a Thursday night ESPN game at Chevy Chase Bank Field (51,500) in College Park, Md. Today’s meeting is the 46th in a series that first began in 1919.
After tonight’s game, the schools will take a two-year break so Maryland can play a two-game series with Cal, and then the series will resume for one year after that with a game in Morgantown in 2010. Both schools have stated that they are interested in continuing the series beyond 2010.
The Terrapins are 2-0 so far with season-opening victories over Villanova and Florida International while the No. 4-rated Mountaineers show wins over Western Michigan and Marshall.
Here is tonight’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – The Mountaineers have only had two scoring drives covering TEN plays or more so far this season. Five of West Virginia’s 16 scoring drives were accomplished on four plays or less.
9 – Wide receiver Darius Reynaud is coming off a career-high NINE-catch performance at Marshall last weekend. Reynaud caught nine passes for 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns and leads West Virginia through two games with 14 catches for 226 yards for a 16.1 yards-per-reception average.
8 – Quarterback Patrick White has moved into EIGHTH place in career rushing yards with 2,393, passing Undra Johnson (2,211) in the season opener. Robert Alexander (1977-80) is seventh in career rushing with 2,456 yards.
7 – West Virginia has already managed SEVEN plays of at least 37 yards this season. The two longest plays covered 58 yards in the Western Michigan game: a 58-yard Steve Slaton touchdown run and a 58-yard pass from Patrick White to Darius Reynaud.
6 – Maryland has only played SIX schools more times than West Virginia in football and all six of those Terrapin grid opponents are in the ACC.
5 – Running back Steve Slaton has moved up to FIFTH place in WVU career all-purpose yards with 3,653 yards. Rahsaan Vanterpool (1993-96) is fourth with 3,850 career yards.
4 – Steve Slaton is presently FOURTH in career rushing touchdowns at West Virginia with 38 and he needs two more to tie Amos Zereoue (1996-98) for third with 40. The school record is 42 shared by Ira Errett Rodgers (1915-19) and Avon Cobourne (1999-2002).
3 – Maryland has won THREE times against nationally ranked West Virginia teams, the last time coming in the 2004 Toyota Gator Bowl when the Terps blew out the No. 20-rated Mountaineers 41-7.
2 – Quarterback Patrick White has had TWO career 300-yard total offensive games including a school-record-tying 424 yards against Pitt last year.
1 – ONE victory separates West Virginia and Maryland in one of college football’s most competitive games. West Virginia has a slight 22-21-2 advantage in 45 previous contests.
MSN’s radio coverage begins at 7 pm with the Mountaineers Today. Fans can follow all the action on MSN affiliates throughout West Virginia, on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 122 and on the Internet through CSTV All-Access.
Enjoy tonight’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete post-game coverage.
