Countdown to Kickoff
August 30, 2008 12:14 PM | General
August 30, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – No. 8-rated West Virginia battles Villanova today at Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000) in the season opener for both teams. The game will be televised live on ESPN Regional (John Sanders and Rene Nadeau).
Villanova, 7-4 last year, is presently ranked 21st in the Sports Network Poll for Football Championship Subdivision schools.
Here is today’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – The Mountaineers have won TEN or more games in a season for three straight years dating back to 2005. During that span West Virginia has a 33-5 record during that span.
9 –NINE of Noel Devine’s 73 carries last year went for more than 23 yards including a season-long 76-yard rush against Maryland.
8 – West Virginia has EIGHT starters returning on offense from last year’s 11-2 team that defeated Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
7 – Today’s game will be the SEVENTH meeting between West Virginia and Villanova. The Wildcats’ last appearance in Morgantown came in 1977 when Villanova came away with 41-36 upset victory.
6 – In Pat White’s last SIX games the senior has accounted for 1,633 of total offense for an average of 272.2 yards per game.
5 – West Virginia has lost just FIVE football games during the last three seasons dating back to 2005, owning a 33-5 mark during that span.
4 – Quarterback Pat White is presently ranked FOURTH in Big East history in career touchdowns responsible for with 74.
3 – Sophomore Noel Devine produced THREE 100-yard rushing games last year including a 108 yards in last year’s Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. Devine averaged 8.6 yards per carry.
2 – The last TWO seasons Villanova has lost its season-opening games to Bowl Subdivision Schools against Central Florida (35-16) in 2006 and against Maryland (31-14) in 2007.
1 – West Virginia has been outrushed by an opponent just ONCE in its last 33 games, the last time being Pitt (158-104) in the 2007 regular season finale.
Enjoy today’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete post-game coverage.
