Countdown to Kickoff
November 27, 2009 12:35 PM | General
November 27, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia plays host to eighth-ranked Pitt tonight in the 102nd edition of the Backyard Brawl at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Pitt has won the last two meetings, 13-9 in Morgantown in 2007 and 19-15 in Pittsburgh last year, and shows a 61-37-3 edge in all-time series play. ESPN2 (Mark Jones and Bob Davie) will televise the game to a nationwide audience.
MSN’s coverage begins with The Mountaineers Today at 6 p.m. Satellite radio users can get the MSN broadcast on Sirius channel 125 and XM channel 203.
Tickets still remain and can be purchased at the stadium.
Twenty three seniors will be making their final appearance at Milan Puskar Stadium: Franchot Allen (DB), Maxwell Anderson (RB), Alric Arnett (WR), Payton Brooks (WR), Jarrett Brown (QB), Selvish Capers (OL), Carmen Connolly (WR), Zac Cooper (LB/DE), Jack Crow (WR), Guesly Dervil (DB), Zach Flynt (LB), Ovid Goulbourne (LB), Scott Kozlowski (P), Josh Lider (K), Scott Loving (TE), Wes Lyons (WR), Trevor Mathews (P), Michael Poitier (RB), Kent Richardson (DB), Nate Sowers (DB), Jon Walko (OL), Reed Williams (LB) and Anthony Wood (DB).
Here is tonight’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – TEN different plays have caught passes for West Virginia. The Mountaineers have averaged seven different receivers catching passes per game this season.
9 – Pitt’s defense shows NINE seniors on its two-deep roster for tonight’s Backyard Brawl.
8 – West Virginia has EIGHT scoring drives of 10 plays or more this year. The last sustained scoring drive of 10 plays or more came against USF on Oct. 30.
7 – This year marks the 45th time in school history West Virginia has won SEVEN or more games in a season.
6 – Junior Jock Sanders is SIXTH in school history with 127 receptions. Sanders leads the Mountaineers with 62 catches this year.
5 – Pitt freshman running back Dion Lewis has FIVE straight 100-yard rushing games heading into tonight’s game including a 152-yard, one-touchdown performance against Notre Dame.
4 – West Virginia has had only FOUR scoring plays from scrimmage of 50 yards or more. The last one came against Connecticut on Oct. 24, a Noel Devine 58-yard touchdown run.
3 – West Virginia’s run defense has allowed 100-yard rushers in THREE straight games heading into tonight’s Backyard Brawl. Before this year, the Mountaineers allowed just nine 100-yard rushers in their prior 51 games.
2 – Just TWO West Virginia players have more than 25 career starts: OT Selvish Capers (29) and DT Scooter Berry (26).
1 – The Mountaineers are looking for their FIRST touchdown pass against Pitt’s defense since the 2006 game in Pittsburgh.
Enjoy tonight’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
