Countdown to Kickoff
November 06, 2009 03:40 PM | General
November 6, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia looks to get back on track Saturday against Louisville in a Big East game at Milan Puskar Stadium.
The Mountaineers dropped a 30-19 decision at South Florida last Friday night while Louisville is coming off a 21-13 victory over Arkansas State last Saturday.
Third-string quarterback Will Stein stepped in and completed 20 of 39 passes for 232 yards in the victory. Louisville’s top rusher, Victor Anderson, was held out of last weekend’s game and Cardinal Coach Steve Kragthorpe is hopeful he can return on Saturday against the Mountaineers in Morgantown.
West Virginia, now 6-2, 2-1 following the loss to South Florida, got 205 yards passing from quarterback Jarrett Brown in the loss. Top rusher Noel Devine was held to a season-low 42 yards on 17 carries.
Saturday’s game will be televised on the Big East Network (Mike Gleason and John Congemi). MSN’s radio coverage (Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace, Jed Drenning and Hoppy Kercheval) begins with The Mountaineers Today at 11 a.m. Satellite radio listeners can get the MSN broadcast this week on Sirius channel 122 and XM channel 203.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at wvugame.com.
A nice forecast with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s is being predicted for Saturday.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – West Virginia and Louisville have played TEN previous times with the Mountaineers holding an 8-2 advantage in the series. Louisville’s only win in Morgantown came in 1990, 9-7.
9 – Senior Alric Arnett has NINE career touchdown receptions.
8 – Louisville is ranked EIGHTH (last) in the Big East in scoring offense (20.3), pass efficiency offense (117.69), sacks allowed (3.0), scoring defense (27.6), total defense (371.8), rushing defense (147.4), sacks (1.75) and tackles for losses (5.0).
7 – Junior Jock Sanders is now SEVENTH on West Virginia’s career pass receiving list with 120 receptions. With 14 more catches Sanders can move into the top five, passing Rahsaan Vanterpool (126) and Darius Reynaud (133).
6 – West Virginia’s offense has out-gained its opponent in SIX of eight games this year with the last two opponents (Connecticut and South Florida) out-gaining the Mountaineers.
5 – Noel Devine is FIFTH on WVU’s career rushing list with 2,870 yards.
4 – West Virginia has failed to score just FOUR times in 32 red-zone opportunities this year. Twenty two of the 28 scores have been touchdowns.
3 – Louisville starting left defensive end Greg Scruggs is playing only his THIRD year of organized football. Scruggs played one year of high school football.
2 – West Virginia is ranked SECOND in the Big East in rushing defense giving up just 99.1 yards per game.
1 – Louisville has won just ONE Big East game during Coach Steve Kragthorpe’s third season coaching the Cardinals (against South Florida last year).
Enjoy the game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete post-game coverage.
