How are the picks so far? SU:
51-15 ... ATS: 33-28-1
Big East Saturday, December 1st
Pittsburgh (4-7) at West Virginia (10-1)
7:45 EST, ESPN Why to watch: The Backyard Brawl
is always fun on a regional level, but
after top-ranked LSU and No. 2 Kansas
lost last weekend, the game will have
appeal on a national scale. Filling the
void at No. 2 in the BCS and No. 1 in
the Coaches Poll is West Virginia, who
ran circles around Connecticut Saturday
to win the Big East title. With one
more win, the Mountaineers are a lock to
fill one of the spots in the National
Championship game. If they somehow gag,
Ohio State’s improbable ascent from No.
7 four weeks ago to New Orleans will be
complete. With a larger than usual
audience tuning in, West Virginia QB
Patrick White has a nice opportunity to
pad his Heisman brag sheet. Pittsburgh
would like nothing more than to become
this year’s UCLA, knocking a rival out
of championship contention in the final
game of the regular season. The
Panthers are suffering through growing
pains, losing seven of their last nine
with a pair of rookies, RB LeSean McCoy
and QB Pat Bostick, leading the
offense. Although any chance for bowl
eligibility was erased last week by
South Florida, Pitt will have no
problems getting motivated to play this
game. Why Pittsburgh might win: These
two schools genuinely dislike each
other, so it’s not as if the Panthers
are closing out the season in the
Carrier Dome. They’ll treat this
opportunity to play the No. 2 team as a
bowl game, especially the defense. The
Pittsburgh D has been sound all year,
allowing just 132 yards a game on the
ground, while ranking seventh nationally
in pass defense. Peel the onion on last
Saturday’s 48-37 loss to South Florida,
and you’ll notice that it had more to do
with Bostick’s three interceptions than
the play of the defense. Why West Virginia might win:
White’s playing at his highest level
since arriving in Morgantown, gashing
defenses on the ground and distributing
the ball to his jackrabbits, namely WR
Darius Reynaud. That Connecticut
defense that the Mountaineers burned for
66 points a week ago hadn’t allowed more
than 27 points in a game all season.
Pittsburgh can plug up the West Virginia
offense for only so long before the big
plays start raining down on them from
every angle. As sturdy as the Panther
defense has been, like most teams, it
lacks the outside speed to contain West
Virginia’s burners. Once the ‘eers get
up, the combination of the home crowd
and Pitt’s feeble passing game will end
any possibility for a rally. Who to watch: Coming off his
busiest game of the year, West
Virginia’s Noel Devine is determined to
show the nation that McCoy isn’t the
only hot-shot freshman running back in
the Big East. Devine turned his 11
carries into 118 yards and a touchdown,
a performance that should earn him more
touches as Steve Slaton’s caddy again
this Saturday night. What will happen: With the lure
of New Orleans hanging out there, West
Virginia will come out swinging, jumping
out to a quick lead that Pittsburgh just
isn’t built to overcome. At some point
in the game, White won’t be able to
resist striking a pose in the back of
the end zone after zigzagging through
the Panther defense. CFN Prediction: West Virginia 45
... Pittsburgh 16... Line: West
Virginia -28.5 Must See Rating: (5 Nirvana
Unplugged, now on DVD - 1 Mr. Bean's
Holiday, now on DVD) ... 4
Big East Thursday, November 29th
Rutgers (7-4) at Louisville (5-6)
7:30 EST, ESPN Why to watch: Unlike last fall
when the nation watched Rutgers make
history against Louisville on a Thursday
night in Piscataway, this week’s game
between the schools will produce far
less energy. While the Scarlet Knights
secured a second-tier bowl game with
their win over Pittsburgh two weeks ago,
the Cardinals are likely out of the
postseason picture whether they achieve
bowl eligibility or not. Although
neither school has met expectations in
2007, Rutgers can take solace in the
fact that it has that 13th
game to prepare for, likely the
International, Meineke Car Care, or
PapaJohns.com Bowl. Louisville, on the
other hand, has been an abject disaster
in Steve Kragthorpe’s debut, slipping
from defending Big East champion to
also-ran status, despite not suffering
any catastrophic injuries. All-star
games aside, this will be the last
chance for college fans to see Brian
Brohm, one of the game’s best pocket
passers of this decade. Why Rutgers might win: After the
wheels came off in a 55-17 loss to South
Florida two weeks ago, raise your hand
if you think a veteran-laden Louisville
team will have anything left for
Thursday’s finale. The Cardinal D had a
brief brush with stability late in
October, but is back to giving up huge
chunks of yards, especially on the
ground. That’s troubling news against a
physical Scarlet Knight offensive line
and All-America RB Ray Rice, who’s gone
six straight games with more than 100
yards on the ground. Rutgers’
eighth-ranked pass defense has gotten
better as the season’s progressed, and
will prevent Brohm and his receivers
from taking over the game. Why Louisville might win: The
Cardinal defense will get a break this
week from a Rutgers attack that hasn’t
been the same since QB Mike Teel injured
his thumb. With their hurler at less
than 100%, the Knights have thrown just
one touchdown pass and six interceptions
over the last four games, a
one-dimensional result that’ll be far
more manageable for Mike Cassity’s
kids. Brohm is too much of a competitor
to pack it in on Senior Night. He’ll
play with passion and a sense of purpose
that resonates to his receivers and the
rest of the nation’s No. 4 passing game. Who to watch: Louisville has one
of the country’s worst pass defenses,
but it won’t get exposed if Teel is
still having trouble gripping the ball.
If it means getting more reps for backup
Jabu Lovelace, the Scarlet Knights have
to find a way to get the ball downfield
to talented receivers Kenny Britt and
Tiquan Underwood, both of whom have more
than 900 receiving yards. When the
quarterback’s health isn’t an issue,
this is Rutgers’ biggest edge versus
Louisville. What will happen: Rice has a
habit of playing at his peak when the
national cameras are rolling, a trend
he’ll continue on Thursday. The junior
will rush for 150 yards and two scores,
sapping whatever life remains in
Louisville. CFN Prediction: Rutgers 31 ...
Louisville 23... Line: Louisville
-2.5 Must See Rating: (5 Nirvana
Unplugged, now on DVD - 1 Mr. Bean's
Holiday, now on DVD) ... 3
