West Virginia vs Louisville 11/2

[AppGuy04]

One of the biggest games of the year tomorrow night.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200611020100

West Virginia and Louisville have been waiting all season to square off against each other.

Now the rest of the country is real interested, too.

The third-ranked Mountaineers and fifth-ranked Cardinals have the national spotlight to themselves on Thursday night, with each hoping to keep their BCS title hopes alive.

Louisville and West Virginia are both 7-0, including 2-0 in the Big East, and are two of six remaining unbeaten teams in Division I-A. Thursday's matchup will be the first between two top-five Big East teams since the rebuilt conference lost Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College to the ACC.

[putter]

A relative of mine coaches at Louisville. It is a very big game....:thumbsup:

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I know a kid at WVU and they're going crazy in anticipation to this game. I think WVU is the more sound football team and will go into a lions den and beat the Cards. Morgantown will burn long into dawn....WVU 42 Louisville 31

[LeopardFan04]

Should be a good one...and I think they both still have to play Rutgers...so the Big East could be turned upside down by the end of the things...it'll be real interesting to see what happens if one of those three finished undefeated...esp. if it's Rutgers...

[seantaylor]

I like Louisville

[ISUMatt]

ill take WVU

[bluehenbillk]

I know a kid at WVU and they're going crazy in anticipation to this game. I think WVU is the more sound football team and will go into a lions den and beat the Cards. Morgantown will burn long into dawn....WVU 42 Louisville 31

Couches to sit on will be scarce after 11 tonight & Morgantown, Slaton & White run for over 300 combined.

[griz37]

I'll take WVU by 4.

[bison95]

I'll take Louisville by 7, WVU comes out too amped up and has 100 yards in penalties in the first half. Dicipline will win this game and WVU has none:nod:

[AppGuy04]

Is Brian Brohm healthy?

[dbackjon]

Louisville -- by 10

[AppGuy04]

You know, I was thinking, this game is basically like a National semifinal game. The other semi is obviously Ohio St vs Michigan.

Thoughts?

[FUwolfpacker]

It will be interesting to see what happens if WVU wins (and if they get by Rutgers and Pitt). Should WVU get in the national title game over a one loss team with a tougher schedule? Marshall, ECU, Miss. St., Maryland, and Eastern Washington aren't exactly the toughest OOC schedule. Then again, the schedules of the teams behind them aren't that great either, but most of them scheduled at LEAST one tough OOC game.

I really don't know. I wouldn't have a problem with WVU being in the championship game, but I'm sure some people would be upset considering their schedule. Colin Cowherd covered it extensively today.

Anyways, it should be a great game tonight. I'm looking forward to it.

[LeopardFan04]

You know, I was thinking, this game is basically like a National semifinal game. The other semi is obviously Ohio St vs Michigan.

Thoughts?


Don't forget Rutgers...seriously...

Also, I'm not completely sure that if Lou/Rutgers wins out and get the Big East bid that they'd be taken over a one loss team...I think WVU would, but who knows...

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I think if WVU wins out they will play either OSU or Michigan in the title game. What 1 loss team has really seperated themselves from the pack? Florida perhaps, Michigan-OSU loser? WVU did everything they could to earn a spot, i give them a pass on schedule because there usually done years ahead of time, plus Maryland is as good as Miami. There hasn't been enough seperation between the loss teams to this point for them to get in over WVU. Texas, ND, USC, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Auburn have all looked really good and really mediocre at points this year which holds them back. It will be interesting for sure. :rotateh:

[EKU05]

Is Brian Brohm healthy?

Yes, quite. He's no longer wearing any protection on the thumb. Doctors delcared it 100% healed over a weak ago. Whether or not he can get back into the same rhythem he was in before the injury occured is another issue altogether. My prediction...

Cards...34
WVU....24

Look for WVU to have a slight halftime lead. Louisville has played possum more than once this year (probably not on purpose, but it works out that way). Kolby Smith will have a big second half running the football, but look for the Brohm go to Mario Urrutia early and often. Most teams don't have any one guy that can defend him.

In relative terms, I think Louisville will be able to at least contain Slaton...Pat White is the real threat. Louisville historically has had some trouble with QBs that can run, and if you look back to last year's game in Morgantown you'll notice that U of L lead 24-5 with 13 minutes to play. Then WVU QB Adam Bednarrick got injured and Pat White came in. The complexion of the game completely changed. People make a big deal out of the fact that Slaton scored 6 TDs after halftime (including the 3 OTs), but it was the respect commanded by White's legs that was the catalyst. Make WVU throw and they become a very beatable team.

[EKU05]

Don't forget Rutgers...seriously...

Also, I'm not completely sure that if Lou/Rutgers wins out and get the Big East bid that they'd be taken over a one loss team...I think WVU would, but who knows...

People keep saying that, but the actual BCS numbers (forget 3 vs. 5) for WVU and Louisville are not all that different. Each stands about the same chance if they win out. It will depend on how dominant they are, how Florida does, and if the Ohio State Michigan game is close or not.

Rutgers started in too deep a whole given that they had no pre-season ranking. They have no chance at all to play for the national title...though they are a VERY good football team.

[UMass922]

If Florida wins out (including a win in the SEC Championship Game), they'll get in over an undefeated Big East team. Auburn could do the same, though they'll need some help from Arkansas if they're going to reach the SEC final--which is possible, since Arkansas has a couple very loseable games remaining with Tennessee and LSU (plus a game this weekend with South Carolina that isn't a gimmee, either).

Texas might even have a shot, too, since they're bunched pretty closely in the current BCS rankings with WVU, Florida, Louisville, and Auburn--but the Longhorns are going to get a relatively weak opponent in the Big XII title game (either Missouri or Nebraska), so their conference championship game is not going to provide the SOS boost that the winner of the SEC championship game is going to get.

And then, of course, there will also be the Michigan-Ohio St. loser sitting at one loss as well, and probably still with a relatively high BCS ranking.

Anyway, the point is, an undefeated WVU or Louisville is probably going to be surpassed by a one-loss team with a better SOS, and my guess is that that one-loss team is going to be Florida--though I'm rooting for it to be the loser of Michigan-Ohio St., to set up a rematch for the national title.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

If Florida wins out (including a win in the SEC Championship Game), they'll get in over an undefeated Big East team. Auburn could do the same, though they'll need some help from Arkansas if they're going to reach the SEC final--which is possible, since Arkansas has a couple very loseable games remaining with Tennessee and LSU (plus a game this weekend with South Carolina that isn't a gimmee, either).

Texas might even have a shot, too, since they're bunched pretty closely in the current BCS rankings with WVU, Florida, Louisville, and Auburn--but the Longhorns are going to get a relatively weak opponent in the Big XII title game (either Missouri or Nebraska), so their conference championship game is not going to provide the SOS boost that the winner of the SEC championship game is going to get.

And then, of course, there will also be the Michigan-Ohio St. loser sitting at one loss as well, and probably still with a relatively high BCS ranking.

Anyway, the point is, an undefeated WVU or Louisville is probably going to be surpassed by a one-loss team with a better SOS, and my guess is that that one-loss team is going to be Florida--though I'm rooting for it to be the loser of Michigan-Ohio St., to set up a rematch for the national title.

Which is why i think there's a good chance for a split National Title should either Ohio State or Michigan lose in the title game, perhaps even if they win....

[EKU05]

The things that bodes well for the Big East is that both UL and WVU have by far the toughest portion of their schedules remaining. I have a friend who is the world's biggest Aubrun fan...he's researched it. He says that Auburn is basically finished at this point as far as the national title goes. It's down to basically 5 teams...Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, Louisville, and West Virginia.

As a Louisville fan, Florida is really the only team that concerns me (outside of the ones that Louisville plays...and of course the slight possibility of an Ohio State/Michigan rematch). I'm hoping for strong finishes by Miami and Kentucky to pad Louisville's schedule. Of course, Florida played Kentucky as well (though it can be very seriously argued that Louisville was far more dominant against them).

[UMass922]

Which is why i think there's a good chance for a split National Title should either Ohio State or Michigan lose in the title game, perhaps even if they win....

I agree. If a one-loss Florida, Auburn, Texas, etc. upsets an undefeated Michigan or Ohio State in the title game, it's very possible that the AP awards its championship to an undefeated West Virginia or Louisville. As a strong proponent of a playoff (as I'm sure most of us here are), I'll definitely be rooting for that. I just wonder how many "split championships" it would take for the powers-that-be to finally replace the BCS with a playoff. Hell, even a return to the old system would be better as far as I'm concerned, because at least then there were no pretentions that one of the bowls was a "national championship game." If we're not going to have a true national championship game, let's at least not have a farcical one. Give us back those traditional conference matchups in the major bowl games--no more Big XII teams playing in the Rose Bowl!

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

almost game time, this should be good....

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Louisville had a nice opening drive and WVU did well to hold them to a fg. 3-0 Cards with WVU to get the ball.

[ISUMatt]

WVUs speed is UNREAL!!!

[roberb7]

16-14 Cardinals at the half. And I can't get it on TV here.

[ISUMatt]

Man WVU fumbles alot...23-14 Louisville

[ISUMatt]

WOW a UBC helmet...never thought Id see that on here!!!

[ISUMatt]

41 yd punt return for UL.

UL 30
WVU 14

[griz37]

Louisville is blowing this game wide open. WOW!

[unknown-swac]

I guess WVU is showing their weak competition didnt warrant them a #3 ranking.

[ISUMatt]

You would think that WVU has never seen a forward downfield pass watching this game

30-21 after 3 but UL inside the 10

[unknown-swac]

Brohm is gonna have like 450 yards passing at the end of this game. Neither team is playing defense but Louisville has that luxury since they're scoring on EVERY possession.

[Maroons]

Throw this strength of schedule crap out of the window, if you ask me. If there are 2 undefeated teams at the end of the season from BCS conferences... and they don't play? That's a crime... and evidence of what is wrong with I-A football. I don't care if Michigan finishes with 1 loss or Florida... they should eliminate every possible chance of having multiple teams finish the year undefeated.

Plus, its no secret that the old school I-A football powers won't schedule the top Big East programs... (Miami excluded) don't penalize the Big East schools for that.

The only people that can mess this up are the damn pollsters... If there are 2 undefeated BCS teams at the end of the year... they'd better be 1 and 2 in the polls.

[EKU05]

I normally try to stay somewhat reserved in my support of another team when posting under my EKU05 moniker, but what the hell...

C...A...R...D...S!!!!

What a great scene that was a Papa John's CARDINAL Stadium (the announcers ommitted the word in caps all night long). Simply amazing. Bit game next week in Piscataway. Go Cards!

P.S. It seemed as though God decided to participate in Black-out Thursday with that little mishap with the lighting system...lol.

[seantaylor]

Both WVU and Louisville would destroy Florida, Auburn or any other 1 loss team out there. Louisville vs Michigan for it all.

[SuperJon]

I just wonder a) what the heck happened to Slaton's arm and b) how would the game have been different if he hadn't hurt it? I hate when things come down to that. Yes, I know a lot boiled down to WVU not stopping the pass, but with Slaton, that 7 minute drive would've been a 3 minute drive so there's basically 4-6 minutes in there (the other two minutes coming from drives he wasn't in on) where anything could've happened with that offense.

Over 1000 yards of offense in one game. Wow.

[bluehenbillk]

Big W for Louisville, now to see if they run the regular season table.

[AppGuy04]

I think either of these teams would struggle with anyone that can play defense.

[ChickenMan]

I think either of these teams would struggle with anyone that can play defense.

No doubt... both have plenty of offense... but neither's defense is anywhere near championship caliber. Michigan would be a very bad match up for either of them.

[Ivytalk]

But we all agree that it was an exciting game that gave armchair fans their money's worth!:nod:

[LacesOut]

Nice win for Louisville. They still have four games left, so anything can happen.

[dbackjon]

Louisville -- by 10

Bank it!! :hurray:

[bison95]

Bank it!! :hurray:
Your my heroxsmoochx xsmoochx xsmoochx

[dbackjon]

Your my heroxsmoochx xsmoochx xsmoochx

xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

Good thing Mrs. bison95 doesn't read the board....

[bison95]

xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

Good thing Mrs. bison95 doesn't read the board....

Yes it is, but she understands my humor so she would probably laugh:nod: But wonder why I wasn't doing somethin productive:confused:

[bison95]

Actually dback, when the game finished last night, I remembered your awesome prediction, and wonder if you can actually see the future?

[dbackjon]

Actually dback, when the game finished last night, I remembered your awesome prediction, and wonder if you can actually see the future?

No - if I actually could, I'd be in Vegas at the sports book making loads of jack!!