Mountaineers and Bulls
It's been a while since I've been looking foward to a Friday game as much as tonight's West Virginia/South Florida matchup. It ought to be a good one. If Steve Slaton can put together a decent game — something he didn't do in last season's upset loss to USF — I think the Mountaineers offense will be too much for the Bulls.
I've got a double bet on West Virginia.
ACTION: 09/28
West Virginia (-6.5) at South Florida
West Virginia (-7) at South Florida
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Sep 29, 2007, 8:47am
West Virginia is TCU and/or Fresno State. An above average team in a below average conference who is highly ranked based on how lame its conference schedule is. WV the past several years has reminded me of Tennessee in the 1980s. Back then, Beano Cook liked to pick Tennessee Number 1 (pre-season) every year based on the fact that the SEC schedule in those days shielded the premier teams from playing each other. A weak schedule or conference is no reason to be ranked in the Top 10 (ahem, Longhorns.) I hope that after WV's most recent loss to a directional school, embarassed pollsters will stop drinking the Big East koolaid and stop putting WV in the Top 10 just because it is the best team in a second-rate conference whose other "premier" teams are Louisville an Rutgers.
Sep 29, 2007, 10:23am
If South Florida ever gets an offense, though, they're going to be something to deal with. That defense they have is old-school Miami fast. Say what you will about West Virginia's strength as a whole, Steve Slaton and Pat White can really run, but the USF defenders were right with them and a step ahead.
I imagine if USF could put together a couple of good seasons they'd have a chance to be a top team. Shouldn't be too hard to convince a high school kid to go to college in sunny, warm Tampa.