IT'S MAKE OR BREAK TIME

By Matt Whitfied


“We’re far from being out of it. As long as we only worry about ourselves and take care of us, then we’ll be perfectly fine,” said Dorrell Jalloh.

If Jalloh and the rest of the Mountaineers think and play that way they could be headed back to another BCS Bowl game once the NCAA Bowl Games roll around this holiday season. However, despite what the Mountaineers say, the stakes are high this weekend as the Mountaineers visit Louisville to partake in what some might call a make or break game.

West Virginia has won five of its last six, meanwhile Louisville has lost three straight. West Virginia (6-3) is trying to define its season, while Louisville (5-5) is just trying to finish with a winning record. West Virginia is bowl eligible and could see a repeat of last season, while many Louisville players will likely be sitting at home, possibly hung-over during the holidays.

Despite their records, recent history tells us to expect a close game Saturday as the margin of victory has been no more than 10 points by either side since the two teams began squaring off yearly in 2005. Current NCAA Football Odds list WVU as a 7.5-point favorite in this one.

The Cardinals are led by Senior QB Hunter Cantwell who is considered an NFL prospect. Cantwell leads the team in TD’s with 14, however he has also thrown for 12 INT’s. Cantwell has a fairly balanced rushing and receiving corps with Victor Anderson and Brock Bolen leading the way through the defenders, and Doug Beaumeunt and Josh Chichester leading the way in the air. The four have combined for 2,197 yards and half the team’s touchdowns; other than those by Cantwell. If Louisville is to win Saturday they’ll need Cantwell to not be INT prone and West Virginia’s 15th ranked pass efficiency defense and 20th ranked total defense to play down.

West Virginia is led by it’s Senior QB Pat White. He leads the league with a 140.7 passer rating, and has thrown for a conference high 15 TD’s. When rushing White ranks sixth in the Big East in averaging 73.2 yards per game. When White doesn’t run the ball, he most often gets it to one of two Sophomore sloatbacks Noel Devine or Jock Sanders. The two have accounted for 1,591 yards of total yards and 11 TD’s this season. If Louisville is to win, they’ll need their 39th ranked total defense to be clicking on all cylinders Saturday. West Virginia is vulnerable to good defense, however, it also has shown that with the weapons they have they can erupt instantaneously.

The last time West Virginia was in Louisville they lost a gut wrenching shotout to the Cardinals. Steve Slaton and Brian Brohm are gone but pride is on the line for both teams. West Virginia wants to show people they can be as good as the preseason polls said while Louisville just wants to finish with a winning record. Expect a high scoring game as the last three times the two have played they have combined to average 68 points a game.