BIG AL's BIG EAST CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR (on TV) -- Friday
At 7 pm (time change), on Friday, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Panthers minus the points over West Virginia. This is a huge rivalry game (known as the Backyard Brawl), between the two universities separated by a mere 75 miles along Interstate 79. It's the 14th oldest rivalry in the country, and Pitt has won 61 of the 101 games (61-37 with 3 ties). The last time these two schools met in Morgantown, Pitt shocked then-head coach Rich Rodriguez' men 13-9 -- as 28-point underdogs -- and knocked the Mountaineers (ranked #2 at the time) out of the BCS Championship game race. Pitt also won last year 19-15, and looks to keep its winning streak going with a victory on this Friday. The shoe is on the other foot, so to speak, this season, as it's Pittsburgh that has BCS Bowl aspirations (though not the actual Championship game). Pitt is ranked 8th in the country, and has had a week to prepare for this huge game. The key to the Panthers is the balance they have, both on offense and defense. On the offensive side of the ball, for example, Pitt can hand the ball off to freshman RB Dion Lewis, who ranks 6th in the country in rushing with almost 1300 yards. Or it can rely on senior QB Bill Stull, who ranks 4th in passing efficiency this season (and who has really progressed this year as a player). Stull is helped mightily by the number of weapons at his disposal, not the least of which is WR Jonathan Baldwin. Baldwin, of course, will make catches all over the field. But once Pitt gets into the red zone, Stull likes to look for his big TE, Dorin Dickerson, who leads the country at his position with 10 touchdown catches. Overall, he has caught 43 passes, and he's a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation's Top tight end. West Virginia, on the other hand, has not been putting up a lot of points of late, and I stay away from home dogs that can't score. WVU has averaged a meager 22 points over its last five games, and RB Noel Devine hasn't topped the 100-yard mark in three games. WVU's passing game has also fallen off a cliff, as it averaged 294 in its first three games, but just 174 yards a game in the last seven. Pitt is definitely the better team, and barring a huge disadvantage in the turnover column, should easily win this game. One of the problems for WVU, though, is that Pitt is good at holding onto the ball, with just nine turnovers in its 10 games (compared to 22 for the Mountaineers)! Big East Game of the Year on the Panthers. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. And don't miss my other college football winners on Friday.
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