BIG EAST FOOTBALL PREVIEW: GAME #6 SYRACUSE

October 9, 2008



Despite the rocky 1-2 start under first year head coach Bill Stewart, the West Virginia Mountaineers have begin to right the ship a bit with a win over in-state rival Marshall and began the Big East portion of their schedule by beating Rutgers, 24-17, last week. At 1-0 in the Big East, WVU still has their conference title hopes alive as they try to get better each week.

On the other side of the field this week is the Syracuse Orange. The 1-4 (0-1 Big East) Orange are coming off a bye week as the Greg Robinson era continues mercifully for the dwindling fan base. On the weekend that the much anticipated move 'The Express' opens, it only serves as a reminder of what was once a proud program that is now among the dregs of major college football. SU opened Big East play looking improved, leading Pittsburgh for nearly 75% of the game, however, in the end, it was yet another loss for the Orange as they fell in the Dome, 34-24 as Pitt scored the game's last 21 points.

The current College Football Lines have the Mountaineers listed as 24 point favorites to route the Orange. Look for the Mountaineer defense, which has been coming around, to put the clamps on the SU attack. On offense, spreading the field with their superior speed will open up more lanes for Pat White and Noel Devine to run down hill all game against the abysmal SU rush defense. Syracuse surrenders over 207 yards rushing and 36 points a game, among the worst in all of college football, while on offense, they have among the worst passing attacks in the nation. While the West Virginia rushing attack might not quite be what it was under RichRod previously, it is still among the top 15 in the nation and look for them to have the ball all day against the Orange and come up with an easy win, showing just a little more comfort under their new staff.


Prediction:

West Virginia 41
Syracuse 14