GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NCAAF: PITTSBURGH (4-7) at WEST VIRGINIA (10-1)

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH (4-7) at WEST VIRGINIA (10-1)

<h3>West Virginia one win from national title game</h3>

Pittsburgh (4-7) at No. 2 West Virginia (10-1) 7:45 pm EST

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia (Ticker) -- If quarterback Pat Whiteruns like he did in the last two games against Pittsburgh, thereis a very good chance that West Virginia will be running off tothe national championship game.


The second-ranked Mountaineers need only to beat Pittsburgh onSaturday in the 100th edition of the "Backyard Brawl" to earn aberth in the Bowl championship Series title game January 7 inNew Orleans.


West Virginia took advantage of Louisiana State's loss toArkansas to climb to No. 2 in the latest BCS standings - puttingthe Mountaineers in position to play for the nationalchampionship.


White has rushed for 220 yards in each of West Virginia's lasttwo contests against Pittsburgh, both lopsided victories for theMountaineers.


Still, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez doesn't want hisplayers to look ahead.


"We haven't played Pitt with more at stake," he said. "It's notonly the 'Backyard Brawl,' but it's our seniors' last game.This week will be about focusing on the moment and the now.What's important right now is playing Pitt play-by-play."

White and running back Steve Slaton form the most potentbackfield duo in the country, becoming only the third set ofteammates in NCAA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards inconsecutive seasons.


Last week, the pair carried West Virginia to the Big EastConference title with a 66-21 drubbing of Connecticut. TheMountaineers wracked up 624 total yards, with a season-high 517coming on the ground.


White has been nearly unstoppable on the ground of late,surpassing 100 yards in his last four games. Last week, herushed for a season-high 186 yards on 16 carries and passed for107 yards and another score.


West Virginia (10-1, 5-1 Big East) boasts the second-rankedrushing offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision, averaging 310yards per game.


"Their speed is just so much different than what you're going tosee at any other time during the year, particularly atquarterback," Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt said of theMountaineers. "The guy (White) is a great player for what theydo."


While lacking the fanfare of the West Virginia duo, Pittsburgh(4-7, 2-4 Big East) features the country's top freshman runningback in LeSean McCoy, who has rushed for 1,065 yards.

McCoy is just the third true freshman in Big East history torush for 1,000 yards, joining Slaton and Rutgers' Ray Rice.

Pittsburgh leads the series, 59-37-3.

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 14:50 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 14:44 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 11:44 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 10:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 8:25 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 5:37 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 4:35 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 3:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 2:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 1:23 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 1:18 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PITTSBURGH 0 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 0 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 14:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 13:45 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 13:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 12:10 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 11:20 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 10:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: PITTSBURGH at WEST VIRGINIA

<div class="pre">NCAAF PITTSBURGH 0
WEST VIRGINIA (2) 0 9:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>