Durzblog

#20 Uconn at #3 West Virginia
3:30 ABC
Saturday afternoon's Uconn/West Virginia game will decide the Big East championship -- that may not have been a stunning claim 10 weeks ago (as the Mountaineers were picked to finish atop the BE) -- but the kicker is the Huskies are also in a position to claim the crown and the BCS spot that comes with it. UConn (9-2, 5-1) is the heavy underdog and are faced with the immense challenge of slowing the West Virginia's (9-1, 4-1) high octane offense in front of a fully crazed house in Morgantown. As the game nears though you cannot help to think that stranger thinks have happened, right?

The scary stuff....West Virginia has the No. 3 rushing offense in the nation -- averaging 289.4 yards a game. The Mountaineers run game is led by QB Pat White (averaging 95.8 yards a game rushing) and running back Steve Slaton who has gained 98.8 yards a game. In addition to the Slaton/White ground assault: WVU has one of the Big East's top receivers in Darius Reynaud (51 catches, 10 touchdowns), the best fullback in the conference in Owen Schmitt and a backup RB in Noel Devine, a freshman, that can flat out fly. They can score plenty and usually do.

"Nobody's stopped them," UConn coach Randy Edsall said. "I don't think you're ever going to shut them down. You've got to be able to slow them down, but I don't think anybody is going to just take them and shut them right down."

Connecticut most likely has to gain a turnover advantage to stay in the game. WVU QB White has a growing propensity to fumble the ball -- that could potentially serve as an equalizer in this one. West Virginia has fumbled 22 times this season, losing 12 and White has fumbled five times in the last two games -- losing four.

Another key for the Huskies will be for the running tandem of Dixon and Brown who will try and put some points up and more importantly keep the Mountaineers offense off the field by moving the chains.

West Virginia may be the large favorite and are a possible national title game participant, but this is a big one for them and is not being taken lightly. "That's the only goal we talk about much -- capturing the Big East championship," West Virgina coach Rich Rodriguez said. "Now we're to the point that we can say this game is for the Big East championship. It is."

On Saturday, West Virginia is aiming for their 5th Big East tile as Connecticut goes for number 1. Call the chances slim, but that's fine with me. Five years ago, as I sat with my father watching Uconn beat Kent State in the Huskies last game at Memorial Stadium, if you told me that in November 2007 we would be playing the 3rd ranked team in the country with a shot at the Orange Bowl, I can't say I would have believed you. Win or lose, its been a hell of a ride. Go get em..

Other Big Ones Saturday:
#8 Virginia Tech at #16 Virginia (Noon)
Winner of this ACC Coastal match-up will face BC in Jacksonville for the ACC title and BCS slot.
#4 Missouri at #2 Kansas (8:00)
Winner clinches the Big 12 North and stays alive in the national championship race.