Rutgers (1-3, 0-0) at West Virginia (2-2, 0-0)
Noon - Oct. 4, 2008
Milan Puskar Stadium - Morgantown, W.Va.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2008 results
9/01 - Fresno State - L, 24-7
9/11 - North Carolina - L, 44-12
9/20 - at Navy - L, 23-21
9/27 - Morgan State - W, 38-0

West Virginia Mountaineers 2008 results
8/30 - Villanova - W, 48-21
9/6 - at East Carolina - L, 24-3
9/18 - at Colorado - L, 17-14 OT
9/27 - Marshall - W, 27-3

Fast facts:

• Rutgers is 0-15 all-time when playing the Mountaineers in Morgantown.
• WVU quarterback Patrick White needs 21 rushing yards to move into second place on the NCAA all-time rushing list for quarterbacks and 415 yards to become the all-time quarterback rushing leader.
• WVU has gained more rushing yards than its opponent in 36 of its last 37 games.
• Since 2000, WVU is 54-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game. The lone loss was a 44-34 loss at No. 5 Louisville, in 2006.
• Last year, No. 6 WVU defeated No. 25 Rutgers, 31-3, in Piscataway, N.J.
• The last time the two met in Morgantown was in 2006, when No. 15 WVU defeated No. 13 Rutgers, 41-39, in triple overtime.
• WVU leads the all-time series against RU, 29-4-2 and has won the last 13 games against the Scarlet Knights.
• The Mountaineers are averaging 23 points per game on offense, while the Scarlet Knights are averaging 19.5 points. WVU’s defense is giving up an average of 16.2 points per game and RU’s defense is allowing an average of 22.8 points.

The game:

Saturday, the two Big East members square of for their first conference games of the 2008 season.

RU is led by quarterback Mike Teel, who has completed 69 of 117 pass attempts, for 825 yards and two touchdowns, but has been intercepted seven times. Teel will likely try to get the ball into the hands of two playmakers the Scarlet Knights have at receiver — Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood. The two pass-catchers each accounted for 1,000 receiving yards last year and have the ability to stretch the field and test WVU’s defensive secondary. Ray Rice left RU early to go to the NFL and fullback Jourdan Brooks has assumed rushing duties for the Scarlet Knights. Brooks has rushed for 241 yards and five touchdowns, in RU’s first four games.

WVU is led by White, it’s fifth-year senior quarterback. White has passed for 453 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing one interception. White’s carried the ball 59 times for 369 yards and two touchdowns. The other half of the Mountaineers two-headed monster in the backfield is sophomore Noel Devine. Devine leads the team in rushing with 399 yards and a touchdown. He’s also caught 13 passes for 57 yards. WVU’s vastly improving defense is led by safety Quinton Andrews and linebackers Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy. Williams is questionable for the game Saturday because he’s still recovering from lingering shoulder problems.

Keys for the game:

For RU to be successful on the road, they will need a solid game from Teel. Britt and Underwood will need to be on the top of their game and try to attack the WVU defensive secondary, which has been vulnerable at times this year. The Scarlet Knights will need to control possession of the ball and try to keep the Mountaineer offense looking on from the sideline. Establishing a decent run game would be ideal.

During the third quarter of last week’s game against Marshall, White left the game with a bruised thumb, on his throwing hand. Head coach Bill Stewart said he is OK and ready to play against Rutgers. Keeping White healthy will be critical in every game this season. His backup, Jarrett Brown, will likely see some playing time and give defenses another weapon to worry about. The WVU defense always benefits from Williams being in the lineup and it remains to be seen if he will play. The defensive secondary is going up against a passing offense capable of making enough plays to win the game and must be ready to go, if WVU will win the game.

X-Factors:

RU - fullback Jourdan Brooks. When the Mountaineers have lost games this season, opponents have played keep away and kept White and company on the sidelines. There is no better way to grind out a game than by running the ball efficiently and having the clock as your ally.

WVU - quarterback Jarrett Brown. He may be the x-factor in every game WVU plays in the rest of the season. Brown brings a new dimension to the offense and like White, is capable of running, but also wields a stronger throwing arm. Lining up White or Brown at quarterback, running back or receiver should create confusion for any defense and open up the possibility of game-changing trick plays.

Prediction:

Mountaineers 34
Scarlet Knights 17