I’m not agreeing with them about the big game of the year, I think it’s more Auburn and PITT but a writer at the Pittsburgh rag finally got it right.

A look at the Big East in projected order of finish:

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1. West Virginia

Coach: Bill Stewart, 1st season, 1-0;

2007 record: 11-2 (5-2 in Big East, co-champs)

Key players: QB Pat White; TB Noel Devine; C Mike Dent; LB Mortty Ivy; K Pat McAfee

Big game: Dec. 6 vs. South Florida.

The skinny: The Mountaineers are again the pick to win the Big East and they are loaded on offense. White and Devine are both a threat to take it to the end zone every time they touch the ball. The big challenge for first-year coach Bill Stewart is to rebuild the defense, which lost seven starters. However, given the strength of the offense, the Mountaineers will repeat as conference champions if the defense just plays reasonably well.

NFL NOTE:

Slaton gets the ball again last night:

Steve Slaton came off the bench in Houston’s third exhibition and ran for 44 yards on 10 carries. He played behind only Chris Taylor with Chris Brown out.

Slaton played with the starting offensive line and excelled on outside runs. Behind fellow rookie LT Duane Brown, Slaton busted a 20-yard gain in the second quarter and stiff armed Roy Williams on a 13-yard rush in the third. He will likely be no lower than second on the depth chart in Week 1.

I usually don’t follow NFL that much but seeing Slaton get the ball and tear it up this year will be fun.

THE NEXT OWEN SCHMITT?

Has West Virginia found another Owen Schmitt? Ricky Kovatch, who like Schmitt was unrecruited, has found a home at the Mountaineers’ fullback/tight end hybrid position, Dave Hickman says in The Charleston Gazette.