WVU vs. Colorado: Week 3 Preview
No matter how you slice it, there is a pretty big college football game coming up on Thursday night. Rocky Mountain High versus Country Roads. Colorado versus West Virginia. The Buffaloes versus the Mountaineers. The Big XII versus The Big East.
WVU has Louisville (2006) to thank for yet another blacked-out, Thursday night nationally-televised football game. Don’t fret. The ESPN broadcast won’t be blacked out, but the fan’s in the stadium are reportedly being told to wear all black for the game. Here we go again.
No. 21/22 West Virginia Mountaineers (1-1, 0-0) vs. Colorado Buffaloes (2-0, 0-0) at Folsom Field, in Boulder, Colo.
WVU Results in 2008:
8/30/08 – vs. Villanova – W, 48-21
9/6/08 – at East Carolina – L, 24-3
Colorado Results in 2008:
8/31/08 – vs. Colorado State – W, 38-17
9/6/08 – vs. Eastern Washington – W, 31-24
All-time series:
This is the first ever meeting between the two teams.
Coaches:
WVU – Bill Stewart (2-1).
CU – Dan Hawkins (8-17).
Stewart is in his first year as the head coach, at WVU.
Hawkins is entering his third year at Colorado, having previously served as the head coach at Boise State, from 2001-2005.
Sooner slayers:
Both the Mountaineers and the Buffaloes defeated Oklahoma last season. WVU won in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (48-28) and CU won on Sept. 29, 2007 (27-24).
Impact players:
WVU:
Quarterback Patrick White. Passing: 36/51, 280 yards, five touchdowns, one interception. Rushing: 29 carries, 160 yards. Running back Noel Devine. Rushing: 21 carries, 141 yards. Receiving: nine catches, 46 yards.
CU:
Quarterback Cody Hawkins. Passing: 48/67, 475 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions. Rushing: 13 carries, 29 yards, two touchdowns. Running back Darrell Scott. 24 carries, 93 yards, one touchdown. Receiving: three catches, 33 yards. Receiver Scotty McKnight. 11 catches, 157 yards, one touchdown.
How West Virginia will win the game:
If the Mountaineers are to go into a hostile environment at Folsom Field and come away with a win, the successful formula is quite simple — run the football. White and Devine are too powerful a combination to not unleash on every defense, throughout the entire season. Despite the offensive woes of the Mountaineers thus far, White and Devine are still effective when they have carried the ball. White is averaging 5.5 yards-per-carry and Devine is averaging 6.7 yards-per-carry. Call it clichéd, but if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. The offensive line is a veteran bunch, who in most games, opens up holes for the speedsters to bolt through. The Mountaineer defense showed signs of improvement in the second half against East Carolina and as long as they can get off the field on third down situations, the unit shouldn’t cause WVU to lose. Hawkins is a
capable passer, therefore, the secondary will need to make have a few big stops. The Buffaloes running game shouldn’t present too much of a problem for the Mountaineer defense. Though Scott, who is just a freshman, has the potential to be an explosive runner, he was held to 39 yards on 13 carries, and was without a touchdown, against Eastern Washington (a team WVU beat 52-3, in 2006).
How Colorado will win the game:
If the Buffaloes jump out to an early lead, WVU will be in trouble. The Mountaineers are primarily a run-heavy
team and when they get behind, they have trouble catching up. Cody Hawkins, coach Dan Hawkins‘ son, will likely put up big numbers against WVU’s rebuilding defensive secondary. The key for Colorado will be
whether or not they are able to contain White and Devine. If the Buffaloes let either or the two break long runs, WVU will take control of the game. If CU is able to force turnovers and translate those takeaways into points, the Buffaloes will win the game. With all due respect to Eastern Washington, CU should have been able to win by more than seven points. Based on WVU’s first two games, CU will probably try to play keep away and win the time of possession battle. Nothing hurts an offensive-minded football team more than keeping its playmakers on the sideline and forcing a youthful defense to beat you.
X-Factors:
Stewart has said his team is going back to the zone-read and the triple-option, along with Devine getting 18-22 carries per game. That could spell doom for the Buffaloes. Middle linebacker Reed Williams, the Mountaineers’ leading tackler in 2007, is reportedly expected to rejoin the team. Williams had been out the first two games recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. For CU, home-field advantage will be in the Buffaloes favor, however, I think the whole altitude thing is overrated. Cody Hawkins will need to come up huge if his team is to knock off WVU. Protecting the ball will be a huge factor for both teams.
Bottom line:
The Mountaineers are chomping at the bit for redemption from their 21-point smack down, at the hands of ECU. Stewart is already being thrown under the bus, but appears to be making proper adjustments to get his team back on track. If the WVU offense runs the ball like it did in recent years past, the Mountaineers will win the game comfortably.
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Nice post Jeremy. The predicted score that I came up with for the Mountaineers, 30-27, is very similar to what you have. Even though I think Colorado will keep it a little closer. Good work!
Great Prediction and I think you are correct! Keep us informed,Jeremy
Well I feel it’s going to be more of a blow out by us. WVU 54 Colorado 14
MorgantownHero, I hope you are correct! Ill take a Auburn score as long as its a win though.
Let’s Go Moutaineers!!!!!!! Either way you cut this cake we need a big “W” this week!!!!!
My prediction: Eers 38 Buffs 35 The game will be close due to our defense…but we out score their offense.
Did you guys hear Reed Williams will probably start! So our D will be a little more aggressive. I HOPE. Also Wes Lyons will play … finally.
yea, I thought Lyons would play. nowhere to be seen. why does he even dress for the games?