Tribune-Review (PA): WVU looks forward to rematch with South Florida

[Jim Johnson]

WVU looks forward to rematch with South Florida

By Rick Starr

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Monday, September 24, 2007

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Southeastern Conference champ Georgia couldn't pull it off despite a furious comeback in the 2006 Sugar Bowl.

ACC Coastal Division champ Georgia Tech couldn't do it despite leading by 18 points in the third quarter in the Gator Bowl nine months ago.

Only three teams have beaten West Virginia since the start of the 2005 season.

The rematch against the conference opponent that knocked the Mountaineers out of a potential Bowl Championship Series berth last year sets up an early-season Big East showdown Friday night on ESPN.

No. 5 West Virginia (4-0) made no concerted effort to downplay the revenge factor leading into its game against No. 18 South Florida at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium.

"We know exactly who's next," linebacker Mortty Ivy said after West Virginia coasted to a 48-7 non-conference victory Saturday over East Carolina at Milan Puskar Stadium. "They hurt us last year. And now, we've got to go down to their neck of the woods, and we've got to give them the 'L.'

"They're a great team, but we've got to go down there and execute."

The Bulls (3-0) also come into the rematch undefeated following a 37-10 victory Saturday over North Carolina.

South Florida, an 11-year-old Division I-A program which normally doesn't open the upper half of the NFL stadium it shares with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will turn on the escalators for a possible record crowd approaching 60,000 for West Virginia this week. Stadium capacity is 65,000.

"We're going into a hostile environment, so it's good we're coming off a big win like this," Mountaineers cornerback and punt returner Vaughn Rivers said.

West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez votes in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, but he declined to reveal where he ranked South Florida this week.

"I believe South Florida is better than No. 18, I'll tell you that," Rodriguez said on his Sunday conference call with reporters. "We're going into a very hostile environment."

West Virginia quarterbacks Pat White and Jarrett Brown will approach the game on a high note after completing 88 percent of their passes against East Carolina.

"We've got guys who can play," Rodriguez said. "No matter what scheme you're playing, you've got to have guys who are playing hard."

West Virginia came within 59 seconds of posting a shutout, despite resting 300-pound nose tackle Keilen Dykes for all but a couple plays. Dykes has a foot sprain, and Rodriguez said he was held out to prevent the injury from turning into a stress fracture.

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Rare losses

Here are the three teams that have beaten West Virginia since the start of the 2005 season:

Date Team Site Score

10/01/05 Virginia Tech Morgantown, W.Va. 34-17

11/02/06 Louisville Louisville, Ky. 44-34

11/25/06 South Florida Morgantown 24-19

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