Game Week--Pitt plus Tailgate Info

Tailgate information first since cheap booze and chips are the most important aspect of any game, even the 100th game against Pitt with a national title game in the balance. The 1st (and probably last) ever Bastard Sons Cheap-Ass Tailgate will be located at the White Birch Office Towers on Riddle Road. Riddle Road is the road across from Sheetz near the stadium. It runs past Walgreens. The White Birch Office Towers is open for parking on game days and costs a crisp fiver which stays with the theme of the tailgate. How will you distinguish us? We will have a table with a red Taco Bell chihuahua flag attached to the front and should be up front so you can see us from the road. If you normally park in the blue lot this is about a 5 minute walk and you need the exercise fatty. We will bring an assortment of horrible snacks and cheap booze that will be sure to give you digestive problems during the game. But, just like the 'Stache you will get to feel what it is like to almost shit your pants the entire time WVU is stomping on Pitt. We'll try to get there early for optimum tailgating experience for those that want to stop by but have better things to do than hang out with people you barely know (that is what family is for). The starting time is currently 1 p.m. give or take about an hour for us to get our shit together.

On to the game. Last week was the most surreal experience in my many years of games at Mountaineer Field. It was like a giant party for the last three quarters. This should continue this week with people dressing up for Mardi Gras and a possible trip to New Orleans and hopefully boobies everywhere. Since the Pat White era began at WVU the Mountaineers have beaten Pitt 90-40. White has passed for 245 and three touchdowns yards and run for 440 yards and 4 touchdowns in those two games. Only two more games Pitt fans. Of course Steve Slaton hasn't been too shabby either adding 394 yards rushing and 146 yards receiving and a combined 7 touchdowns in his two games versus the Panthers.

This season should be about the same. WVU is bringing the 11th ranked offense in the country, 2nd in rushing with 310 ypg, into the game and is averaging 41.64 points per game (8th in the country). On the season PW has 1144 yards on the ground with 14 touchdowns and another 1498 through the air with 12 touchdowns. Slaton has 1042 yards rushing and another 339 receiving with 18 total touchdowns. Noel Devine is averaging 9.6 yards per carry and has 508 yards rushing. Darius Reynaud has 56 catches for 645 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving. Reynaud is currently tied for fourth in career touchdown receptions for WVU. The Pitt offense revolves around LeSean McCoy. Pitt is 101st in total offense with the rushing offense being the high point at 140 yards per game (73rd in the country). Shady has 1180 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns while starter/backup Larod (Spanish for the rod) Stephens-Howling has added 305 yards rushing. Pat Bostick has thrown for 1433 yards and 8 touchdowns, but also has 11 interceptions. His favorite target has been Oderick (Irish for the Derick) Turner with 33 catches for 467 yards.

Defensively Pitt is 11th in total defense with a 7th ranked pass defense and a rushing defense of 41st in the nation. Joe Clermond is 3rd in the Big East with 9.5 sacks while Scott McKillop leads the nation in tackles with 142. The next leading Panther tackler is Shane Murray with only 57 so it is McKillop or nobody. Pitt has only 8 interceptions on the seasons which highlights the main problem for Pitt in forcing turnovers on defense and avoiding them on offense. The Panthers are 95th in the nation at -.55 per game. WVU is lead on defense by Reed Williams' 87 tackles followed by Mortty Ivy and Marc Margro. Magro also has 8 sacks which is matched by Johnny Dingle for 1st on the team. Eric Wicks and Ryan Mundy each have 3 interceptions for WVU which is 6th in the nation in turnover margin (despite the USF game) at +1.18 per game.