Post by elp525 on Oct 30, 2011 9:15:31 GMT -5
Sunday, October 30, 2011
By Mark Viera
The New York Times
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The snow-globe conditions for West Virginia's 41-31 victory against Rutgers on Saturday provided a fitting backdrop for two Big East Conference programs caught in the disorienting swirl of conference realignment.
On Friday, the Big 12 announced that West Virginia would join the conference. Its departure, following Pitt and Syracuse out of the Big East, has left that league on unstable footing. Officials from Rutgers, meanwhile, have maintained contact with other conferences.
On Saturday, at least, Rutgers and No. 25 West Virginia were both still angling for positioning in the Big East standings as they head into the final month of the regular season. No. 24 Cincinnati (6-1, 2-0) is in first place.
Playing in a steady snow, the Mountaineers (6-2, 2-1) outlasted Rutgers in the fourth quarter, retaking the lead with less than 10 minutes left.
West Virginia drove 89 yards behind quarterback Geno Smith, who scrambled 1 yard for the go-ahead touchdown. On the ensuing possession, Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova fumbled when the football slipped from his grasp. West Virginia's Tavon Austin then scored on a 20-yard reception, effectively ending the game. The Scarlet Knights (5-3, 2-2) have lost 17 consecutive games against West Virginia.
Smith passed for 218 yards and two touchdowns, completing 20 of 31 passes.
About two hours before kickoff, three pickup trucks, two small utility vehicles and a tractor plowed up and down the field at High Point Solutions Stadium, moving like Zambonis at a hockey rink until strips of artificial turf were revealed from under the snow.
By the opening kickoff, nearly 2 inches of snow had fallen. There were wide swaths of empty benches, and the crowd of approximately 10,000 was bundled up in parkas, ponchos and knit ski caps.
The Scarlet Knights were led onto the field by Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed from the neck down making a tackle in a game against Army last October. It was the first time LeGrand had accompanied the team on the field for a game since his injury.
Running back Jawan Jamison scored two touchdowns in the first half as Rutgers built a 31-21 halftime lead, its first double-digit edge on the Mountaineers since 1994, the Scarlet Knights' last win in the series.
Despite the points on the scoreboard, neither team moved the ball smoothly, though their choppy offenses broke out for several big scoring plays. In the first quarter alone, West Virginia scored on runs of 80 yards by Austin and 52 yards by Shawne Alston, and Rutgers' Mark Harrison caught a 45-yard touchdown pass.
The snow made for difficult conditions. There were fumbled snaps, dropped passes and a botched hold on a field-goal attempt. The players also had trouble staying on their feet, making cuts with short, careful steps.
Nova's fumble while dropping back to pass in the fourth quarter illustrated the weather's impact. In the first quarter, Smith lost a fumble in similar fashion, and Rutgers capitalized when Nova threw a touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu.
Nova threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, completing 18 of 46 passes. He also threw two interceptions.
Leading 31-28 at the start of the fourth quarter, Rutgers tried a fake field goal after driving to West Virginia's 11, but the Mountaineers' Darwin Cook broke up the pass from the holder, Patrick Kivlehan, to Brandon Coleman.
That set up West Virginia's 11-play, 89-yard scoring drive that gave them the lead. Smith scored on fourth-and-goal, rushing around end out of the shotgun and diving into the end zone. Kicker Tyler Bitancurt missed the extra point.
For Rutgers, the meeting was a chance to test its legitimacy as a contender in the Big East, after having compiled an impressive record against less-than-impressive competition. West Virginia was the first ranked opponent Rutgers had faced this season.
The Mountaineers, however, were coming off of an embarrassing 49-23 loss a week ago to Syracuse. That defeat raised questions about whether West Virginia was indeed the class of the Big East, but the Mountaineers helped their argument with the victory.
By Mark Viera
The New York Times
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The snow-globe conditions for West Virginia's 41-31 victory against Rutgers on Saturday provided a fitting backdrop for two Big East Conference programs caught in the disorienting swirl of conference realignment.
On Friday, the Big 12 announced that West Virginia would join the conference. Its departure, following Pitt and Syracuse out of the Big East, has left that league on unstable footing. Officials from Rutgers, meanwhile, have maintained contact with other conferences.
On Saturday, at least, Rutgers and No. 25 West Virginia were both still angling for positioning in the Big East standings as they head into the final month of the regular season. No. 24 Cincinnati (6-1, 2-0) is in first place.
Playing in a steady snow, the Mountaineers (6-2, 2-1) outlasted Rutgers in the fourth quarter, retaking the lead with less than 10 minutes left.
West Virginia drove 89 yards behind quarterback Geno Smith, who scrambled 1 yard for the go-ahead touchdown. On the ensuing possession, Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova fumbled when the football slipped from his grasp. West Virginia's Tavon Austin then scored on a 20-yard reception, effectively ending the game. The Scarlet Knights (5-3, 2-2) have lost 17 consecutive games against West Virginia.
Smith passed for 218 yards and two touchdowns, completing 20 of 31 passes.
About two hours before kickoff, three pickup trucks, two small utility vehicles and a tractor plowed up and down the field at High Point Solutions Stadium, moving like Zambonis at a hockey rink until strips of artificial turf were revealed from under the snow.
By the opening kickoff, nearly 2 inches of snow had fallen. There were wide swaths of empty benches, and the crowd of approximately 10,000 was bundled up in parkas, ponchos and knit ski caps.
The Scarlet Knights were led onto the field by Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed from the neck down making a tackle in a game against Army last October. It was the first time LeGrand had accompanied the team on the field for a game since his injury.
Running back Jawan Jamison scored two touchdowns in the first half as Rutgers built a 31-21 halftime lead, its first double-digit edge on the Mountaineers since 1994, the Scarlet Knights' last win in the series.
Despite the points on the scoreboard, neither team moved the ball smoothly, though their choppy offenses broke out for several big scoring plays. In the first quarter alone, West Virginia scored on runs of 80 yards by Austin and 52 yards by Shawne Alston, and Rutgers' Mark Harrison caught a 45-yard touchdown pass.
The snow made for difficult conditions. There were fumbled snaps, dropped passes and a botched hold on a field-goal attempt. The players also had trouble staying on their feet, making cuts with short, careful steps.
Nova's fumble while dropping back to pass in the fourth quarter illustrated the weather's impact. In the first quarter, Smith lost a fumble in similar fashion, and Rutgers capitalized when Nova threw a touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu.
Nova threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, completing 18 of 46 passes. He also threw two interceptions.
Leading 31-28 at the start of the fourth quarter, Rutgers tried a fake field goal after driving to West Virginia's 11, but the Mountaineers' Darwin Cook broke up the pass from the holder, Patrick Kivlehan, to Brandon Coleman.
That set up West Virginia's 11-play, 89-yard scoring drive that gave them the lead. Smith scored on fourth-and-goal, rushing around end out of the shotgun and diving into the end zone. Kicker Tyler Bitancurt missed the extra point.
For Rutgers, the meeting was a chance to test its legitimacy as a contender in the Big East, after having compiled an impressive record against less-than-impressive competition. West Virginia was the first ranked opponent Rutgers had faced this season.
The Mountaineers, however, were coming off of an embarrassing 49-23 loss a week ago to Syracuse. That defeat raised questions about whether West Virginia was indeed the class of the Big East, but the Mountaineers helped their argument with the victory.
