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Saturday, October 27, 2007

Greetings from Rainy Rutgers Stadium

Well, it wasn't easy, but I got here alive and in one piece.

Between the flooding on Route 18 and the muddy mess that was the parking lot, I was almost certain my car was going to spin out of control and be the main culprit in causing a 10-car pile-up. Fortunately, my prediction was false.

This game is as big as it gets for both teams. The winner controls its own destiny for winning the Big East and getting an automatic BCS bowl bid. The loser suffers its second conference loss and will need to win out and get a LOT of help if it even wants a chance.

My prediction in today's paper is West Virginia by seven, but if you pushed me for the second most likely outcome, it'd be Mountaineers by more than that. Rutgers -- which is wearing all black uniforms with its red helmets for the first time ever -- played very well last week against South Florida. But the Mountaineers, who are ranked sixth in the AP poll and seventh in the BCS standings, would be the No. 1 team in the country right now had they not turned the ball over six times against South Florida -- including two interceptions by backup quarterback Jarrett Brown after Pat White had to leave the game with a thigh bruise.

The biggest pregame news is that Mike Teel, who has a badly bruised right thumb, is going to be a game-time decision. If he can't go, Jabu Lovelace will make his first career start. I'm wondering if, especially given the rainy conditions, the Knights might be better off with Lovelace over an unhealthy Teel.

The rain could slow down the passing game significantly for both teams, and Lovelace is a quick, mobile guy who the Knights use from time to time on running plays.

Yet, then again, we've never seen Lovelace play a game for more than one play at a time, so it's a complete unknown how he'd do. And Lord knows, West Virginia isn't exactly the ideal team agaisnt which to make your collegiate debut.

We're about 45 minutes away from kickoff, and I'll check back in before game time with some information about the Knights QB situation.

Until then, sit back, relax, and read about the Celtics in your SI NBA preview.

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