This week:
The UConn Huskies travel to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in what will be a very emotional game for the Huskies.
Here are the rosters for the Huskies and the Mountaineers.
The Line/Prediction:
According to Rivals.com odds, West Virginia is favored by 7 points. The over/under is 47.5 points. My prediction is West Virginia 31 UConn 17.
Tickets:
The game is sold-out as it is homecoming for West Virginia.
Getting To The Game:
Here is everything you need to know about Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Here is their football gameday policies along with directions to the stadium. Here are the parking policies and parking map. Here is a seating chart for Milan Puskar stadium. Here is the weather forecast for tomorrow’s game as well.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television:
Saturday’s game wil be televised nationally by ESPNU.
Clay Matvick is on play-by-play while David Diaz-Infante is on the color commentary.
Radio:
For the 18th consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford serves as the flagship station for the UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada. Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the side lines and Eric Davis on production.
The UConn pregame show begins 90 minutes prior to kickoff, while home games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air two and a half hours prior to the game with Arnold Dean. UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com. For a full list of stations on the WTIC/UCONN radio network, click here.
West Virginia Radio:
Mountaineer Sports Network – (Tony Caridi – play-by-play, Dwight Wallace – analyst, Hoppy Kercheval – host, Jed Drenning – sideline) will broadcast the game live.
Satellite Radio Broadcast – The West Virginia – UConn game can be heard live on Sirius Channel 127 and XM 203 with the MSN broadcast.
Internet broadcasts of WVU games are available by accessing MSNsportsNET.com and clicking on the Live Event Coverage button down the left-hand column of the athletics home page.
Last Week:
UConn beat the Louisville Cardinals 36-25 for their first Big East win in 2009. The West Virginia Mountaineers beat the Marshall Thundering Herd 24-7.
History:
Saturday’s game is the sixth meeting all-time for the Huskies and Mountaineers on the gridiron with WVU winning each of the previous five. With UConn’s win over Cincinnati last season, West Virginia is the only BIG EAST team that UConn has never defeated.
Connections:
The UConn roster does not have any players from West Virginia on it as the WVU roster has no Connecticut natives.
UConn tackles, tight ends and special teams coach Dave McMichael served as an assistant coach at West Virginia from 1983-2000 under Don Nehlen, helping the Mountaineers to 11 bowl berths and six appearances in the final AP Top 25.
Other News:
Here are quotes from UConn head coach Randy Edsall’s press conference. And here some quotes from West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart.
The two schools have planned a brief tribute for Howard, one of the Big East’s top punt returners last season. West Virginia coach Bill Stewart on Tuesday said that West Virginia players will wear Jasper Howard’s No. 6 on their helmets and the two teams will line up on the hash mark before the start of the game for a brief moment of silence. Afterward, players will shake hands and then play some football.
UConn will wear a “JH” sticker on their helmets and will also be bringing Jasper Howard’s helmet and uniform with them.
UConn owns an all-time mark of 4-14 in BIG EAST Conference road games, since joining the league in 2004, after wins at Louisville and Syracuse and losses at Rutgers and South Florida in 2008. The 2008 season marked the first time that UConn won more than one BIG EAST road game.
Here are the categories where UConn is in the top 30 in the 2009 NCAA statistics:
- Rushing Defense – 29th at 109.17 (Fifth in BIG EAST)
- Total Defense – 28th at 312.50 (Third in BIG EAST)
- Scoring Defense – 24th at 18.17 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
- Turnover Margin – 19th at +0.83 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
- Sacks – 9th at 3.17 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
In addition, Jordan Todman is 44th in the country in rushing yards per game at 83.67 while Andre Dixon is tied for 20th at 102.67. Robert McClain is tied for sixth in interceptions at 0.67 per game while Robert Vaughn is tied for 15th at 0.50. Desi Cullen is 19th in punting, and second in the BIG EAST, at 43.68 yards. Lindsey Witten is second in sacks at 1.58 per game. Lawrence Wilson is tied for sixth in tackles. Cody Endres is 14th in passing efficiency.
Edsall Update On Tuesday And Wednesday Practices [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Jasper Howard Services Are Set For Monday, 11 a.m. [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Edsall Says Everybody Ready To Go [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Two Funds Initiated Following Tragic Loss [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Police say witnesses threatened [ESPN.com]
Thursday update [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]
Jazz endowment and donation information [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]
UConn’s rock [Chip Malafronte – New Haven Register]
Update from Edsall [Neill Ostrout – Connecticut Post]
Howard’s funeral set, funds established [Neill Ostrout – Connecticut Post]
Arrangements For Howard Finalized; Funds Established In His Memory [UConnHuskies.com]
WVU students honor Howard [Connecticut Post]
UConn at West Virginia: Who has the edge? [Connecticut Post]
Two UConn players who were with Howard Sunday plan to play [Connecticut Post]
Remembering Jasper [Hartford Courant]
Edsall Pleased With Huskies’ Preparation [Hartford Courant]
Tragedy Unites UConn Students [Hartford Courant]
Edsall says everyone ready to play Saturday [AP via Norwich Bulletin]
Miami funeral set for Howard [AP via Norwich Bulletin]
Edsall: We’re improving each day [New Haven Register]
Funeral arrangements made, funds established in memory of Howard [New Haven Register]
Pair who aided Howard set to play Saturday [Waterbury Republican-American]
UConn president Michael Hogan’s letter to the school community [Waterbury Republican-American]
Blindside hit [Boston Globe]
Next Week:
The Huskies return home to Rentschler Field for a Halloween matchup with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The game will start at 12:00 p.m. and will be televised on the Big East Television Network as it’s Game of the Week.
