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West Virginia Nearing National Title Game

The Associated Press

Published: November 25, 2007

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Pat White has No. 4 West Virginia on the brink of playing for a national championship.

White rushed for 186 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead the Mountaineers to a 66-21 win against No. 20 Connecticut on Saturday night, clinching the Big East championship and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

With one more win Saturday against Pittsburgh, the Mountaineers might be headed to the biggest BCS game of all - the championship game Jan. 7 in New Orleans.

West Virginia (10-1, 5-1) will move up at least one spot to second in the BCS standings today following top-ranked LSU's loss to Arkansas on Friday.

West Virginia has won six straight since losing to South Florida on Sept. 28 and has made a steady climb in the BCS standings after starting ninth in mid-October.

Connecticut's dreams of a BCS berth in only its fourth season in the conference were dashed in a big way. The Huskies (9-3, 5-2) were limited to one second-half touchdown.

The Mountaineers compiled a season-high 517 yards on the ground. Freshman Noel Devine rushed for 118 yards on 11 carries. Steve Slaton had a pair of TD runs, which were set up by long runs by White.

CINCINNATI 52, SYRACUSE 31: Ben Mauk threw for a career-high 431 yards and four touchdowns, three to Marcus Barnett, and No. 24 Cincinnati beat host Syracuse.

The victory gave the Bearcats (9-3, 4-3) their first nine-win season since the 1953 team went 9-1 and more than likely assured them of finishing the regular season ranked for the first time in school history.

The loss gave Syracuse (2-10, 1-6) its second 10-loss season in Greg Robinson's three years as head coach. They are the only two double-digit loss seasons in school history.

It was an emotional game for Mauk, who badly broke the humerus in his throwing arm above the elbow trying to recover a fumble in the season opener a year ago against Syracuse when he was the starting quarterback at Wake Forest.

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