Week 13: Connecticut at West Virginia

Finally.

After all the prior Big East “big games,” we have the real deal.

The winner of Saturday’s Connecticut-West Virginia game wins the conference and the Bowl Championship Series bowl that goes with it. This is really “it.”

For UConn, this is the last game of the season. It’s certainly the Huskies’ biggest game since joining the ranks of college football’s big boys. So expect Randy Edsall and his gang to empty the playbook and cut loose.

For West Virginia, though, this is what Rich Rodriguez hopes is the first in a two-step process. First, he hopes his team takes down Connecticut and secures the Big East BCS bowl berth. Second, he’s looking for the Mountaineers to finish out the season with a home win against Pitt – and hope the BCS computer chips fall his team’s way.

WVU is currently ranked third in the BCS rankings. If the Mountaineers win out and LSU or Kansas stumble, the men from Morgantown could find themselves in the national championship game.

“I addressed it with the team (Sunday) very briefly,” Rodriguez said. “I really don’t want them talking about anything but UConn because that’s where our focus needs to be. If not, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble because they have a very good football team.”

Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt and the rest of the Mountaineers, though, enter this one as a prohibitive favorite.

“They present you with a lot of challenges,” said Connecticut coach Randy Edsall. “They have 11 (players on offense); we have 11. Maybe I can talk Rich into letting us have 12 this week against their 11 and let us play Canadian rules.”

Odds are, that’s not going to happen with so much at stake. (But, hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask, right?) Plus, Connecticut may not need much of an edge. The Huskies have played very well this season. They’ve played within their abilities and have accumulated a plus 15 turnover margin.

In the last two games, West Virginia rolled up big advantages against Louisville and Cincinnati only to fumble the ball away late and give the opponents opportunities to win. So securing the ball will have to be a point of emphasis this week in Camp Morgantown.

Aside from playing takeaway with the Mountaineers, the other way for UConn to win seems to be through the air. For most of the season, WVU’s secondary has been stellar. But after going against Louisville’s Brian Brohm and Cincinnati’s Ben Mauk, the pass defense stats have dropped to No. 18 nationally. (One spot below those of Connecticut.)

West Virginia gave up 323 yards through the air to Cincy and is allowing an average of 195.6. If Husky quarterback Tyler Lorenzen can have his second straight “on” game, the visitors will have a chance. Lorenzen is fifth in the Big East in passing, averaging 192.5 yards, and fifth in pass efficiency.

It’s just that Connecticut will also have to slow down WVU’s blazing fast QB White. And as of late that’s appeared darn near impossible. The Mountaineer junior is No. 1 in the Big East in pass efficiency and is also the league’s No. 4 rusher. He remains a viable Heisman Trophy candidate after passing Vince Young among all-time quarterback rushers.

“Nobody has the kind of athletic firepower that West Virginia does,” said Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly. “But I also think Connecticut can go in there and play free and easy.”

That’s easier said than done. Keep in mind the game will be play at night in Morgantown, home of rowdy, couch-burning fans. Plus, not only does WVU feature White, but Slaton, who looked rejuvenated last week running behind the blocking of bruising fullback Schmitt. Slaton is now averaging 98.8 yards a game.

Overall, Connecticut has a fine defense. It’s ranked No. 21 nationally, allowing an average of 321 yards. But against the run, the Huskies are No. 34. Their defensive bread and butter is pass defense, which won’t much come into play against the Mountaineers and their No. 3 nationally rushing attack.

If West Virginia can bottle up Connecticut’s deep receiving corps, expect the Mountaineers to win easily. But if the hosts can’t – and if WVU starts fumbling again – this could be, well, a dogfight.

West Virginia by 16