Campus Confidential

I wanted to do a running entry for the Louisville-West Virginia game, but I thought I was too busy at work. Then my buddy Rob, who I'll be talking to throughout the game, talked me into it. Also, I didn't want to back out of two totally awesome things in one day (already backed out of going to Miami).

Here we go:

7:40: Jeff in the office asks "They get in a fight yet?"

7:45: Rob: "i think the black out is over done." I agree, but I still think it looks awesome when the majority of the crowd wears black.

7:48: Kickoff. Touchback. First down. Louisville completes a long pass down the middle of the field and follows it with a 5-yard run. Then like a 10-yard pass. Man, my prediction is going to be so right.

7:52: I can't take my eyes off Louisville rolling down the field. I'm going to get no work done tonight and get fired. But, Louisville's opening script is perfect. Rob picked WVU, he's worried. I know it.

7:53: Sack. Maybe my prediction isn't so right. Okay, I won't do this all game.

7:55: 3-0. I'd be better with a touchdown, but whatever. Rob, the college football coach that he is, points out Brohm is rushing the throw because he was just sacked.

7:58: Rob: Before WVU's first offensive play: "Play action, 25-yard play."

7:59: Rob: I was wrong.

8:00: West Virginia's fullback fumbles on third-and-1, Louisville recovers, but does nothing with it. If they don't take advantage of gifts like that, they will not win this game.

8:08: WVU sets up a third-and-short, which is what they need. On third, White fumbles, but falls on it for the first. Hold on to the ball son, or Tim McGraw is going to tape it to you and punch you.

8:10: I would hate to be a West Virginia wide receiver. Except for the winning part.

8:11: Okay, I take that back. White completes a pass down the middle with "great poise" as Rob says. Me, the non-college coach asks: "Where was the safety?" Rob, the college coach: "they sent the back off the edge. had to go to man." That's why I keep him around.

8:12: Touchdown. Steve Slaton. The man. 7-3.

8:17: First, the UL receiver drops a pass that would have been a big gain. Then UL throws a screen, the back finds the open field and trips on the 45-yard line. The turf guy responsible will likely be fired.

8:21: Great observation by Rob. Louisville beat Georgetown College in a basketball exhibition last night 94-92.
Rob: "Georgetown college is an NAIA school. That's the equivalent of beating a Division-III school by 2."

8:23: They just showed commercials for the two schools. I think, somehow, WVU won the battle. Rob added: "When they say dreams can come true at WVU, they mean you will be the first in your family to learn to read and write. Don't put that in the blog." He's only kidding. We went to VT together, so he's part of the rivalry too.

8:31: John Maddenism: If Louisville keeps making field goals and West Virginia keeps making touchdowns, West Virginia will win. WVU 7, UL, 6.

8:33: I'd rather post real quick than do something for the site. Has everyone seen The Departed? Awesome movie. Tomorrow, I'm off to see Borat...pretty excited about that one as well.

8:33 (30 seconds): Rob: "Do a pop culture reference. Talk about The Departed." Weird.

8:39: After a beautiful run from Pat White, WVU loses 15 on a late hit. Gotta settle them emotions.

8:41: Perfect defense from CB William Gay on third and long. I think cornerback is the second toughest position on the field. Feel free to argue.

8:43: What ESPN calls a rolling punt, I call an onsides punt. Either way, I like the idea. Rob and I agree that Rich Rod is an awesome coach.

8:47: First, my nachos arrived. Perfect. Second, Louisville rolled the pocket, my favorite thing to do in NCAA. Third, they complete the long pass, the kid trips on the other 45. So fired.

8:49: Touchdown Cardinals. Should have put money on it. 13-7

8:54: Man. Steve Slaton. What a special runner. Chris Fowler says if Slaton has a big game tonight, he'll be a Heisman finalist. He clearly read my blog earlier today.

8:55: White runs it in. 14-13 WVU. That was really, really quick.

8:59: Rob: Louisville is definitely not a hostile environment.
Me: yeah, i don't know how hostile Papa John's Stadium could be.
Rob: Papa John does not strike fear in anyones eye
Me: only Colonel Sanders...and I think he's dead

9:01: I gotta get some things done. I'm only going to post if it's something ridiculous. Otherwise, I'll be back for the second half.

9:16: Okay, UL kicks another field goal to go up 16-14. WVU fumbles on the kickoff, but falls on it. And I realize there are early deadlines tonight, which, is awesome.

9:43: Second half. Slaton starts out by running over everyone until he fumbles and UL recovers. Not good. No excuse for that. Wasn't even a good strip.

9:44: Rob: "Can't let the other team take over in field zone C"
Me: "I don't know what that means, but yeah."

9:45: Some of the lights went out. Rob: "Ol' Papa John isn't paying the bills."

9:47: Rob explains the field zones. "There are 6 field zones. A is your own 1 to the 19. B-your own 20 to the 50. C-their 49 to the 20. D-the 20 to the 10. E-the 9 to the 5. F-the 4 in."

9:47: UL fumbles. WVU fumbles on the next play. UL picks it up, runs it in for a touchdown. Likely review pending.

9:50: "After review, video confirms the call on the field. Touchdown stands." What he meant to say was "After review, Steve Slaton fumbled away any shot at the Heisman. 23-14 Louisville."

9:57: Momentum = Louisville. 3rd and 24 from the 6-yard line.

9:59: WVU's punter just underkicked the coverage. I've never seen that. The ball went right, the coverage left and about 10 yards behind the man who received the punt. He practically walked into the end zone. Also, my other buddy Tim let me know he was electrocuted by his dryer, but that he's okay (he did yelp like a puppy though). 30-14 UL. WHY DIDN'T I BET MONEY???

10:04: Rob, reading along, says "Man, I wish I could bet on college sports." What an ethical coach.

10:09: Wow, Pat White just ran 22 yards back to avoid the rush, then picked up the first down. Special. Rob: "Vickesque."

10:12: Pat White just carried his team the length of the field on a 7-minute drive. That was huge. It's not over yet...

10:20: What'd I say this afternoon? Dimensional offense. UL is rolling over WVU.

10:21: Coach Rob: "If you are playing on the road and have a negative turnover margin you win 12% of the time."

10:25: 37-21. I'll say it now. Game.

10:27: Rob: "I love the fade. It's an 'I'm a better athlete than you play.' "
Me: Is that why you never threw them to me when we played ball?

10:30: Mountaineers answer. This game is awesome. 37-27 UL. (WVU went for the 2-point conversion and missed).

10:32: I just realized that I'm missing the No. 1 show on TV. Grey's Anatomy. Man, I love not caring about that show.

10:34: I miss Chick Fil'A. I miss Sonic. I miss Waffle House. I miss Dairy Queen. I don't like White Castle. At least we have amazing pizza and bagels here.

10:37: West Virginia is getting schooled on defense. The play action just sucked the linebackers in like a vaccum, and I grade Brian Brohm with high marks. What poise.

10:38: Rob tells me the linebackers should be dropping 10-12 yards, but with the play fake, they're falling 5-6, creating a monster hole in the zone. I knew that.

10:39: TOO EASY. Another touchdown for UL. Petrino is outcoaching Rodriguez like no other. There's simply no answer for the UL offense.

10:45: Tom Jackson is so awesome. He makes Sunday NFL Countdown.

10:50: Man. I was right. I love being right.

11:07: So, I'm going to do this more often. I've had a solid number of hits. So, thanks to everyone who tuned in. I don't want to abuse it...so we'll do it every once in a while. Like Rob was saying, I'll most definitely do it for the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. But fear not, it will return before March.