The Mountaineers and Bearcats enter Saturday’s game with something in common. Turnovers.  Neither team gives up that many, but loves to take the ball away from the opposing team.  Cincinnati is third in the nation in turnover margin and the Mountaineers are right behind them at #4. The Mountaineers have turned the ball over only 14 times all season with 9 of those turnovers coming in their two games against South Florida and Louisville.  Cincinnati has turned the ball over five more times than West Virginia but has taken the ball away nine more times than the Mountaineers.  The turnover battle will be a key in this game that matches two impressive defenses.

Cincinnati’s defense ranks #8 in the country in scoring defense giving up just over 16 points per game.  The Bearcats boast a defense that loves to swarm to ball carriers and receivers.  Defensive backs DeAngelo Smith and Robert Vaughn are tied for 11^th in the nation with five interceptions apiece while fellow back lineman Hakuri Nakamura totals four picks on the season.  The Bearcat defensive line is no slouch either.  Tackle Terril Byrd and defensive ends Trevor Anderson and Anthony Hoke anchor a line that is one of tops in the country in sacks. 

The defense is not the only impressive piece to the Bearcat puzzle however.  Quarterback Ben Mauk and the offense have put up some mind blowing numbers against some of the nation’s best defenses this season.  Last week the Bearcats put up 27 points on a Connecticut defense ranked in the top 20 in total defense.  Cincinnati has yet to be held under 20 points this season and averages over 36 points per contest. 

Despite the Bearcat rushing attack lacking any real firepower, quarterback Ben Mauk has been deadly through the air.  Mauk has passed for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns through ten games this season.  His three primary targets are receivers Dominick Goodman, Marcus Barnett, and Marshawn Gilyard.  All three have combined for over 1,600 receiving yards and will be looking to add to those numbers against a West Virginia secondary that gave up over 350 yards through the air to Louisville.   

Cincinnati, along with UConn, has been the surprise of the Big East this season.  The Bearcats enter the game with an 8-2 overall record with their two losses coming by a combined 11 points.  West Virginia faces another stiff road test against an up-and-coming Big East opponent.  The Mountaineers have looked mediocre at best in their two big time match-ups this season against South Florida and Louisville.  If the Mountaineers have any hope of reaching a BCS bowl, or even a National Championship birth they must put on a good show against a ranked opponent in Cincinnati.

The game is scheduled for 7:45 P.M. Saturday and will be televised nationally by ESPN.  This will be the first time the Mountaineers have played in primetime on a Saturday night since last season’s Rutgers game. 

Prediction:  WVU- 35 Cincinnati- 21

A ripe and ready crowd will be waiting for West Virginia in Cincinnati and will spark an emotional Bearcat performance early on.  However, the Bearcats have yet to see the speed on the offensive side that the Mountaineers will bring to Nippert Stadium.  Cincinnati will be unable to keep up with the speed of the Mountaineers and West Virginia will again prove that they are the class of the Big East by taking over the second half and cruising to a two score victory.