Opportunity Knocks For West Virginia

For years and years, Miami was the bully in the Big East lunchroom.

Since the Bowl Championship Series came into existence six years ago, the 'Canes have earned the Big East's automatic bid to a BCS game four times. They've dominated the conference, losing only one league game since 1999 and winning the last three Big East championships. They won a national championship in 2001.

In essence, the 'Canes stole a lot of lunch money from their Big East brethren.

But Miami is no longer around. The 'Canes spearheaded the conference re-alignment effort and now -- along with fellow Big East defector Virginia Tech -- reside in the ACC where they can presumably take on somebody their own size.

The initial knee-jerk reaction from the remaining Big East members was outrage. Commissioner Mike Tranghese called it "the most disastrous blow to intercollegiate athletics in my lifetime."

Had the BCS decided to withdraw the automatic bid from a suddenly-weakened Big East, then Tranghese's overly dramatic pronouncement might have held some truth.

But the BCS didn't do that. Its leaders decided to hold a spot for the Big East champ, meaning the conference members still have a realistic shot at a national championship and, probably more importantly, the chance to reap the financial rewards that BCS-member conferences enjoy.

That outrage is now a "gee whiz, look what we have here" attitude. What the leftover Big East teams have is a legitimate shot at a BCS bowl game.

With Miami gone, they've got plenty of lunch money, and the West Virginia Mountaineers are at the front of the line.

Looked at the top-25 lately? Those Mountaineers are sittin' pretty at sixth in the AP poll and seventh in the coaches' poll.

If you're surprised, you're probably not alone. The Mountaineers have snuck up on a lot of people.

They finished last season with a 9-5 record, but won seven in a row at one point after starting the season 1-4. They came within an eyelash of upsetting Miami. They did upset Virginia Tech.

A 41-7 Gator Bowl loss to Maryland tempered the enthusiasm a bit, but a quick glance at the 2004 schedule allowed it to pick up steam again.

The Mountaineers opened the season with blowout wins over East Carolina and Central Florida, then passed their first big test by exacting revenge on Maryland with a 19-16 overtime win. Saturday, they topped James Madison 45-10.

With that schedule, maybe West Virginia shouldn't be considered a top-10 team. But wins are wins, and when you have a high preseason ranking, you won't lose it unless you lose.

The good news for the Mountaineers: it doesn't get much harder. Their toughest remaining game comes Oct. 2 against Virginia Tech. After that, they should be two-touchdown favorites in every game. Boston College and Pittsburgh represent potential stumbling blocks. But if the Mountaineers win every game they're supposed to, they'd finish the season with an 11-0 record.

If they're the only undefeated team left in December, then it stands to reason that despite the weak schedule, the Mountaineers could find themselves playing for a national championship come January 3.

It may seem a little ridiculous, but that's what you get when the bully heads out of town. Miami left the door wide open on its way out, and West Virginia has the chance to step right through it.

We shouldn't take anything away from the Mountaineers. They have talent. Running back Kay-Jay Harris posted 486 yards in the season's first three games. Quarterback Rasheed Marshall brings athleticism to the pocket and boasts a 57 percent completion percentage.

They have the coach. Rich Rodriguez, a highly-respected offensive mind and a former Mountaineer, returned to his alma mater in 2001. After a 3-8 season his first year, Rodriquez has orchestrated a swift rebuilding process.

And now, with West Virginia firmly in place as the marquee program in the new Big East, the process is reaching its apex.

Yes, the Mountaineers still have a lot of work to do. Even their easy schedule isn't a true cakewalk. And unforeseen speed bumps like injuries can rear their ugly heads.

But right now, it looks like West Virginia is the team to beat in the Big East. And if all goes as planned, they might be the team to beat on the national scene. They truly have their destiny in their own hands.

Put it this way. That lunch money -- it's not a few singles and a quarter or two.

It's a blank check.

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