BOX SCORE | PHOTOS | POST-GAME NOTES

West Virginia wanted to run the ball, control the clock, and keep fifth-rated Cincinnati’s explosive offense off the field. It almost worked.

	Ryan Clarke runs for a 37-yard touchdown in the first half of Friday's game against Cincinnati. All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo

But the Bearcats, now 10-0, 6-0, got a pair of touchdown passes from Tony Pike and a favorable call by the replay official to defeat West Virginia 24-21 Friday night at Nippert Stadium.

"I've been on both sides of these and I've said on the winning side that I hate to see a loser, well, I hate to see a loser tonight," said West Virginia coach Bill Stewart. "But that's how life is and it happens."

The Cincinnati victory now sets up a showdown with Pitt on Dec. 5 in Pittsburgh to determine the Big East champion.

West Virginia, now 7-3, 3-2, is out of the Big East title hunt and will look back at this game realizing that it had plenty of opportunities to pull off the upset. Now the Mountaineers are relegated to the spoiler role when they face the Panthers in Morgantown on Nov. 27.

"This is one that is going to stay with me for a long, long time," said Stewart.

A three-play sequence with six minutes left in the fourth quarter essentially decided the game. The Mountaineers drove the ball from their own 20 to the Bearcat 25 with nine straight runs. After a Brown incompletion made it third and 9, Jock Sanders ran off tackle for one yard to bring up fourth and 8.

"That was a power play that we had been gashing 6, 8, 12, 10 and they slanted and blitzed and Jock got caught off the backside," said Stewart. "It was one of those gotchas. All we were trying to do was run a sound football play to get it to fourth and 5 or fourth and 4 so we had a chance to make the fourth down conversion."

Eschewing a long field goal try, Stewart elected to go for it but a hurried Brown couldn’t connect with Bradley Starks, turning the ball back over to Cincinnati on downs.

Stewart explained his thought process on fourth down.

"I was going for the win," he said. "That was my decision. I wanted to go for the score and play to win and not keep it close. Had we went for the kick, I'm sure our guy would have made it. Then we would have kicked off, could they have taken it? I don't know? I know this, it would have been a tough time stopping them because we hadn't stopped them that much all night."

On the very next play, Isaiah Pead, who ran for a game-high 175 yards, took a zone read to his right, reversed field, and ran 43 yards to the West Virginia 33. That run eventually set up Jake Rogers’ 38-yard field goal to give the Bearcats a 24-14 lead with 2:08 remaining.

"We had a chance to make a play there and we didn't make the play," said defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel. "We need to get the guy on the ground and we don't do it and that's what happens."

Cincinnati, leading by two scores, chose to play prevent defense. That allowed West Virginia to drive 64 yards in seven plays - all of them passes from Brown. The two big ones were 21-yarders to Wes Lyons near the sideline and to Jock Sanders over the middle.

On second and 6 at the Bearcat 14, Brown escaped pressure to find Alric Arnett for 11 yards to the 4. The next play he scrambled away from more pressure to hit Starks in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard score. Tyler Bitancurt’s PAT pulled the Mountaineers to within a field goal of tying the game with 39 seconds remaining.

It was eerily similar to last year’s game in Morgantown when West Virginia made up a 13-point deficit in the remaining 1:11 to send the game into overtime. But this time Bitancurt’s onside kick was recovered by Armon Binns at the WVU 43 and Cincinnati was able to run out the clock.

Cincinnati got on the board on its opening possession of the game when Zach Collaros drove the Bearcats from their 27 to the West Virginia 10, where Pike came in and found Binns in the back of the end zone. It was Pike’s first play after returning from an injured forearm suffered in the South Florida game.

An Adrien Robinson fumble at the Cincinnati 45 on the Bearcat’s following possession gave West Virginia great field position, which the Mountaineers were able to turn into points when Brown scored from the 8. Before that he hit passes of 17 yards to Starks and 12 yards to Sanders on the drive.

Following a badly missed 34-yard field goal try by Rodgers, West Virginia took the lead, 14-7, when Ryan Clarke broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run on a third and 2 play. Prior to Clarke’s TD run, West Virginia had gotten a Brown 24-yard pass to Arnett on third and 12 to move the ball to the Bearcat 45.

Cincinnati came back and tied the game, although it took a replay official’s call to determine the touchdown. Pead leapt from the 2-yard line with the ball outstretched toward the goal line, where the football was knocked out by West Virginia and recovered by the Mountaineers at the Cincinnati 3.

However, the replay official ruled that Pead had not only crossed the goal line, but also had control of the football, giving Cincinnati the score. West Virginia had two other bad breaks go against it, one, a push to the back against Arnett on third and 11 at the WVU 29, and what looked like another helmet-to-helmet blow against quarterback Brown at the end of the third quarter similar to the one that knocked him out of the Marshall game.

The first question Stewart was asked after the game was about the official's reversal.

"I'll save that for the Big East, they're professional men and they called it, I guess, the way they saw it," Stewart said. "But we still had a whole half to play. The big one was the bang-bang on our receiver on that big third down."

Cincinnati retook the lead at the start of the third quarter, driving 64 yards in 10 plays that ended with a Pike-to-D.J. Woods 6-yard touchdown pass on third and goal. A Collaros 22-yard-pass to Woods set up the score.

Collaros was an effective 17 of 24 for 205 yards through the air, while Pike completed 2 of 4 passes in relief of Collaros for 14 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Bearcats finished the game with 436 total yards, but that really doesn’t indicate how well Casteel’s defense played. Cincinnati had four fewer first downs than the Mountaineers (22 to 18) and had the football for nine fewer minutes.

"I'm proud of our guy's effort, we just need to make a play when we we've got to make them to win a game," said Casteel.

Brown finished the night 17 of 25 for 188 yards and a touchdown with 64 of those yards coming on West Virginia’s final drive. Brown played admirably in the face of constant pressure. Noel Devine also played admirably on a sprained ankle, running 25 times for 88 yards.

"He played the best that he could," said Stewart. "He's got an ankle, he's got a hip and he's got a hamstring. I tried to tell these guys that when your 5-foot-8, 176 pounds you cannot carry the ball 30-35 times a game. This is a big-boy game."

Clarke added 60 yards on just five carries. Eight different WVU receivers caught passes led by Starks’ five catches for 50 yards.

"This is tough and we'll find out how tough we are," said Stewart. "We can do what a lot of people will say and roll up the tent or we can get out there and roll up our sleeves and get back to work. I think we'll do the latter."

West Virginia has 14 days before facing Pitt in the Backyard Brawl in Morgantown. The Panthers play Notre Dame tomorrow night.

	Posted by BW on 11/13/09 at 10:47 PM Watching the offensive play calling is very depressing.
	Posted by WVUgirl2003 on 11/13/09 at 11:15 PM Watching the HORRID officiating is very depressing. This game was stolen from us by the refs. Bill and crew had better file a formal complaint about that overturned fumble into a Cincy TD call from the review booth. Complete and utter horrid call - I thought for a minute we must have an SEC crew at the game. I could go on with the MISSED holding calls against Cincy all night, but, what is the point? COACHES AND PLAYERS: Great job. You came out prepared and did what was asked of you. You won this game and you AND THE WORLD knows it.... Even crazy Lou Holtz knows the replay booth SCREWED the pooch on that call. Stew- I don't care what kind of "fine" it may levy against you- please be very verbal early and often about that call and how it cost us the game. We will pass a pot at the Pitt game to pay off the fine.....
	Posted by john on 11/13/09 at 11:21 PM that was a great win... 21-17. way to go guys!!! i think the play of the game was that 1st and goal for Cincy when our guys recovered the fumble. That was huge! They were driving, heading to the end zone and the running back lost control of the football, and NEVER crossed the plane... our guys played tough, hard-nosed football and caused the second fumble of Cincinnati's season. Great job, Great win!!!
	Posted by WLK on 11/13/09 at 11:27 PM It's a shame the team works so hard and it comes down to a "coaching" decision not to go for the field goal. There's close to 5 minutes left... since I'm not privy to what the coaches are thinking, I guess our field goal kicker was injured or something. He can't kick a 42 yard field goal! And what's the decision to run the ball on third and 12... with Jarret's arm two short passes and 1st and ten! I believe the play calling during the third quarter had a lack of urgency. Every possession needed to be like the final possession. I'm very disappointed in "crucial" play calling--the game plan was excellent and the team executed well, but it seems the play calling gets a "let's not lose mentality" for a series, then we're punting the ball. We should be 10-0 with our talent, but we staring a 7-5 season right in the face!
	Posted by john on 11/13/09 at 11:33 PM seriously, i'm imposing a fine on the referees, the booth referees in particular. $50,000 to be paid to the WVU scholarship fund. And a win awared to to the West Virginia Mountiaineers. Now, I'm usually not a person prone to attack the officiating staff, but that was rediculous. If I didn't know better, I would think the BigEAST conference might have wanted Cincinnati to go undefeated for the rest of the season to save face. And if that's the case I don't blame them. It helps the conference. But at least admit it. Just tell us, "yeah, WVU should have won this game, but we decided that Cincinnati is a better team to represent the conference." I would even root for them then. And I probably will if they get to play in a BCS bowl (because I'm NOT rooting for PITT). Just be straight with us.
	Posted by wvalum78 on 11/13/09 at 11:38 PM In my book, WVU beat Cincinnati tonight. But we couldn't overcome that outrageous bad call from the replay booth that turned a cincy fumble into a touchdown. Having said that, I agree that the play calling was troublesome. Too predictable. Out team is LOADED with playmakers, who unfortunately never get used. If we did a better job of distributing the football, we would be undefendable.
	Posted by jpmatia on 11/13/09 at 11:45 PM when will we learn not to run on 3rd and long at extremely important drive during the 4th quarter. I agree BW play calling = What???
	Posted by Don on 11/13/09 at 11:47 PM We have a great team, we played the #5 team in the nation all the way to the end. Lets give credit where credit is due. We've come a long way, lets keep supporting the coaches and team. Negative fans make for a long season, positive fans make a great program better.
	Posted by PJM on 11/13/09 at 11:48 PM If you can't get it right, then why have instant replay? Pead clearly did not have control of the football as he was trying to reach out to the goal line (even Lou Holtz and Mark May said that). They could not believe that the call on the field was overturned.
	Posted by Bruce on 11/13/09 at 11:58 PM Off tackle on 3rd and 8? Why did we go away from using Clark when he was running all over them. I hate arm chair quarterbacking but at some point one can't resist. In the words of my old High School coach "God rest his soul"....Keep going back to the well until it's dry!
	Posted by DT on 11/14/09 at 12:07 AM Once again we have to play against our opponent and the officials also! The replay offical should be fired. Offensive coordinator couldn't stick with the game plan. Hang in there team. We know you have it, just need to get the coaches in line.
	Posted by The Cat on 11/14/09 at 12:22 AM More depressing than the offensive play calling was Pead's fumble that was overturned and called a TD by the replay official. I'm not sure what indisputable evidence the replay official saw to rule the obvious fumble a TD, but I clearly saw a fumble and so did the ESPN announcers. It was very disheartening to watch.
	Posted by Lookie on 11/14/09 at 2:40 AM I am happy with the play calling tonight, for the most part. I don't understand 2 man rushes sometimes. The kickoff troubles, twice in a row?! Didn't know that was a rule but I not getting paid 800k to know that. 2 and 4 2nd pull non playside lineman and running noel off tackle to short side of field.(Watch the game film) I understand going 4 and 9 with 6 min left. But if you are that bold why not use your 2 timeouts with 45 secs before halftime to try and get some points. We played not to lose. Did not play like we were underdogs. We were bigger, faster, and stronger, you tell me why we didn't win.
	Posted by wvufanNNVA on 11/14/09 at 3:01 AM just saw the espn360 replay and i think consindering some of the defense's issues and injuries, the offensive game plan worked...some of the play calling on 2nd and 3rd down was way too conservative, but considering brown's tendency to be jekyll and hyde and cincinnati's offense, that may have been necessary...i'm not a lick surprised that the refs blew a call, but on a replay of a fumble, thats absolute BS; gilmore said it himself the replay ref shouldn't be completely changing the judgment on the field on his own; whatever, the boys had a chance to get it done and they didn't...a lot of credit to devine for doing what he did considering his injuries but clarke should've gotten the ball more to force cincinnati to respect the power running game...all things considered, we had a chance to get it done against a really good cincinnati team and thats what u want, no matter the referee calls or anything else...lets just take the week to hopefully get everybody healed up and give pitt some much needed payback...lets goooooo mountaineers
	Posted by R7 on 11/14/09 at 6:16 AM Exactly Bruce! They were waiting on Noel and Jock all night! Clark should have been used as the sledge hammer all 2nd half! Keep feeding the fat boys!
	Posted by Steve on 11/14/09 at 6:33 AM Stop complaining about the officiating. WVU had its' chances but once again could not get the job done.
	Posted by HELP on 11/14/09 at 7:25 AM WLK, if he had gone for the field goal and the Bearcats got the ball back and ran out the clock the Stew Bashers like yourself would be saying how stupid it was to go for a field goal when we needed a TD and kicking a FG when we hadn't been able to stop them all night was stupid. Some folks just can't take a loss. The team didn't make enough plays to win. We had a whole half to make up for the questionable TD call and didn't get it done. We still got two more games to win that gives a shot at the Gator Bowl, hope they can do it.
	Posted by True Fan, but come on on 11/14/09 at 7:40 AM According to the dictionary, the word "undisputable" is defined as 1) not open to question; obviously true or 2) not subject to doubt or question; certain; assured. "Undisputal" evidence is what the NCAA says must be present to overturn a call made by an official on the field of play. Neither of these definitions define what the replay showed. Did he cross the goal line? Probably, but not undisputably. DId he have full possession? Maybe, but the ball does appear to be moving so you cannot say undisputably that he has control. The replay official blew the call, but then again for these top 5 teams this year, this is becoming common practice - look at the SEC. These leagues are going to do whatever they need to do to make sure their teams get have a chance at the BIG BOWL.....and BIG MONEY. Imagine that, in the end it is all about money! As a WVU fan, I am always going to see the calls that I think we should have gotten and didn't or the calls that don't go our way. This week will likely mark the third time this season that the Big East officials will make an apology to WVU for calls that were made, or not made, against them. Can any other team say they have had the "fortune" of having the governing body of officials apologize to them because they got the short end of the stick? I doubt it.
	Posted by wvufan on 11/14/09 at 8:03 AM It is ridiculous to see week after week these bad calls by the replay official. Something should be done about this. Replays are nice if they are done right. But time and time again they mess it up and it makes me sick. Lets Go Mountaineers you won this one outright I don't care what the final score was. In my book you won this one.
	Posted by tom eer on 11/14/09 at 8:16 AM we can cry all we want about the officiating, which was way unfortunate but we had many other chances to win this one and didn't make the play when we needed to. it's so easy to be critical from the stands or TV set. I do not understand the 4th and 8 call w/ 5+ mins left. a field goal keeps you in it and gives your team a chance. we needed to score 2X anyway to win it... BEAT PITT!!!!!
	Posted by The Cat on 11/14/09 at 8:16 AM Bill Stewart and staff-- You need to lodge a formal complaint against the Big East replay officials. Overturning an obvious fumble and calling it a TD should be a crime. And it determined the outcome of this game. Please do something and now. You will only earn respect from the fans if you take a stance and do something about this horrible injustice. Please do something!
	Posted by Shelby on 11/14/09 at 8:18 AM 2 penalties back-to-back on kickoffs for only having 3 guys on one side of the kicker cost WVU 35 yards and crutial field position. (the 4th guy takes off and runs to the side they are kicking and miss timed it...twice!) Announcers had no clue. Coach Stewart is in charge of the special teams and after scoring they lose momentum for not realizing why they called the penalty? Why does Clarke only get five carries? He ran downhill and mirrored what UCONN did last weak to Cincy run defense? My final vent...wvu tight ends are solid (#6 and #89) and they rarely throw to them? WVU MVP is their punter.
	Posted by SEACAT on 11/14/09 at 8:19 AM Other than that horrible fumble reversal that turned into a TD (what a disgrace!), the Mounties played a great game. Congratulations to all, especially Noel Devine who played his heart out on a sore ankle.
	Posted by BW on 11/14/09 at 8:28 AM There is not a more dedicated, team educated female alumna fan than me and I take offense to those of you who scold anyone who offers a constructive criticism comment. We have an ocean of talent and need to find a way to inspire them to win. This is a football program, not a boys choir and they deserve the best our great university can offer.
	Posted by DK143wvc on 11/14/09 at 8:29 AM NO...MOST depressing was an OBVIOUS pass interference call on Arnett on 3rd down when the game was still tied and we were driving. We keep that drive alive...even just get a field goal forthe lead...and we win....FOLKS we just did what NOBODY could do...we held Cincy to 17 points. 17 Let's kick the tar out of Pitt....14 day to get ready for them...we should be WAY healthier and ready to rock
	Posted by Scott on 11/14/09 at 8:34 AM The only thing indisputable was the lack of judgement by the booth official!
	Posted by Jonesy on 11/14/09 at 8:50 AM WLK, you are privy to what the coaches were thinking. He answered it clearly in the article above. At that point, there had been no field goals and our defense was having a hard time keeping them out of the end zone...and when they were successful, the officials took them in. They called a play that had been working and it didn't work that time. That's college football.
	Posted by south on 11/14/09 at 8:55 AM 8, 10, 12 yards - yes you were getting that with "Clark" running the ball only 2, 3, 4 with Sanders on that play... Bad, bad, bad call We have always had to deal with bad officiating. Play calling on the other hand?
	Posted by jeff on 11/14/09 at 9:02 AM wow, what a bad call.the guys in the booth reviewing the disputed call really blew it. i thought these people would know more of the game, their bad decision caused alot of heartaches for alot of people. because of this lets do away with appealing calls.
	Posted by Elk River Bass Man on 11/14/09 at 9:03 AM On instant replay in college, the officials in the booth are becoming intoxicated with their "power". Not just last night, but in other games in other conferences. It seems they want to be a part of the action. Had the officials on the field ruled touchdown, there could have been no argument, it appeared that close in replay. And because it was so close, the video evidence was not conclusive. The linesmen were right where they should have been, straddling the goal line. It was just plain bad. Looked bad for the officials, and it had to hurt WVU. A change is needed. Let the on-field official look at tape, and make the decision. People not on the field of play have no business making calls or effecting calls. On another subject, it was disappointing not to see Stew go wild after the change. He had good reason; officials in such a situation will give a coach some slack, and a passionate display of righteous indignation possibly would have had a positive effect on his team. They got shafted, the least the head coach could have done was to let everybody know it. A show of anger is rarely a good thing, but on occasion, properly channeled, it has a positive aftermath. O.K. this is history. On Nov. 27, fill Mountaineer Stadium, get vocal, and "beat the h--- out of Pitt".
	Posted by Aaron on 11/14/09 at 9:11 AM I agree with the playing calling, and here is another thought. Run the 2 minute no huddle more often. How good did they look marching down the field with 2 minutes left to play. The fumble overturned to a TD was one of the worest calls I have ever seen in college football. The ball is cleary moving in his hand when he is reaching for the goal line. That replay offical shoud lose his job on that call!!! Keep playing hard boys, and get a little pay back against Pitt in a couple of weeks. Let's Go........Moutaineers!!!
	Posted by Bake on 11/14/09 at 9:37 AM Notwithstanding the horrible call we had go against us, our play calling when it becomes crunch time during this and other games this year makes me shake my head in puzzlement. Also, with all the offensive weapons that we have why are we not trying any gadget plays. I'm not saying we should live by them but why not any flanker reverses or other plays that an innovative offensive coordinator should at least try occasionally. The team gave great effort and I am very proud of them. Let's get regrouped and give Pitt the same kind of nightmare we all remember from two years ago.
	Posted by jake_d on 11/14/09 at 9:43 AM I thought it was pretty clear the ball broke the plain before it came loose - 1/2 inch over the white and the play is over - TD. I don't have a problem w/ that. I do have a problem w/ running on 3 and 9 and then not kicking the FG on 4th and 8. If Bitancurt is healthy enough for kickoffs he should've got a shot at 40-45 yd FG. I liked our game plan overall though and certainly can't fault our players - they played their hearts out. Oh well, on to Pitt.
	Posted by Mark Cisco of Kenova W.Va on 11/14/09 at 9:44 AM When are all MountainEER fans going to get it....? Its "Real Simple" Bring back the Spread Offense that Cincy beat us with. Have you seen that somewhere before......? Its not the the Refs......................Its the System. Watch the Sugar Bowl or Fiesta Bowl DVD.......and you will see that Cincy beat us at our own OLD game. Thats the Formula to the BCS.......Not the Car Bowl! Im sick of our new offense, bring back the BCS offense! Im sorry NOEL.......................................
	Posted by Jamie on 11/14/09 at 9:46 AM The overturned play hurt us big time. I told my wife and kids right before they announced it that this never gets overturned, but I had a bad feeling, becuase we never, ever get a fair shake on replays. We always get screwed on them. That aside, running the ball on 3rd and 19 and later on 3rd and 9 in the 4th quarter when you are down by 7 is NOTpredictable, no one else in America would do it! I can't believe we did it and we didn't kick the field goal with that much time left. I thought the defense did a pretty good job all night, except for a couple of big running plays. Not sure why Stew thought we couldn't stop them. Bad call against us and bad decision making/play calling in cruch time hurt us. On the positive side, the coaches had our boys ready to play. They fought hard and hit hard all night.
	Posted by Jeff Deem on 11/14/09 at 9:52 AM I agree with everyone's positive comments. Great Job Stew and team!!! If we play like we did last night and we don't get the same reply officials, we have a good chance to win out. Help me on this, I am not real good at predicting bowl scenarios. If WVU and Cincy win out, the Mountaineers would finish second in the Big East and thus Gator Bowl in Jacksonville on New Year's day? Jacksonville Florida on New Years with the Mountaineers would be one &%$! of a party!!! Also awesome job to all of the Mountaineer fans that went to game in Cincy. The gold really stood out and you really could hear them cheering loudly on TV
	Posted by EERS Fan on 11/14/09 at 10:13 AM The sad reality is the Mountaineers had the perfect game plan to keep the clock moving, stuck to it and would have won an away contest against the #5 team in the country (that came in averaging 40 points) if only the replay official would have brought his/her best. The only justice would be an apology from the head of Big East officials for a blown call and a suspension of this replay official. Its not going to change the fact WVU won't be the BCS team representing the Big East, It won't replace the few millions of dollars lost for not being in that bowl game, but it will let everyone know that the Big East won't hide when an injustice has been done...
	Posted by Kathy on 11/14/09 at 10:41 AM All you moaners and groners about the playcalling need to shut the h*** up. Have any of you ever coached at any level, much less Division I NCAA football? If not, then you have no right to criticize. The playcalling last night was just fine. We were moving the ball and looking good. Sometimes plays are not going to work and they could be the most brilliant plays ever called. A good fan stays with their team throught thick and thin and should only offer CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. It was a bad call by the refs, but we move on. All of you disloyal crybaby fans..shut the h*** up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Posted by Jonesy on 11/14/09 at 10:42 AM All the bowl projections have Notre Dame going to the Gator Bowl and the BE #2 at the Car Care Bowl. We gotta cheer like crazy for Pitt tonight to knock ND outta there.
	Posted by ga eer on 11/14/09 at 11:15 AM Good game. The big east is better than it was with Miami and VT. 4 or 5 Big East teams can compete with anyone in the country. The young talent in this league is going to make it good for several years. No more easy championships like 05 or 07. The team made me proud of my alma mater and they will continue to on and off the field with this coaching staff. I really like the way Ryan Clark runs with the ball held tight. He had to have listened to his coaches all the way back to pee wee. We will compete for the Big East title next year and should be really good in 2 more years of this system and recruiting. It's going to be fun to be a mountaineer fan for a long time.
	Posted by Dennis C on 11/14/09 at 11:26 AM I watch a lot of football and I see a lot of replays but tonight I have lost my confidence in replay officials. I though the purpose of replays was to get the call right. Not so tonight. This call may have cost Wv a football game. ps. I will not shut up.
	Posted by scdave on 11/14/09 at 11:50 AM All the comments about the reversed call remind us that the word "fan" comes from the word "fanatic". Cincinnati had as many what if's, as did West Virginia. The points is, the score was tied 14-14 at the half, and West Virginia failed to get it done in the 2nd half.
	Posted by bob on 11/14/09 at 11:51 AM I remember a big east game back in 2008....Nationally televised, with one of the teams on a path of a championship game....guess what? The officiating was horribly one sided.....how ironic....
	Posted by Scott on 11/14/09 at 12:22 PM Why do we insist on running 2 the short side of the field? My 11 year old son watches it every week & is frustrated. Guys like Noel & Sanders would benefit from more room to make more people miss. Proud of how we played. Fair weather fans stink!
	Posted by WVU1991 in VA on 11/14/09 at 12:25 PM Great effort by team, bad officiating as usual. However, you can't hope to win a game on a call or no-call. Stew had some stones to go on 4th I don't disagree with that. What I DO disagree with is when it is 3rd and 6 or 3rd and 8, PLEASE MULLEN QUIT CALLING PLAYS WITH ROUTES THAT ARE RUN FOR 3-5 YARDS. RUN THE ROUTES PAST THE STICKS AND ALLOW FOR RECEIVER TO COME BACK FOR THE BALL. I PROPOSE OUTLAWING THE BUBBLE SCREEN AT WVU
	Posted by robert W. Richmond on 11/14/09 at 1:00 PM Play calling - if you have a strength keep using it until they stop it. The full back running was great and we do not use it enough. What happened to screen play when you know the defense is going to have a hard rush. Game plan was great, play calling a little suspect. How about the triple option to the outside, not reversal try - no real creativity.
	Posted by robert w richmond on 11/14/09 at 1:07 PM Rule change --- it is called a touch down - not break the plain rule should be like the out of bounds play but in reverse One foot and the ball must cross the goal line, if a dive play the ball must hit the ground across the goal - and if you are pushed back -- it was not a touch down.
	Posted by wvmtn91955 on 11/14/09 at 1:49 PM I am so proud of my team. What an effort by a great bunch of guys. Two comments (1) The replay official...who was it? Does he play golf with the Cincy coaching staff? or does he eat dinner on Sunday with University President? or does he have a nephew or grandson on Cincy's team? Something caused that fumble to become a touchdown. (2) When Noel and Jock would run side to side the Cincy pursuit was relentless....I would love to have seen a reverse with Tavon.
	Posted by Lensden on 11/14/09 at 2:58 PM Could or Would some one please explain to me just what "Breaking the plane" on the end zone constitutes??? I thought the ball had to be completely over the line, not just touching it. Looks like WVU got the shaft again. Lets go Mountaineers against Pitt.
	Posted by Mountainerrfanforlife in Seattle. on 11/14/09 at 3:11 PM After last nights call i have lost enthusiasm and respect for College football. The game should be played by the athletes on the field not by overpayed replay officials. Hopefully next year the referees will let the teams play the games in entirity. Good Luck in your BCS championship hunt Cincy! I hope you have deep pockets?
	Posted by Mike on 11/14/09 at 3:15 PM You know, I see all these positive comments about the play calling and wonder to myself if they have been watching the same Mountaineer team that I have been watching lately. I am far from being a Jarrett Brown fan, but the kid has got an arm, let him use it. We continue to throw 3 to 5 yard passes (or worse yet that stupid bubble screen) when we have speed in Ausitn, Sanders, Arnett, and Devine that we are neglecting to use. In the beginning of the year when we were racking up 500 yards of total offense a game, we would let JB take a shot or two down the field to loosen up the defense and allow Devine to use his speed to rush the ball. Guess what......IT WORKED! Now we just keep trying to run to the outside or throw short passes and hope we can eventually break one down field. Please coaches, you have too much talent to continue to run short passes and hope for someone to have an occassional game breaker. If we continue to hold back the talent we have, would you want to come to WVU and play? I know I wouldn't.
	Posted by corey on 11/14/09 at 3:44 PM we need to go back to the no huddle offense again...thats the style that won us so many games under rodriguez...so why not go back to it
	Posted by KC4WVU on 11/14/09 at 4:41 PM Good game all around except for the final score. Great offensive and defensive game plans executed well for the most part by WVU. Refs blow calls all of the time; unfortunately WVU got the dirty end of the stick this time. Cinn is living a charmed life this season and can do no wrong. It is fair to question why Clarke did not get more carries and why Stew went for it on 4th and 8 instead of going for a 42 yard field goal but these are decisions made by professionals who have the most at stake and the best knowledge of what the team can do and this should be given some weight. Just a few games ago Stew called for a 4th and 10 in field goal range and WVU made the play -- won the game, too. Stew would have been criticized if he had went for the Field Goal whether it was made or not. Stew getting back to back illegal procedure calls for not enough players on one side of the ball on Kick Off is troubling. Two weeks to heal up for the Backyard Brawl and a chance for a pay back; you know the "dish better served cold".
	Posted by ryan on 11/14/09 at 4:45 PM I think that TD was the right call. It was close, but he broke the plane. I feel bad for the players. There's a boatload of talent on this team, the coaches just can't put it together. It's hard to watch week after week.
	Posted by blacky on 11/14/09 at 4:48 PM I am as big a WVU fan as anybody but I sometimes wonder if we watch the games only thinking everything has to go right for WVU. When the play at the goal line was shown on replay the first time, I yelled to nobody but myself, hurry up and run a play because if they review it it will be a touchdown instead of a fumble recovery. That Pead guy stretched the ball and broke the plane with the ball. It was a touchdown. That didn't beat us. Lack of positive and agressive play calling and special teams is what beat us.
	Posted by Ox on 11/14/09 at 4:56 PM Blown calls off and on the field... the bottom line is that the coaches and players made decisions based on what was going on at the time. Reverse the call and give WVU the ball at the one and does Bill have to go for it on 4th down being down 7... call the pass interference do we score.... block a little better and does Jarrett have time to hit an open receiver on the 4th down(he had 3 to choose from). It's a game with rules that are interpreted in a split second we all see rules interpreted to varrying degrees in each game because they are humans. WVU was the better team on the field last night but just didn't get the roll when they needed it. I can call a mean offensive and defensive game from my couch but I would be hard pressed to call the right play on that field with all that is going on every time. The other intangible is we do not know if Bill was talked to after his last rant to the officiating crew during the South Florida game. Eventhough we all see things a little different we all want the same thing - WVU to win the game. 2 games - 2 wins and I will be at both doing my best to be the 12th man on the field - Let's Go Mountaineers!!!
	Posted by markus on 11/14/09 at 5:52 PM Stew was absolutely right to go for the td when in position late in the game. However... what a moronic call on the Sanders dive play! Roll Jarret out with the option to run or pass or run your big guy Clarke--not your tiny back with no lead blocker. Reminds me of the crucial 4th and 4 vs Pitt 2 yrs ago when we ran Slaton off tackle with a national title chance on the line. The last 2 years have been a series of missed opportunities.
	Posted by Big_East_FB_fan_888 on 11/14/09 at 7:08 PM Wow what a game. Best team won. Pead CLEARLY broke the plane with ball in hand. Too bad the WV fans are whining. I think their glasses are foggier than any referee's. WV played hard, just not hard enough to beat the Bearcat jugernaut. UC is a tough team... hard to beat (no one has). Cheer Cincinnati, Cincy will win!
	Posted by Mike on 11/14/09 at 9:24 PM Amen to WVU1991 in VA post........... OUTLAW THE BUBBLE SCREEN. Either it doesn't work or WVU just can't run it. I would be surprised if we ran it more times for a positive gain than for a negative. We have speed downfield, it is time to start using it.
	Posted by jmack on 11/14/09 at 9:52 PM Everyone should take a close look at the non fumble in slow motion on your HDTV, it was a touchdown plain and simple!!!!! Quit complaining about the refs and start asking where our play calling is coming from!!! EERs can still ruin Pitt's season, Let's go EERs!
	Posted by Justin on 11/14/09 at 9:57 PM our offensive line cannot pass block.....the end!

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