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West Virginia visits Marshall for first time in 92 years

Sep 8, 2007 - 10:28 AM No. 3 West Virginia (1-0) at Marshall (0-1) 11:00 am EDT

HUNTINGTON, West Virginia (Ticker) -- At long last, Marshall gets to host West Virginia again on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Thundering Herd, they have to deal with Patrick White and Steve Slaton.

After a strong season debut, White and Slaton lead the third-ranked Mountaineers into their first meeting with the Thundering Herd in Huntington since 1915.

Due in part to politics, the intrastate squads had only met five times - just once since 1923 - before starting a seven-year series dubbed the "Friends of Coal Bowl" last year, a game won in Morgantown by the Mountaineers, 42-10.

West Virginia has won every meeting between the programs.

Last week, West Virginia opened its season with a 62-24 rout of Western Michigan. White both passed and ran for a pair of touchdowns while fellow junior Slaton rushed for three scores.

In last year's encounter, Slaton ran for 203 yards and two TDs against the Thundering Herd.

While West Virginia got off to a strong start, Marshall absorbed a 31-3 loss at Miami.

The Thundering Herd, who scored their only points early in the fourth quarter, were outgained on the ground, 260-51. Quarterback Bernard Morris, who was sacked five times, was Marshall's leading rusher with 28 yards.