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West Virginia rebounds with win over Cincinnati

Nov 11, 2006 - 11:34 PM MORGANTOWN, West Virginia (Ticker) -- Pat White, Steve Slaton and West Virginia naturally had a hangover after a tough loss. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, it lasted only one quarter.

After a unusually slow start, the 10th-ranked Mountaineers started rolling behind White and Slaton and posted a 42-24 victory over the Bearcats in a Big East Conference matchup.

West Virginia (8-1, 3-1 Big East) was coming off a 44-34 loss to Louisville on November 2 in a battle of conference unbeatens. The loss to the Cardinals likely ended the Mountaineers' national title hopes, but a BCS bowl bid remains a possibility.

"Our goal after we lost to Louisville was to get back into the Big East race," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. "That's our focus right now as we go forward."

The Mountaineers had scored first-quarter points in 13 straight games but that streak came to an end Saturday against the Bearcats. Kevin Lovell kicked a 40-yard field goal with just over three minutes left in the first quarter to give Cincinnati (5-5, 2-3) a 3-0 lead.

It was all White and Slaton from there as West Virginia scored 21 points in both the second and third quarter to take control of the game.

White got the Mountaineers on the board with a three-yard touchdown run with 13:45 left in the first half to make it 7-3. He added a 34-yard TD pass to Brandon Myles and Slaton ripped off a 65-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 21-3 at the half.

It was more of the same after the break as White and Slaton each added another TD run. White would have had another score but he fumbled after a 58-yard gain. But West Virginia wide receiver Rayshawn Bolden picked up White's fumble and went the final 10 yards for a touchdown.

White completed 7-of-13 passes for 98 yards and added 102 yards rushing on 10 carries. Slaton finished with 148 yards on 12 carries.

"We came in wanting to run on them, limit the explosive plays and limit the turnovers," Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio said. "We didn't do any of that. I don't want to say this but we got handled in this game."

Behind White and Slaton, West Virginia rushed for 313 yards on 38 carries against a Cincinnati defense that had only given up an average of 87.7 yards rushing this season.

"We know we need to keep the score close and limit the explosive plays if we are to win the games. West Virginia kept us out of rhythm today," Dantonio said. "Coach Rodriguez did a good job showing us things we hadn't seen on video."

Backup quarterback Nick Davila threw a pair of TD passes to Connor Barwin in the fourth quarter for Cincinnati, which had won four of its last five games.