West Virginia Sportswriter Breaks Down Alabama – WVU Matchup

Alabama and West Virginia have never played in football. Pretty much our most common dealings with West Virginia have been the Rich Rodriguez non-job in 2006 and the fact that Nick Saban is from The Mountain State.

Thus, it’s hard to have some hardcore animosity for a team that’s just been doing their own thing apart from us.

Years ago, I worked in a newsroom at a newspaper in South Carolina. Our sports editor, Cam Huffman, was a WVU guy born and bred and educated, and since we were surrounded by Gamecock, Clemson and Bulldog fans, I developed an affinity for the team that, like mine, was often outnumbered in newsroom debates.

I have been looking forward to the showdown with WVU since it was announced, but like I said, I don’t exactly have a tankful of animosity for a team we’ve never played. So I caught up with Cam, who is back in his home state, where he is the sports editor of The Register-Herald in Beckley, W.Va., covering WVU athletics.

Cam’s one of the most knowledgeable guys I know when it comes to WVU football, so I figured I’d shoot him a list of questions on his take on the game:

How often will the announcers mention that Nick Saban is from West Virginia?

CH: I’m going to set the over/under at 25. Be ready for some coal mining and pepperoni roll mentions, too. Oh, and hasn’t Alabama lost two in a row?

What would have happened – to both schools – had Rich Rodriguez taken the job at Bama in 2006?

CH: Alabama would have won a lot of games, but not a national championship. Nick Saban might have ended up at West Virginia. If not, Jimbo Fisher would have been a strong possibility, and the fortunes of Florida State might have drastically changed. The Mountaineers may not have had the Fiesta Bowl and Orange Bowl victories, but they would have been better prepared for life in the Big 12.

Who should a Bama fan most enjoy watching on the WVU squad?

CH: If you could see through the helmets on television or at the game, I’d say punter Nick O’Toole. He has one of the best mustaches you’ll find, and the fact that WVU brought him to Big 12 Media Day says something about his popularity. But since there are plenty of good mustaches in Alabama anyway, I’ll go with sophomore cornerback Daryl Worley. He could be a first-round draft pick by the time his career is complete.

What are three things WVU needs to do to beat Bama?

CW: Pat White’s return. Tavon Austin’s return. Bruce Irvin’s return. Since those aren’t going to happen, I’ll go with avoid turnovers, don’t let Alabama score on big plays and play with some pace on offense. WVU will also need some help with a couple of Alabama turnovers. That’s four, but who said we know math here in the Mountain State?

How does WVU Nation view Alabama: With Reverence, Fear or Awe? (Sorry, those are the only three choices currently available.)

CH: I guess I’ll go with reverence. The Mountaineer fan base is probably a little jealous. There are plenty of Harvey Updykes out there wearing gold and blue, but they don’t quite have the history to crow about.

How would WVU stack up in the SEC?

CH: About the same as it has in the Big 12. From about 2005 through 2010, WVU had the speed and athleticism to compete with anybody in a one-game shot. It proved it against Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl and Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. But it hasn’t yet built the depth to compete with the big boys for an entire season. The guys on the bench that have to be plugged in when somebody goes down aren’t five-star recruits like they are at Alabama and, dare I say, Auburn. But the Mountaineers are getting closer and should be more on par with those teams in the future. When it comes to game day atmosphere, location and fans, though, WVU would fit perfectly in the SEC.

Has WVU scored again against Clemson?

CH: Yes. And on a touch pass from Geno Smith to Tavon Austin. It’s ironic, though, how the two programs have sort of gone in different directions since that game (the 2012 Orange Bowl, which WVU won 70-33). If you would have told me that night in Miami that WVU would be 4-8 three years later and Clemson would be beating the likes of LSU, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Vegas has WVU has a 25-point underdog. You’ve got to put the mortgage payment on the game. How do you bet?

CH: Please don’t make me do this. My wife will kill me. But if we’re talking hypothetical, I’ll go with the Mountaineers. I’m certainly not forecasting an upset, but I do think WVU is much improved and capable of keeping the game at least fairly close, especially with Alabama breaking in a new quarterback. Plus, Saban said he’s always been a Mountaineer fan. Maybe he’ll take it easy?

If Alabama wins…

CH: I’ll go to a Braves game and the new College Football Hall of Fame on Sunday and enjoy my trip to Atlanta. At some point, I’ll probably see a message on Mike Gibbons’ Facebook that says, “Rammer Jammer,” and my inbox will be flooded with e-mails from readers telling me how stupid it was for WVU to put this game on the schedule.

If WVU wins…

CH: I’ll go to a Braves game and the new College Football Hall of Fame on Sunday and enjoy my trip to Atlanta. At some point, Mike Gibbons will probably get a message from me reminding him of all the smart comments he made about Alabama’s dominance over the years. Oh, and the Morgantown, W.Va., fire department will have to dish out some overtime to its employees.

Final score you hope for:

CH: WVU 27, Alabama 26

It’s always more fun to cover a winner, and I’d love a story that writes itself.

Final score you expect:

CH: Alabama 33, West Virginia 17

At least the couches in Morgantown will be able to rest easy Saturday night.