Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Polar beer, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

What You May Have Missed:

EDSBS THE MAGAZINE | VOL. 5 ISSUE 5 - Every Day Should Be Saturday
EDSBS The Magazine: The Mountaineergle Has Landed.

Trying to make sense of a special Saturday - Daily Athenaeum
A striped stadium, 19 touchdowns and what seemed like more broken records than points; in its first ever game as a member of the Big 12 Conference, West Virginia sent Morgantown and the rest of the nation into a tizzy after its 70-63 win against visiting Baylor Saturday.

Geno Smith, West Virginia could be in plenty of Big 12 shootouts - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
College Football Overtime

From a visiting fan... Baylor - EERSports.com
I just want to first say, on behalf of all of the Big XII, welcome.

Men’s Soccer Plays to Draw on Road - WVU Athletics
The No. 17 West Virginia University men’s soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with Western Michigan in Mid-American Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the WMU Soccer Complex.

Baylor Award Winners - WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University football coaching staff has named its award winners for outstanding performance in the Mountaineers’ 70-63 win against Baylor in its first-ever Big 12 Conference game on Saturday, Sept. 29.

Geno:

Smith Claims Second National Offensive Player of the Week Award - Big 12 Conference
West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith has been named Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Geno Smith Raises Heisman Hopes at West Virginia - NY Times
If there exists a formula for winning the Heisman Trophy, West Virginia seems to have found it

Geno Smith and the Art of Quarterbacking at West Virginia - NY Times
The observation and creativity skills that made Geno Smith a talented art student in grade school have served him well as West Virginia’s quarterback.

Geno Smith Is Just A System Quarterback? - College Football News
Geno Smith plays in a great system for quarterbacks. He is not, however, a system quarterback.

Meet Geno Smith, star of college football's first month - USA Today
It's high time fans across the country got to know West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, the breakout star of college football's first month.

West Virginia's Smith nearly perfect vs. Baylor - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
One thing we know for sure: His performance Saturday made him the clear front-runner in the Heisman Trophy race to any college football fan with a pulse.

Geno Smith: 'No pressure' in 70-63 victory - Bluefield Daily Telegraph
"I could care less about the Heisman Trophy," he said calmly. "The biggest thing for us is that we won the game today."

Smith deserves the hype - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
He is the undisputed leader in the Heisman sweepstakes, and rightfully so.

Heisman watch 2012: West Virginia's Geno Smith is pulling away - Sporting News
If he beats Texas this Saturday in Austin and puts up strong numbers, he’ll be as solid an October favorite as there’s been in many years.

Heisman Vote
Vote for Geno, once a day, every day

News of Note:

Two defenses confirmed dead in West Virginia-Baylor explosion - Sunday Morning Quarterback
Combination of fast-paced, high-octane offenses results in fatal reaction.

Searching for answers - Charleston Gazette
After surrendering 63 points and 700 yards to Baylor, WVU defense faces another tough test this week at No. 11 Texas

Rarified Air - BGN
Now, a day after the burned out wreckage of the most awe-inspiring score in school history, perhaps a check into the realm of West Virginia football is in order. Because, kids, this is heady stuff.

WVU football: Offense fires on all cylinders - Charleston Daily Mail
"It happens every once in a while and it's good if it happens whenever you need it to happen," WVU offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. "Obviously, we needed it to happen."

Braun Big in Every Sense of the Word - WVU Athletics
Jeff Braun has taken on many causes during his four years playing at WVU.

Woods fits in as No. 3 receiver - Pittsburgh Tribune
WVU notebook

HERTZEL COLUMN: Bailey reflects on big day - Times West Virginian
This Saturday "passed," Bailey had a day that almost defies description, for not only did he break the record for most pass receiving yardage in a single game, he smashed it to smithereens, wherever that may be.

Monday Morning WVU Stock Report - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Examining the ups and downs, the dividends and downticks, from West Virginia's 70-63 win over Baylor

Get Ready for A New Way To Look at Football - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
''Lot of fast-paced stuff, lot of skill players,'' he said.

A taste of what’s to come in Big 12 - Register-Herald
Is this what it’s always like?

High-scoring shootout no surprise to Baylor - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Mountaineers will face Texas Longhorns Saturday

Analysis: Stay Tuned for More Shootouts - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Geno Smith heard someone ask if he felt sorry for Big 12 defensive coordinators. "No, I don't," Smith said flatly

On the other hand ... - Register-Herald
WVU offense explodes, but defense still has questions

Defense disappointed with performance in win - Daily Athenaeum
On a day when the West Virginia offense was setting records left and right, the Mountaineer defense was rewriting the record books, as well.

WVU fans got a show - Martinsburg Journal
Seeing was almost unbelieving as the numbers kept rolling up all afternoon.

WVU-Baylor game was entertaining, exhausting - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
But the much awaited Big 12 opener against Baylor Saturday wasn't a shootout. It was more like a nuclear war of attrition.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Notes And Numbers From Week Five In The Big 12 - Big 12 Conference

What we learned in the Big 12: Week 5 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Big 12 bowl projections: Week 6 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
Sugar

WVU 70, Baylor 63; Waco, We've Got Defensive Problems - Our Daily Bears

Texas Tech @ Iowa State Recap: SO MANY READ OPTIONS - Wide Right & Natty Lite

Quick Thoughts | Texas Tech 24, Iowa St. 13 - Viva The Matadors

INSTANT REACTION: TEXAS 41, OKLAHOMA STATE 36 - Cowboys Ride For Free

Texas Knocks Off Oklahoma State in Thrilling 41-36 Win - Burnt Orange Nation

TCU 24, SMU 16- Frogs O' War postgame analysis - Frogs O' War

Kansas Football 2012: Defensive Overview - Rock Chalk Talk

Bill Snyder, Science Guy - Wide Right & Natty Lite

Q&A with Bye - Bring On The Cats

Wait, So You Mean The Season Isn't Over? - Crimson And Cream Machine

College GameDay Final: Week 5 - ESPN
All over this page, as expected

What's On Tap:

More shootouts, apparently

Video of Interest:

Starting quarterback Geno Smith shares his thoughts after WVU's record breaking game against the Baylor Bears on Saturday, September 29, in Morgantown.

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Remember, this is the fanbase we're dealing with this week. For those who missed it the first time this ran here, the main payoff is at the 2:09 mark:

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is a Venezuelan beauty. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Sonia Vera.