Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.
Football:
Holgorsen hopeful crowd gives team, Howard a boost | Beckley Register-Herald
After losing its first game of the season last Saturday at Oklahoma and then losing its best player, senior safety Karl Joseph, to a knee injury on Tuesday, the West Virginia football team is in need of a boost. More than 60,000 fired up Mountaineer fans could provide just that.
WVU coach Holgorsen's influence still found at Oklahoma State | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy faced a dilemma in 2010. He wanted to switch to a no-huddle, multi-faceted attack, but his quarterback, Brandon Weeden, had the mobility of a turtle. Unwilling to compromise, Gundy hired Dana Holgorsen to install the "Air Raid" offense.
WVU tries to bounce back against Oklahoma State | The Daily Athenaeum
Saturday poses another test for the West Virginia University football team as it takes on No. 21 Oklahoma State at Mountaineer Field.
Rudolph, Ogbah could do big damage Saturday | The Daily Athenaeum
Game One of the Post-Karl Joseph Era is approaching, and the Mountaineers face a tall task at home without their best player and defensive leader when they take on undefeated No. 21 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Oklahoma State tries to stay in Big 12 title race with key tilt at West Virginia | ESPN
The last two weeks, Oklahoma State has survived with game-winning field goals in the final seconds. The Cowboys will try to keep the magic going in Morgantown, where West Virginia is reeling after a 20-point loss at Oklahoma and season-ending injury to safety Karl Joseph.
WVU O-line looks to move on after disappointing performance vs. OU | The Exponent Telegram
For a moment, one would imagine, West Virginia’s besieged offensive linemen breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Oklahoma’s defense had gone from a horrifying reality to a fading memory.
The Lunch: Braun says WVU still has ‘pieces of the puzzle to be a Big 12 champion’ | WV MetroNews
Even in a 20-point loss at Oklahoma, former West Virginia offensive lineman Jeff Braun saw enough to keep believing in his alma mater.
WVU defense adjusting to life without Karl Joseph in secondary | Charleston Gazette-Mail
About all that’s clear for West Virginia’s defense right now is that a whole lot is unclear. The Mountaineers play No. 21 Oklahoma State on Saturday, and they’ll do so without Karl Joseph for the first time since the Orange Bowl win against Clemson in January 2012.
Cowboy Country Pokecast With Gerald Tracy and David Smith | Cowboys Ride For Free
Smitty's been busy this week. Here he is on the Cowboy Country Pokecast, previewing this weekend's game.
CRFF Picks From Joe's | Cowboys Ride For Free
...And here he is on Cowboys Ride For Free's Picks From Joe's.
West Virginia Athletics:
No. 3 WVU looks to keep run alive at Oklahoma | The Daily Athenaeum
For the West Virginia University women’s soccer team, a 10-game win streak is not something to fret about. However, the Mountaineers have gotten off to a blazing hot start (11-1) and vaulted themselves up to the No. 3 ranking in the country.
Mountaineers try to find identity in MAC opener | The Daily Athenaeum
After winning two of its last three games, West Virginia University is poised to make a name for itself after a slow start to the season. Friday’s Mid-American Conference opener against Western Michigan is one of the Mountaineers’ toughest tests yet, as the Broncos enter with a 6-1-2 record and have outscored opponents 15-3.
WVU Dominates on Day One of WV State Games | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University swimming and diving team won all 11 events on the first day of the fifth annual West Virginia State Games on Thursday evening at the WVU Natatorium.
Around The Big 12:
TCU fans seem to have vandalized Baylor's RG3 statue | SBNation
But they're not rivals. No, don't be silly.
Jay Norvell the latest coach to cross the Red River | ESPN
Many coaches have switched from one sideline to the other in the Red River rivalry, which comes with its own brand of awkwardness.
Around The NCAA:
The Solid Verbal: The secret, ground-shaking upsets brewing for college football's Week 6 | SBNation
Dan and Ty preview what could be a very interesting Week 6 and make their picks.
How Tennessee became the world's greatest team at blowing big leads | SBNation
One blown lead is disappointing. Two blown leads is a trend. Three blown leads means you're so magnificent at failing that it genuinely defies logic.
Steve Sarkisian's not as bad as you think, but it doesn't matter. This is USC. | SBNation
Little problems are big problems when you're the conference flagship, especially when those problems cost you a game at home against your former team.
(21) Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. West Virginia Mountaineers
Saturday at 7:00PM on ESPN2 from Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. The Mountaineers look to move past the loss at Oklahoma, without Karl Joseph, as a 7 point favorite over the Cowboys.
(3) Baylor Bears vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Saturday at 12:00PM on Fox Sports 1 from Lawrence, KS. The Bears are 45 point favorites against the Big 12 basement dwellers.
(10) Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns
Saturday at 12:00PM on ABC from Dallas. The Longhorns look to turn things around in the Red River Shootout. They come into the game as 16.5 point underdogs.
(2) TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas State Wildcats
Saturday at 7:30PM on Fox Sports 1 from Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. Trevone Boykin and the Horned Frogs are 10 point favorites against noted wizard Bill Snyder and his Wildcats.
These are the Week 6 college football games you should watch, plus the full TV/streaming schedule | SBNation.com
Here's the full schedule and the best thing on in each time slot.
Will Johnson finds way from WVU obscurity to NFL | Charleston Gazette-Mail
This is a story that definitively shows where there’s a will, there’s a way. Or rather, where there’s a Will, there’s a way. It’s the story of a man hidden within West Virginia University’s offense who finds a way to beat the odds, land on an NFL roster and play for four years. It is the story of Will Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bengals' Jones: Marvin Lewis probably saved my life | FOX Sports
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones reflected back on how head coach Marvin Lewis rescued him from a deep, dark hole when he got the call for a tryout after the 2009 season.
Let's take a look at what happened last time Oklahoma State came to town...
With that out of the way, LET'S GET WEIRD TOMORROW
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
12 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
12 slices baconDirections
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Mix cream cheese and Cheddar cheese together in a bowl until evenly blended. Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture. Put halves back together and wrap each stuffed pepper with a slice of bacon. Arrange bacon-wrapped peppers on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy, about 15 minutes.Reprinted from AllRecipes.com
I'd watch it...
Today's Miss Throwdown is another one of Justin Bieber's ex-girlfriends, and I'm really starting to get jealous of the kid. It's just not fair. CLICK HERE Yovanna Ventura's Instagram.