GAME NOTES: The eighth-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers begin the Bill Stewart era as they host the Villanova Wildcats in what appears to be a lopsided season-opening tilt. Villanova, which competes at the FCS level, returns 17 starters from last year's club that finished 7-4 overall. The Wildcats are ranked 21st nationally among FCS teams but enters this opener as a huge underdog. As for West Virginia, it was in line to earn a bid to the national title game in 2007, but a shocking loss to Pittsburgh at home in the regular season finale prevented the dream from becoming a reality. Prior to the Fiesta Bowl, coach Rich Rodriguez decided to take the head coaching job at Michigan, angering the Mountaineer faithful. Coach Stewart, who led the team to a 20-point triumph over Oklahoma in that bowl game, was given the job on a full-time basis. With a wealth of talent back on offense, WVU figures to be formidable once again. The Mountaineers own a 4-1 series edge over Villanova, and the teams haven't met since 1977.

For Villanova, the biggest question heading into this new season surrounds the health of junior starting quarterback Antwon Young. The signal caller suffered a knee injury in week six last year that caused him to miss the final five games of the campaign. He appears to be back at full strength, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the physicality of real game action. In six games in 2007, he completed 99-of-153 passes (.647) for 1,192 yards to go with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. Considering that 'Nova only averaged 326.1 total ypg last season, there is obviously room for improvement. The ground attack managed a mere 3.5 ypc and posted only 11 touchdowns, numbers that simply must improve. Unfortunately, no player on the current roster has rushed for more than 247 yards.

One player to watch out for on the defensive side of the ball for Villanova is defensive lineman Tim Kukucka. The 6-3 junior was recently named a First Team pre-season All-CAA performer. As a sophomore, he registered 12 TFLs, including seven sacks, and he forced three fumbles. Osayi Osunde is a standout defensive performer as well who led the team with 82 tackles in 2007 as a junior. He will be counted on along with Kukucka to provide leadership. Villanova allowed 23.7 ppg last season and 373.7 total ypg. The defense was average by most accounts and will need to put forth a heroic effort just to keep the score in this contest respectable.

West Virginia senior quarterback Pat White ignored the lure of the NFL and returned campus, bad news for Villanova and every other opponent on the Mountaineers' schedule. White is a sensational dual-threat signal caller who rushed for 1,335 and 14 touchdowns on only 197 carries and passed for 1,724 yards and another 14 touchdowns while throwing only four interceptions. "Patrick White has all those intangibles that will make an NFL team very, very excited," says coach Stewart. White's backfield mate, Steve Slaton, did move on to the NFL despite a poor second half of his junior season. Why did he make that decision? Well, some believe it is because Slaton would not have held off Noel Devine for the starting tailback job. Devine showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. "Noel has done a lot of things to shock me," says White in regard to Devine's freakish athletic ability. What is most scary for opponents of WVU is that White and Devine will be running behind arguably the top offensive line in the nation. Ryan Stanchek is the best of the bunch up front, as the All- American is on every NFL scout's radar.

WVU finished eighth nationally in scoring defense last season, limiting opponents to 18.1 ppg while also holding foes to 301.7 ypg, good for seventh place. Equaling those figures appears to be an impossible task, as seven starters from the 2007 defense are gone. What the 2008 unit lacks in experience it certainly makes up for in speed. Keep an eye on middle linebacker Reed Williams, who topped the century mark in tackles a year ago. Williams, along with Mortty Ivy and Scooter Berry, will be counted on heavily in the front seven. In the defensive backfield, the Mountaineers have a wealth of terrific athletes, but few have proven anything on the field. Stewart knows that his defense does not have to be dominant considering the high amount of points that White and the offense will put up. Still, the unit must be solid if this team hopes to make another run at a BCS Bowl. A strong showing against Villanova will spark some confidence.

There is no reason that West Virginia should have scheduled Villanova. The NCAA needs to put an end to this trend. Sure, Appalachian State beat Michigan last season, but for every upset like that there are 100 instances where FBS teams demolish FCS opponents. This game will be no different.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: West Virginia 56, Villanova 10