Although West Virginia rebounded from its loss to South Florida by slipping past Louisville, this is a team that hasn't truly looked sharp in a long time. Even in October wins over Connecticut and Marshall, the Mountaineers struggled and lacked consistency, particularly on offense. If they have any hope of staying alive in the Big East race, mediocrity will no longer cut it over the final three games.

Zach Collaros

Why West Virginia might win: Did the Huskies uncover a flaw in the Cincinnati defense last weekend? Few have broken through on the Bearcats this fall, but Connecticut was able to roll up 462 yards and 45 points, with most of the damage coming from RB Jordan Todman. Looking to reprise the role of Todman will be Mountaineer RB Noel Devine (provided his ankle is OK), who's second in the league in rushing and always one good block away from quieting the road crowd. The key for West Virginia QB Jarrett Brown, who must give the defense reason to reconsider stacking the box. The 'eer defense has been stout all year, piling up sacks behind speedy DE Julian Miller and clamping down on opposing running games.

Why Cinncinati might win: Mother Nature might be the only entity capable of slowing down the Bearcat offense these days. Cincy is on a roll, ranking in the top 10 in passing, scoring, and total offense after ambushing a pretty good Connecticut defense for 711 yards. When it needs a score or a first down, it's going to get it. Period. QB Zach Collaros has become a budding star in his four games, deftly moving the ball around to receivers Mardy Gilyard, Armon Binns, and D.J. Woods. Heck, even the ground game has gotten into the action, producing big plays from Isaiah Pead and Jacob Ramsey. The last time West Virginia faced a dual-threat behind center, South Florida's B.J. Daniels burned it for 336 total yards and three touchdowns. Collaros is a much crisper version of Daniels.

Who to watch: What does Brian Kelly do if QB Tony Pike gets the green light to play on Friday night? Yes, two quality quarterbacks is a luxury, but this has the potential to become a distraction for Cincinnati. Pike was doing just fine before hurting his arm, tossing 15 touchdown passes and attracting a slew of NFL scouts to Nippert Stadium. Collaros, however, has been an unexpected revelation, accounting for 14 touchdowns and more than 1,400 yards, while throwing just one pick. It's a decision Kelly never thought he'd have to make when Pike went down on Oct. 15.