Chad Underwood: WVU vs. LSU: A Chance to Rewrite the Story

LSU presents a challenge, but also an opportunity for WVU to excel on a national stage.

 
   I cannot remember a time when I did not care about West Virginia University sports. It is a part of me that I cherish, a part that few here in where I live (in SEC Country) can even understand.

   I lived in West Virginia until 2001, my family moved a couple months after the September 11th attacks. Few times in my life have I been that sad. I was leaving what to me was everything behind: My best friends, my family and my home. It all had to be left behind because of a job opportunity my father took, which looking back on, was a great decision.

Raising my little brother right!

   I made friends in Alabama. I grew up in Alabama. I can say without a doubt that I love this state and some of the people in it. Even with that being said, West Virginia still holds a piece of my heart hostage, and I freaking love it. 

   I could have changed teams, and I cannot say I did not flirt with the "enemy". My father bought me a Alabama Crimson Tide hat before we moved, but I never wore it. My girlfriend now attends Auburn and from time to time I will go to games with her and wear a shirt to support, but it never feels right. Sometimes I catch myself feeling like a "cheater" just for wearing it, but I re-convince myself that if the "Old Gold and Blue" was on this field today, I know where my allegiance would be.* 

 
   I have always stayed true to the Mountaineers and I like that I am attending a school now that does not have a football team. I have never wanted to have a reason to change my fanhood from WVU to elsewhere, I would have hated it.

   This coming up weekend, my West Virginia Mountaineers have a very challenging match-up: We have to face the LSU Tigers, hailing from what I have heard happens to be the "only football that matters in the world conference", also known as the SEC. 

   Am I scared? You better believe it. LSU plays great football, they have a stout defense and even without their starting quarterback, offensively they seem to do more than just "get-by" with Jarrett Lee in control. They present a daunting task, a task that few may complete in this season, but I refuse to see why my Mountaineers cannot be one of those few teams the rise to the occasion.

Geno Smith's stats going into LSU game: 1008 yards, 7 TD's and 1 INT.

   WVU plays good football under a coach that knows his stuff when it comes to offense. Coach Dana Holgerson has been an offensive juggernaut wherever he has gone and early on in this season he has proved that the Mountaineers can score points. Geno Smith, WVU's starting quarterback has put up some really great stats early in this season and in my opinion has proven himself worthy of being a Heisman trophy contender. The defense is led by defensive end Bruce Irvin, who had 14 sacks last season and he only really played on third downs. This team has improved from last season, but there is no sign of respect in sight.

 
   ESPN analysts have been predicting WVU to get destroyed by LSU, even though ESPN's College Gameday is coming to Morgantown, WV and the game was awarded ABC's prime-time match-up slot. West Virginia looks to be just a stepping stone for LSU to rise even more in the national spotlight. Some analysts have picked the Mountaineers to lose by three or four touchdowns. For those that are so quick to judge, I have a interesting story from not too long ago:

    In 2007, West Virginia fans suffered some the toughest losses in the program's history. The Mountaineers were ranked #2 in the nation and had one game left against rival Pittsburgh and if they could won, they would be off to the national championship in New Orleans. Pitt managed to shock WVU in a 13-9 victory. WVU's national championship dreams were over, but we would still be able to represent the Big East in a BCS Bowl Game.

To this day, I cannot bring myself to watch any highlights of this game.  When it has come to sports, I have never been that sad. Losing the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup will never compare to how that night felt. 

   A few days after the game, our coach at the time (Rich Rodriguez) took a job at Michigan and left before our bowl game was even played. The Mountaineers were then picked to play national-powerhouse Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, led by quarterback Sam Bradford (now starting for the St. Louis Rams). No one picked WVU to win, once again we had panels of analysts and a entire nation doubting our ability to win. ESPN held a poll that had the entire nation except for "one state" picking against the Mountaineers (as referenced in the video below).

 
   West Virginia beat Oklahoma, 48-28, to become Fiesta Bowl champions,  giving us one of the most memorable wins in the team's history. This season is very similar to 2007, but hopefully this time in a better way. Once again we have a poll filled with non-believers:

   Also in 2007, we needed LSU to lose to Arkansas just to get into the title game. A Darren McFadden-led Arkansas offense managed to defeat them in triple-overtime, 50-48, which cleared the way for us to possibly head to the big game. This year we will need LSU to lose again to make the cut, but this time their blood has to be on our hands.

 Finally, the BCS National Championship game will be held in New Orleans this season, just like in 2007. I find this information almost creepy, like maybe an unexpected title run may be in the works for my Mountaineers. What a story this has potential to be, WVU has a chance to right all of the wrongs and make this season really special, and it all starts Saturday night.
   Maybe we will just lose and this dream will be over. Maybe it will be a complete blow-out and LSU will have their second string players in by the third quarter. But I can promise everyone reading this: No matter what happens Saturday night, it will be "A Great Night to Be a Mountaineer, Wherever You May Be." and I know I will be watching.

*Special thanks to my Pap, Grandma, Aunt Tracey, Uncle Matt and Aunt Robin for always buying me West Virginia swag, watching games with me and sometimes even taking me. Those are memories I love and will never forget.

Chad Underwood is the editor-in-chief of Students of the Game. He currently attends Auburn Montgomery, majoring in Mass Communications. Let's Go Mountaineers.