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Friday, 18 May 2012 12:07

Written by Jenn Menendez

The Big 12 announced a power move this afternoon, joining forces with the SEC to have both league's champions meet in a bowl game.

The deal will begin in 2014 and was inked for five years.

According to the announcement the champions of the two conferences will meet in the game unless one or both are chosen to play in the new playoff system that will determine the national championship.

In that case "another deserving team" from the conference will be chosen.

SEC Commissioner Mike Silve: "A new January bowl tradition is born. This new game will provide a great matchup between the two most successful conferences in the BCS era and will complement the exciting postseason atmosphere created by the new four-team model. Most importantly, it will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans with an outstanding bowl experience."

Chuck Neinas, acting Big 12 commissioner: "Our goal is to provide the fans across the country with a New Year's Day prime-time tradition. This is a landmark agreement between two of the most successful football conferences during the BCS era to stage a postseason event. The creation of this game featuring the champions of the Big 12 and SEC will have tremendous resonance in college football."

Friday, 18 May 2012 10:57

Written by Jenn Menendez

West Virgina got some love today from Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.

Athlon Sports named WVU a preseason No. 12 ranking, and Geno Smith and Tavon Austin were named preseason All-Americans.

Smith was voted second-team quarterback, and Austin was named to the second team at the all-purpose position.

***

Phil Steele named nearly a dozen players to his preseason lists.

All Big 12 Preseason

First team: Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey

Second team: Geno Smith and Joe Madsen

Third team: Jeff Braun, Josh Jenkins, Jorge Wright and Terence Garvin

Fourth team: Will Clarke, Jewone Snow and Darwin Cook

Preseason All-Americans:

First team offense: Tavon Austin

Third team offense: Stedman Bailey

Fourth team offense: Geno Smith

Fourth team Special Teams: Tavon Austin

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Thursday, 17 May 2012 18:37

Written by Jenn Menendez

It's official: West Virginia will open the 2014 season against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Ga.

The game is set for Aug. 30, 2014.

Oliver Luck: “Playing in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is yet another great way to showcase our football program on a national stage. Playing Alabama will match-up two programs with great college football traditions. I have known Nick Saban since my playing days at West Virginia, and I have the utmost respect for him and his program.”

Nick Saban: “I believe that playing an opponent that has the national reputation that West Virginia does, one of the top programs in the country, provides a great challenge for our players and gives us something to look forward to in the offseason. We are privileged at the University of Alabama to be a part of what has become a great tradition in college football with first-class organizations like the
Chick-fil-A Bowl and the City of Atlanta.”

Unless these two teams somehow find a way to meet before then, it will mark the first meeting.

Alabama is 10-8-1 all time against teams from the Big 12.

West Virginia is 24-22-2 all time against teams from the SEC.

Thursday, 17 May 2012 14:46

Written by Jenn Menendez

Oliver Luck’s name seems to pop up when any high profile job in college football opens.

The latest: will he be considered to replace Bob Bowlsby at Stanford?

Luck led West Virginia’s charge out of the Big East and into to the Big 12 in this turbulent era in college football, he’s a progressive AD and clearly intelligent, as he was once a Rhodes Scholar finalist, and certainly his connections to the school add to the case – his son just finished a fine career there and he has two daughters enrolled.

But...he's not going anywhere said West Virginia President James Clements.

Clement said Luck confirmed to him in a conversation that he plans to remain a Mountaineer.

“Oliver’s name pops up for lots of jobs. It did when the Big 12 position opened, (for) the Big East his name has been circulated, Stanford and whatever is next,” said Clements. “I talked with Oliver. Oliver’s staying. He’s a Mountaineer. He’s happy.”