Marshall at West Virginia

This is the annual Backyard Battle in West Virginia. Marshall is off a 5-7 season - its first under Doc Holliday, with a weak offense and a defense that was awful allowing 28.8 points per game. Marshall is left to break-in a new starter under center without the benefit of anything resembling a strong running game. Sophomore QB A.J. Graham (95 yards last season) and Rakeem Cato were battling all of August for the job and they replace three starters on the offensive line. Most of the starters return on defense, but they struggled against the run and the pass. The Thundering Herd is 16-34-2 ATS in their last 52 road games. West Virginia has a new coach in Dana Holgorsen, a pass-happy coach out of the Big 12. He works with mobile junior QB Geno Smith (2,763 yards, 24 touchdowns and 7 INTs in 2010), and the wideouts are the Mountaineers' deepest and most experienced position led by WR Tavon Austin (757 yards). The defense was spectacular last season giving up 13.5 ppg running a speedy 3-3-5 defense, led by DE Bruce Irvin, whose 14 sacks were tops in the Big East. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings between these rivals and the new coach will get a one-sided win. Play on West Virginia.