By Whitney Spencer

Coach Steve Kragthorpe’s beliefs that the University of Louisville football team could win out the rest of the season, in hopes of becoming eligible for a postseason bowl game, went up in smoke Saturday, Nov. 7 in Morgantown, W. Va. Louisville now has a record of 3-6, and is 0-4 in the Big East. The Cardinals have managed no wins on the road this season. The Mountaineers improved to 7-2 on the season, and 3-1 in the Big East.

To credit the Cards, they put up a fight until late in the game. They were able to hold the Mountaineers scoreless for the majority of the first half. The Cards were first on the board, with a field goal by sophomore kicker Chris Philpott. After missing two field goals last week, senior kicker Ryan Payne didn’t kick against West Virginia.

In the same situation as the Cards, the Mountaineers’ premier running back played very little, after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half. He was still able to rush for 56 yards on 13 carries and, for the second straight season, to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Redshirt freshman running back Darius Ashley did well in his first career start. He compiled 164 yards on 33 carries. His longest carry was a 35-yard burst. Ashley took a majority of the carries, as sophomore running back Victor Anderson was out a second week with injuries, and junior Bilal Powell saw limited action.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Will Stein finished 14-of-26, for 100 yards passing, but was sacked five times in the game. West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown managed little offense, finishing with 94 yards passing on 9-of-17 completions.

The Cards had the chance late in the fourth quarter to close the gap to one or to tie the game with a two-point conversion, but costly penalties brought junior wide receiver Douglas Beaumont’s first career touchdown back. The Cards settled for another Philpott field goal, that made the score 17-9.

Next up for the Cards is the struggling Orange of Syracuse University, on Nov. 14 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. With an identical record on the season and in Big East play, this game will determine who will have sole possession of last place in the Big East.