West Virginia Runs All Over Pittsburgh

Pat White knew how to avoid getting scraped up on West Virginia’s frozen turf Thursday night: Don’t get tackled.

White ran for 220 yards in 23 carries to break the Big East Conference rushing record for a quarterback, leading the No. 12 Mountaineers to a 45-13 victory over Pittsburgh at Morgantown, W.Va.

With the victory in swirling snow flurries and a 7-degree wind chill, West Virginia, 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the Big East, clinched at least a tie for the conference title and avenged a 16-13 loss to Pitt last season in the Backyard Brawl.

“I knew after the first time I hit the ground I did not want to hit it again,” said White, who ran for two touchdowns and passed for another.

White broke the conference quarterback rushing record of 210 yards, set by Virginia Tech’s Michael Vick against Boston College in 2000. White also threw for 41 yards.

“This was as cold as I have ever been,” he said. “I was just trying to stay warm.”

Tyler Palko threw two touchdown passes to Greg Lee for Pitt (5-6, 4-3), which ended up with its first losing season since 1999.

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Brett Biggs ran for 149 yards and scored twice to help Akron rout Kent State, 35-3, and take the Mid-American Conference’s East Division title at Akron, Ohio.

The Zips (6-5, 5-3) will play West Division champion Northern Illinois in the conference championship next Thursday at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Golden Flashes (1-10, 0-8) faltered early in a game that started in 27-degree weather with winds of 23 miles per hour. Kent State fumbled twice in its first three snaps. Brion Stokes scooped up the second one and returned it 16 yards to the end zone to put Akron ahead, 7-0. The Zips build a 21-3 halftime lead and were never threatened.

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Vince Young has the stage all to himself today.

The Texas quarterback, whose Heisman chances may have taken a hit when USC’s Reggie Bush had 513 all-purpose yards against Fresno State, gets a chance to answer today in a nationally televised game against rival Texas A&M; at College Station.

The No. 2 Longhorns (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) are on course to play in the Rose Bowl against USC on Jan. 4. The Aggies (5-5, 3-4) need a victory to become bowl-eligible.

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The Territorial Cup is on the line today in Tempe, Ariz., when Arizona State (5-5, 3-4 Pacific 10) plays host to Arizona (3-7, 2-5).

Each team will start a freshman quarterback. Rudy Carpenter gets the call for the Sun Devils, who need a victory to become bowl-eligible. Willie Tuitama starts for Arizona.