Bodog Beat

Brian Brohm has averaged 315 yards passing in his last two games. (AI Wire photo)

In the topsy-turvy world of the 2007 NCAA football season, West Virginia is riding the wave up.

The Mountaineers have won three straight, risen to No. 6 in the national rankings and remain in contention for a berth in the Bowl Championship Series.

They enter Thursday night’s battle against Louisville favored by a whopping 17 points against the point spread. As any favorite knows, however, no opponent should be regarded as anything but a formidable adversary.

Last season, the Cardinals forced six fumbles en route to toppling the Mountaineers, 44-34. Louisville was once ranked in the top 10 this year, but upsets killed their hopes of appearing in a prominent bowl game weeks ago.

Louisville (5-4 overall, 3-6 against the point spread) has found its game recently, scoring 44 points in each of its last two games and quarterback Brian Brohm, an NFL prospect, has averaged 315 passing yards in those wins. He poses a major callenge for West Virginia (7-1 overall, 5-3 ATS), which will attempt to control the game on the ground with fleet quarterback Pat White and running back sensation Steve Slaton.

The betting total is 64 points, an indication bettors expect a ton of scoring. The game can be seen on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET and in-game wagering is offered through BodogLIVE.

For college football odds for the weekend, head to the end zone with the Bodog Sportsbook.