Bodog Beat

It’s been a disappointing season for the Big East in general, but especially for the South Florida Bulls (7-4 SU, 3-7 ATS) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (7-4 SU, 4-6 ATS). (Wikimedia Images)

These two former ranked teams clash Saturday night on ESPN2 (8:00 p.m. Eastern) with the Mountaineers favored by 7.5 points.

Both teams should be sufficiently motivated. The winner will likely go to the Meineke Car Care Bowl to face an ACC representative, while the loser can expect a C-USA opponent at the St. Petersburg Bowl. The estimated payout is the same ($1 million per team), but the prestige level drops significantly from playing a BCS conference team to a mid-major.

WVU has the sentimental value of QB Pat White playing his last game in Morgantown after a brilliant college career. And there’s a 50-percent chance of snow with temperatures around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. You won’t find that in Florida.