West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers The Auburn Tigers head into Morgantown Thursday night to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers. Odds makers are calling the Mountaineers a 3 1/2 point home favorite.

This pre-season top 10 match-up may have lost its luster as both teams are struggling. The preseason Top 25 poll had the Mountaineers at no. 8 and Auburn ranked 10th. Midway through the season, these two are only shells of their early expectations.

For both teams this can be considered a must-win. The 4-3 Tigers and 4-2 West Virginia are trying to regain respect entering their first-ever meeting. One of them will dig an even-deeper hole entering the final stretch in their respective conferences.

"Our backs are against the wall," said Auburn center Ryan
Pugh. "We've got to come out swinging."

The Mountaineers are excited about finally getting back quarterback Pat White. The West Virginia signal caller has missed all or part of the last three games for the Mountaineers.

"He's a great decision-maker," said Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads. "When he makes a decision to go, he's very, very fast."

With a healthy Pat White in the line-up at least one of these two teams will be able to enter this game with some optimism.

Auburn is in danger of losing four games this early in a season for the first time since 1999, while West Virginia is on a three-game winning streak but needs to win every game the rest of the way to extend its streak of 11-win seasons to four.

Take the Mountaineers and give the 3 1/2 points at home.