Tonight’s open post, brought to you by that quote from Bill Stewart in Tuesday’s press conference.

A war, you say?

/locker room doors fly open

“It goes down to those guys in the arena. Now, the coaches have to teach and coach, but they have players. South Florida has players. We have players. Let me assure you the Mountaineers have players.

“This is going to be a battle of  intestinal fortitude. It’s going to come down to a game of inches. It’s going to come down to small plays jumping and turning into big plays. It’s going to come down to, ‘Can I outstrain you?’ A football play lasts four-and-a-half seconds. ‘Can I outstrain you, my opponent, those four-and-a-half seconds and beat you in a one-on-one situation?’

“If I can get it down and my buddy to my left gets it down and my buddy to my right gets it down more than they whip us, we’ll win the football game. That’s what it’s going to come down to. It’s going to be a real game of intestinal fortitude and just old fashioned blocking and tackling and guts because people are going to see a lot of talented young men on that field.”

Fired up yet?

3:42 pm: In the press box and before I start dodging bullets, just a disclaimer: I didn’t photoshop that picture. It was emailed to me in case I ever wanted to use it. And let’s be clear on another thing: Not. Making. Fun. Just funny. I could have gone with something inspirational along the lines of this, but instead chose that.

3:51 pm: Someone asked earlier in the chat, but tonight’s Gold Rush will be uniform. Literally. WVU will wear gold-on-gold.

4:20 pm: All of the Mountaineers with names and relevant numbers will dress for the game. That’d be a first this season.

5:15 pm: Text from a friend: “Jenn Brown is alllllll make-up. Seriously.”

5:32 pm: Interesting weather.

The wind is really whipping, too.

I don’t think you want to be kicking into the band’s end zone tonight. And because the wind is moving so swiftly, rain has literally just missed the stadium.

5:35 pm: Colin’s computer really bothers me. It’s wee.

5:45 pm: I was wrong. WVU is not wearing gold-on-gold tonight.

5:50 pm: Josh Jenkins will start at left guard.

6:08 pm: I don’t want to say the press box was bland today, but Bob Hertzel is watching Frost/Nixon on his laptop … and he’s nearly done.

6:26 pm: Stedman Bailey would approve of these cookies from the pregame buffet.

6:33 pm: It’s extraordinarily cold in the press box. I’m having a hard time typing. Well, harder than normal. Fingers are stiff.

7:37 pm: It’s now really warm in here, but 53 degrees outside at kickoff.

7:42 pm: Tavon has the sledgehammer!

7:46 pm: WVU starts with four receivers, not one of which was named Brad Starks. Noel and Tavon were in the backfield.

7:49 pm: Strange little dynamic there. Tavon ran for 15 yards, USF played the next down close to the line of scrimmage and then Eu decided to call a timeout.

7:57 pm: That second-down call at the 13-yard line was a strange one. Still, favorable start with lots of variations in formations. Gives Snyder a lot to think about between possessions.

8:07 pm: Daniels has run twice and had no room either time. Defense giving him plenty of attention. Two runs for minus-two yards, including a four-yard loss on third-and-four.

8:12 pm:  Your third-down back there? Shawne Alston. And he was wide open on a middle route.

8:13 pm: Took 13 snaps for WVU to have a negative yardage play.

8:15: WVU hasn’t run the ball with any threat and Brad Starks just sneaked onto the field … and somehow USF is totall fooled on a play-action pass and lets Starks stroll into the end zone. Also, Colin Dunlap’s phone chimed 236 times as I typed this.

8:17 pm: Mr. DJ, Do you have anything by Benny Hill?

8:21 pm: USF’s counter to WVU’s lock on Daniels? Spread the field and run up the middle. WVU can’t force plays outside there. Tried once and Daniels bounced out for five yards. Tried second time and Daniels juked JT3.

8:22 pm: Eu’s first-quarter stats: 8-for-11, 105 yards, one TD. WVU has 150 yards of offense. The Bulls have 45.

8:25 pm: WVU’s got outside runs covered.

8:44 pm: Four punts tonight have averaged 34.8 yards.

8:53 pm: Eu has completed his past five passes … for 14 yards. Last two third-down plays have been a four-yard route on third-and-five and a five-yard route on third and six. Pass protection is there. Wonder if Noel is.

9:05 pm: No idea what to think of that play call, but it worked and the Mountaineers were tremendously excited. I thought Eu and Stew were going to slow dance. And the people in the press box have no idea how to record this in the stats. I think that’s a trick play, too, which means buy 1:9 odds were way, way off.

9:08 pm: Najee Goode had a great half. Three tackles, two sacks and the pressure on that killer pick by Daniels. Under the radar on that play was safety Terence Garvin staying home as Daniels excaped the pocket and Anthony Leonard pursuing to encourage a throw Sands saw all the way.

9:10 pm: Halftime fodder: Hook-and-ladder … good or bad call?

9:17 pm: Also from the chat earlier today, I mentioned WVU was a little worried about the crowd. Well, it’s not impressive and the visiting section over the away team’s tunnel is almost empty. Turns out WVU gave USF 3,400 tickets. USF returned 2,854. WVU typically gives opponents 5,00 tickets.

9:19: Here’s the ruling on the hook-and-lateral … try and follow me here. It’s a pass from Eu to Jock for minus-four yards, an 11-yard touchdown reception for Noel — but no reception for Noel — and a seven-yard touchdown pass for Eu. The drive summary is one play for seven yards.

9:35 pm: USF has found Keith Tandy.

10 pm: Exciting quarter!

10:08 pm: Tandy gets his fourth interception in the past three games and each has come on a tipped ball. WVU going big here to put the game on ice.