Oct 25, 2006 2 min read

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez isn’t going to get lulled by Louisville’s loss of star running back Michael Bush. Rodriguez still calls No. 6 Louisville the best offensive team the fourth-ranked Mountaineers will face this year. Both teams are off this week and will meet on Nov. 2 in Louisville.

“It’s the best offensive team we have played, no question,” Rodriguez said Tuesday. “Their skill guys are future NFL guys. The quarterbacks understand what they want to do. Their receivers have big-play potential. And what is often overlooked is how good they are up front. It all starts offensively there. Their line is outstanding.

The absence of Bush, who was lost for the season after breaking his right leg in the season opener against Kentucky, hasn’t stalled Louisville’s offense. George Stripling and Kolby Smith have helped the Cardinals (7-0, 2-0 Big East) become the nation’s seventh-best rushing offense at 216 yards per game.

“They aren’t different from a scheme standpoint,” Rodriguez said. “They are doing the same things. Bush is a talented guy who did everything well. But all their backs are capable and have shown that.”

Stripling and Smith combine to average more than 100 yards per game and 806 yards overall. Their speed is better than that of the bruising Bush, who a year ago ran for 159 yards and four scores in a 46-44 loss at West Virginia in triple overtime.

Yet no Louisville player has bettered Bush’s season-long run of 48 yards against Kentucky, when he scored three of the Cardinals’ first four touchdowns.

West Virginia (7-0, 2-0) remains susceptible against the run, at least between the 20-yard lines, where it ranks next-to-last in the Big East in opponents’ third-down conversions at 40.2 percent.

But the Mountaineers are different inside the 20, allowing just five touchdowns in 16 trips while also recording three interceptions and two stops on downs.

Not only do both teams rank in the top five nationally in total offense, they are in the top 12 in scoring defense.

“Is this a big game? Yes, let’s not be foolish. You have two teams who are undefeated so it is a big, big game,” Rodriguez said. “I just hope we play well. You hope your guys give their best effort, knowing they will make some mistakes, and make sure Louisville gets our ‘A’ game. We do that and we will see what happens.”