Seems like Iowa St always played there best ball against us.

You got it right (again). WVU has no real rivalry in the Big 12. There's just nothing that gets the blood going between WVU (or WVU fans) and any Big 12 team on a consistent basis. Yes, it's past time we beat OU, and we want to make a point against Baylor after last year, but there's no history to overcome the geographic factor.

If my sources were correct, Pitt figured out a slight shifting of the defensive tackles (inside or outside) depending on which side that FB (Owen Schmitt) was lined up in the backfield, (I think the defensive tackle would shift to either the inside or outside of the offensive tackle depending on how WVU's running backs were lined-up in the backfield). Based on WVU blocking assignments, this would usually cause Pat White or the QB to hand off to Owen instead of Slaton or Devine. WVU OC (Calvin Magee) was told this at halftime that this was what Pitt was doing defensively during the first half. This also hampered the option for White to keep and run. This strategic foot placement almost always forced the best option was putting the ball in Owen Schmitt's hands and mostly stopping the long runs of Slayton or Devine. Supposedly, the offensive staff figured this out or at least discussed play selection at halftime. The OC Calvin Magee or maybe RR presumably was stubborn and thought since these plays had worked all season, they were going to stick with them, instead of change. There was obviously more to this and Pitt's defensive strategy but, as they say, the rest is history.