WITH ALL THE Internet sites, radio talk shows, television yell-fests and articles dedicated to sports, I sometimes feel fans are left looking into a kaleidoscope, trying to focus through all the light and reflections.

So allow me to present easy reading with but two opinions.

First, West Virginia is fortunate to be playing this Saturday's game at Louisville at noon.

I know, I know. The prevailing school of thought is WVU has struggled with noon starting times. And to a small degree that's true. Against both Syracuse and Rutgers, the Mountaineers strained to earn 17-6 and 24-17 victories, respectively.

On the flip side, WVU drubbed Connecticut 35-13 after a noon start. And since 2002, the Mountaineers are 21-6 in the time slot.

But that's superfluous. What's of more importance to West Virginia is a) there won't be the night atmosphere that's gained a nice reputation at Louisville and b) it will be before the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game.

In regard to the first point, one has to wonder what kind of crowd will show. The Cardinals are 5-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big East, solidly out of the title race. "Well, all the tickets are sold," U of L sports information director Rocco Gasparro said Tuesday. "That's 42,000. If they show up or not is a different story."

Meanwhile, playing at noon may help make sure WVU shows up. See, a Cincinnati win over Pittsburgh can all but lock up the Big East BCS berth for the Bearcats. All UC has left within the league after playing the Panthers is a date with lowly Syracuse - at home.

Since WVU plays at noon, though, and Pitt-UC play at 7:15 p.m., the Mountaineers can't let down. They'll still be in the hunt at game's kick.

Bringing us to Opinion Two.

If Cincinnati defeats Pitt, West Virginia will end up in the Dec. 27 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

Once again, that goes against other opinions. Take a look at the CBS sports Web site and you'll see WVU projected in Birmingham's Papajohns.com Bowl versus Florida International, the latter because an SEC opponent may not be available.

Sports Illustrated's site projects the Mountaineers in the same bowl playing Troy in place of an SEC team.

However, the Meineke bowl has the first choice among Big East teams after the BCS and Gator/Sun slots are filled. And according to Will Webb, the bowl's executive director, it would be very tough to pass up West Virginia and its loyal following.

WITH ALL THE Internet sites, radio talk shows, television yell-fests and articles dedicated to sports, I sometimes feel fans are left looking into a kaleidoscope, trying to focus through all the light and reflections.

So allow me to present easy reading with but two opinions.

First, West Virginia is fortunate to be playing this Saturday's game at Louisville at noon.

I know, I know. The prevailing school of thought is WVU has struggled with noon starting times. And to a small degree that's true. Against both Syracuse and Rutgers, the Mountaineers strained to earn 17-6 and 24-17 victories, respectively.

On the flip side, WVU drubbed Connecticut 35-13 after a noon start. And since 2002, the Mountaineers are 21-6 in the time slot.

But that's superfluous. What's of more importance to West Virginia is a) there won't be the night atmosphere that's gained a nice reputation at Louisville and b) it will be before the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game.

In regard to the first point, one has to wonder what kind of crowd will show. The Cardinals are 5-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big East, solidly out of the title race. "Well, all the tickets are sold," U of L sports information director Rocco Gasparro said Tuesday. "That's 42,000. If they show up or not is a different story."

Meanwhile, playing at noon may help make sure WVU shows up. See, a Cincinnati win over Pittsburgh can all but lock up the Big East BCS berth for the Bearcats. All UC has left within the league after playing the Panthers is a date with lowly Syracuse - at home.

Since WVU plays at noon, though, and Pitt-UC play at 7:15 p.m., the Mountaineers can't let down. They'll still be in the hunt at game's kick.

Bringing us to Opinion Two.

If Cincinnati defeats Pitt, West Virginia will end up in the Dec. 27 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

Once again, that goes against other opinions. Take a look at the CBS sports Web site and you'll see WVU projected in Birmingham's Papajohns.com Bowl versus Florida International, the latter because an SEC opponent may not be available.

Sports Illustrated's site projects the Mountaineers in the same bowl playing Troy in place of an SEC team.

However, the Meineke bowl has the first choice among Big East teams after the BCS and Gator/Sun slots are filled. And according to Will Webb, the bowl's executive director, it would be very tough to pass up West Virginia and its loyal following.

"If Cincinnati wins out and Notre Dame goes [to either the Gator or Sun], we're going to look real, real, real hard at West Virginia," Webb said Tuesday. "They're the ones who put us on the map."

He's referring to the inaugural game in 2002, when Virginia downed WVU, but the stands were packed. The committee remembers.

Yes, I know. Anything can happen in college football. But there are some cold facts staring at us.

First, Cincinnati has a very good chance at winning Saturday. It's absolutely, positively the biggest football game in the history of the school. Nippert Stadium will be jazzed. The oddsmakers have made the Bearcats 4-point favorites.

If that happens - and UC can close out Big East play against Syracuse - the Bearcats are locked into the BCS. (Scenario that has to give league officials cold sweats: UC wins the berth, then finishes the season with a loss at now-5-5 Hawaii on Dec. 6.)

Notre Dame, meanwhile, will probably record win No. 7 this week at home against Syracuse. (The Fighting Irish end the season at USC.) Rick Catlett of the Gator Bowl has suggested his committee would indeed consider a 7-5 Notre Dame team over a Big 12 or Big East team. And if they decide against it, place the Irish in the Sun.

Putting us back to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

If you look around, many are projecting the Big East slot to be filled by Pittsburgh, especially if the Panthers lose to Cincy and defeat WVU.

But that's not flying here. Pitt has a lame reputation when the subject is filling bowl seats. Webb and company could easily justify taking WVU - if they feel they must - by pointing to the marquee value of Pat White and the Mountaineers' bowl history in regard to fans.

Perhaps a Pitt rout of West Virginia would make a difference, but, then again, maybe not.

Here's what Webb said about the candidates:

"If Rutgers finishes strong, it would be attractive," said the executive director. "Pitt has a good program. But we would look very strongly at West Virginia."

A statement that's anything but kaleidoscopic.

Reach Mitch Vingle at 348-4827 or mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.