WHAT IT FEELS LIKE . . . to play football in Morgantown, W. Va., on a Thursday night

West Virginia and Auburn may not have lived up to the preseason hype so far this season, but don't tell that to the folks in Morgantown. On Thursday night, the Mountaineers and the Tigers will square off at Mountaineer Field, and according to West Virginia Coach Bill Stewart, the atmosphere will be something to behold.

There's nothing like coming to Morgantown, West Virginia, on a Thursday night. It's a passion. It's a life. These old buddies, we're all relatives cause we're all kin in this state. They get that jug open and they get to ringin' and bangin' and fired up and the next thing you know, it's party time USA.

And they come set up the cookers at six, seven in the morning. And if it's at noon, they just do it faster, earlier. If it's at 3:30, they pace it a little bit. If it's at 7:30, they've paced it real good all day. And we're strutting our stuff come game time.

People don't understand the pride of West Virginia. And there's something about when we play a night game out here in late October, around Halloween and that full moon's out. Oh, boy. It's wild.

These people, for them to take off a half a day of work and come roarin' in here, it is an event. It is a life happening. It's part of their culture, their heritage. They come in here and their stomachs are tight, their throats are tight, their hearts are palpitating. And they're ready to go. And the tougher the opponent, the more people like it.

-- Interview by Steve Yanda