MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The answer is the same as last week -- zero.

That is exactly the amount of times today's opponent -- Connecticut -- has beaten West Virginia. It's just the same as last week, when Marshall entered with an 0-8 all-time record against West Virginia and left with yet another loss. The Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0 Big East) will march out onto the turf today against the Huskies (4-2, 1-1), who, in five tries, have come up empty against West Virginia.

This Big East Conference series, which dates only to 2004, hasn't even been close.

Connecticut has scored more than 20 points just once against the Mountaineers -- but that was on the same day in 2007 the Huskies gave up 66 in a 45-point loss at Mountaineer Field.

In the five meetings, West Virginia has scored 214 points; Connecticut has pieced together 77.

"Connecticut has always had good athletes, some more recognized than others," West Virginia will linebacker J.T. Thomas said. "When you look back and see how many draft picks they have had in the past, you see they have NFL-caliber players. You have to respect that and respect the fact that they are a Big East team."

This time also will be different than those other meetings.

Never has this matchup been saddled with a set of circumstances such as the one the teams will face today.

Connecticut starting defensive back Jasper Howard was stabbed to death on campus in Storrs, Conn., in the early-morning hours Sunday after leaving a dance.

It is a tragedy Connecticut could funnel into inspiration.

"They are going to use the death of Jasper Howard as a motivational tool," Thomas said. "We also feel for the UConn family, but we need to go out and win a football game."

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart, who said he'd accommodate any wishes Connecticut might have had about postponing the game, also is sympathetic. That said, when Connecticut made known it wanted the game to go on, Stewart understood his team, like the Huskies, also needed to find a focus.

"We have a good group of young men here who are saddened by a situation, but after that coin toss, the Mountaineers need to be ready to play football," Stewart said. "We need to be ready to play football, coach football and go play a football game."

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