MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- There is a belief by various writers and media types who cover the Big East that Cincinnati might have the best two quarterbacks in the eight-team league.

Crazy as it seems, the concept might not be far-fetched when you look at the numbers and consider the collective body of work quarterbacks Tony Pike -- a senior who started the first six games before being injured -- and sophomore Zach Collaros, a sophomore who has been a super substitute the past three weeks, have done this season in guiding the No. 5 Bearcats to a 9-0 record, 5-0 in the conference.

And, tomorrow night in a nationally televised road game, West Virginia (7-2, 3-1) likely will face both.

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly announced Tuesday morning that Collaros, who has beaten Louisville, Syracuse and Connecticut in succession the past three weeks, will start against the Mountaineers. After practice Tuesday, Kelly said he would develop a couple of packages for Pike, who injured his left (non-throwing) arm Oct. 15. At the time, he was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate.

So how will West Virginia's defense deal with a 6-foot-6 dropback passer (Pike) and a 6-foot run-and-pass threat (Collaros)?

"I don't know if I can tell you that," nose tackle Chris Neild said with a serious face. Then, he laughed. But he did not give up any secrets.

Before he was injured, Pike was 128 for 199 for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games (272.2 yards per game). In the five games he finished, his team scored 47, 70, 28, 28 and 37 points. His most impressive performance might have been a big-time road win at then No. 24 Oregon State, one of the toughest destinations in college football -- particularly for a team from east of the Mississippi -- when he went 31 for 49 for 332 yards, rushed for a touchdown and threw for another in a 28-18 win.

And then there is Collaros, who also is on Cincinnati's baseball team.

When Pike went down with that arm injury in that Thursday night game at South Florida, many thought the Bearcats' season could be in deep trouble.

Not so.

In relief duty against South Florida and his three starts, Collaros has completed 76 of 100 passes for 1,229 yards and thrown for 10 touchdowns and one interception. The sophomore also averages 6.5 yards per rushing attempt and has run for four touchdowns.

Even as Pike has an NFL-type arm, it seems that Collaros' athleticism is what could have the Mountaineers worried more. Mountaineers coach Bill Stewart has long known about Collaros, being that West Virginia recruited him out of Steubenville High School in Ohio. Stewart, from nearby New Martinsville, W.Va., has heavy ties to that area.

"Oh, I saw him in high school, I recruited him, but we already had Jarrett [Brown] here," Stewart said. "I thought the kid was going to go to the [Major League Baseball] draft. ... He has the whole gamut in baseball.

"I know Zach and I think he's a tremendous story. It's exciting for him and the University of Cincinnati. We are just going to have our hands full with him."

But it is a story for West Virginia that, in order for it to end the way they want it, will involve a heavy element of force along the lines and not letting the Cincinnati blockers give either quarterback, especially Collaros, some space.

"If we get enough pressure on him, then we can dictate what he is going to do," Neild said of Collaros. "Whatever he does back there, we just have to contain him. And if we get upfield and if we get pressure and we beat our blocks, as a defensive line, when we have blitzes, then I think we will be good."

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