Mountaineers likely No. 2 after clinching Big East title

Pat White has No. 4 West Virginia on the brink of playing for a national championship.

White rushed for 186 yards and accounted for 3 touchdowns to lead the No. 4 Mountaineers to a win over visiting No. 20 Connecticut, clinching the Big East championship and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

With one more win next week against Pittsburgh, the Mountaineers might be headed to the biggest BCS game of all -- the championship game on Jan. 7 in New Orleans.

West Virginia (10-1, 5-1 Big East) will move up to at least second in the BCS standings today following top-ranked LSU's loss to Arkansas on Friday.

West Virginia has won six straight since losing to South Florida on Sept. 28 and has made a steady climb in the BCS standings after starting ninth in mid-October.

The Mountaineers compiled a season-high 517 yards on the ground. Freshman Noel Devine rushed for 118 yards on 11 carries. Steve Slaton had a pair of TD runs, which were set up by long runs by White.