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I’d say I can kiss my career as a prognosticator good-bye, but that would assume I had one. I predicted a "big win" over Notre Dame. The way our offense operated against the Irish it ended up being neither big nor a win. I felt like Chris Berman (I still can’t figure out whether he takes his "Swami" act seriously or really knows that he blows at picking games).

Neurotic as I am, I thought about predicting a WVU loss in the hopes that reverse psychology would play a role and the Mountaineers would actually win. If we actually lost, I would regain my confidence that I could pick em’ right. Right?

A. Louisville is ranked #23.

WVU is unranked.

B. Louisville has won five straight.

WVU has lost four of their last five…and their only win was in OT vs. a last place Providence team.

Based on this assessment, WVU is going to lose. However…

C. Louisville shoots worse than we do – ranked 160^th in the country (.438 to our .454).

D. Louisville is traveling to Morgantown and then back home to play #2 ranked Syracuse in their next game. Last time that happened was a little over two weeks ago when Cincinnati lost at the Coliseum and then went back to Ohio to get beat by the Cuse.

Based on this assessment, WVU is going to win.

Who the hell am I (or any "Swami") kidding? There’s no telling which WVU team will show up. If it’s the same one that squared off against Notre Dame, we’ll be watching another painful game. The 24th-ranked Cardinals come into Morgantown well rested, five days after an 80-59 blowout of Connecticut.

And the Mountaineers need a win something fierce. Of the six regular season games that remain, WVU has two games they "should" win: the last two against DePaul and USF. Of the other four, two teams are ranked and two have beaten us this year. So we’re going to need to have at least two good games and one great one. There’s no predicting as to whether that can happen.

Tip off is Noon and the game is on ESPN.

Montreal Alouettes Sign Noel Devine

Have you ever watched one of those TV shows where from thousands of hopefuls, one star is born? Well, Smoking Musket readers, here's your chance to play "starmaker" and help pick the new voice of sports in social media!

XFINITY is looking for the next renowned sports social media star through its Ultimate Sports Social Media Job contest. The winning candidate will serve as the new voice of XFINITY in the sports social media space and go behind-the-scenes at some of the biggest sporting events in 2012, sharing exclusive insights and updates with fans.

From February 9-19, you can review qualified entry videos and vote for the contestant you'd like to see advance to the finals of the XFINITY Ultimate Sports Social Media Job contest. The five entrants with the most votes will advance to the final round of the contest where they will cover one of five premier sporting events the weekend of March 8-11. Fans can head today to Facebook.com/XFINITY and click on the Ultimate Sports Social Media Job contest tab to vote for your favorite personality (once per day)!

Will you choose the brainiac with the encyclopedia of stats, the former jock who knows the game inside out, or the corporate type who gets the marketing side of the business? You decide. Vote today at Facebook.com/XFINITY!

"There are other issues, not just ours,'' a WVU source said this morning. "I don't know when we'll have the schedule, but we were told this morning not to expect it today.'' - No 2012 Big 12 football schedule today, apparently.

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Nebraska Brewing's Cardinal Pale Ale.

Big 12 baby!! Now that reports of the settlement are basically everywhere, including the Mothership, a presser and a football schedule release are basically all that remain (both are rumored and/or likely for today, but no official announcements as yet). Back on the hardwood, Louisville is coming to town and just when they seem to have figured things out, Huggs is searching for answers. All of this and more...

Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Go back to Providence and tell them there that West Virginia University's daughters and her sons are yours no more. Tell them WVU is free! Montani Semper Liberi!!!

A collective weight has been lifted from West Virginia University’s and Mountaineer fan’s shoulders.

Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail reported on Thursday evening that West Virginia University and the Big East have reached a conditional settlement to let the Mountaineers join the Big 12 on June 1, 2012. The move will allow the 27-month waiting period set forth by the Big East.

Casazza reports that his source tells him WVU will be on the hook for $11 of the $20 million that the Big East requested the University pay. The settlement puts the pending cases between the two entities to rest. The source said that the Big 12 will pick up the rest of the tab.

Previous reports said that a move would be conditional upon the Mountaineers somehow getting one of the teams that will move to the Big East in 2013 to join a year early. Today’s report says WVU no longer needs to make that happen.

The Big 12 is expected to announce their conference schedule tomorrow. The conference released a schedule to the networks last week that reportedly already had the Mountaineers on it.

This post originally appeared on WVUPros.com