The hopes and expectations were much higher.
But on Sunday that's exactly the postseason ticket that was punched for the Mountaineers.
The No. 22 Mountaineers (9-3), foiled originally by their own mistakes earlier this season and finally by Connecticut on Saturday night, have been given the Big East's consolation prize. They will likely face unranked North Carolina State (8-4) in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, which this season replaces the Gator Bowl as the Big East's top non-BCS destination.
The official announcement was not due until later Sunday, but when the Sun Bowl announced that it was pairing Notre Dame with Miami, it was obvious that Florida Citrus Sports, which runs the Champs Sports Bowl, had passed on the 7-5 Irish in favor of a ranked WVU.
N.C. State is widely believed to be the group's choice from the ACC.
The Champs Sports Bowl is Dec. 28 at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m., the game will be televised by ESPN and is one of only two games that day. The other is the Insight Bowl later that night.
Champs Sports Bowl 2010
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