Ye olde notebook:
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It might be chilly now, but, for the WVU football team, the sun is shining a bit more. The Mountaineers are 4-4 and need two victories with four games remaining to be assured of a bowl berth.
Is that reason for West Virginia fans to jump for joy? No. Of course not. The Mountaineers are simply striving to be a decent lower-level Big 12 bowl representative. They are striving to, perhaps, save their coach's skin.
Today, though, let's deal with the first objective. There are already bowl projections out and CBS Sports has WVU slotted for the Texas Bowl against Arkansas.
Here's the deal though. The Big 12 has seven guaranteed bowl slots. The trick with projections is guessing how many league teams will end up under the College Football Playoff umbrella.
The Big 12 is guaranteed a spot in the Sugar Bowl. So if the conference champ is ranked high enough to play in one of the CFP semifinal games, another would be moved up to fill that opening. Depending on how all shakes out, it's not inconceivable the Big 12 could have three CFP teams: one in the semifinals; one in the Sugar; and a third in one of the so-called access bowls.
That, of course, has a ripple effect for the other Big 12 teams and bowls. Let's just say, however, there are two CFP teams from the league. The best guess from those in the know then is a six-win Mountaineer team would play in either the Texas or Cactus bowls. There is a codicle, however. WVU playing in the Liberty, even though it would be a return trip, is still a possibility.
The seventh slot, by the way, rotates annually between the Armed Forces and Heart of Dallas bowls. This year, the Big 12 has the Heart of Dallas slot.
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The early NCAA period for basketball signings begins this Wednesday and WVU's Bob Huggins is expecting to sign four.
In Wheeling, Chase Harler, a 6-foot-3 standout for Wheeling Central, will sign a letter-of-intent on Wednesday at T.J.'s Sports Garden. In South Charleston, Brandon Knapper will sign his letter in a 11 a.m. Thursday ceremony at SCHS, according to coach Vic Herbert. (Knapper is ultimately expected to hit Hargrave Military Academy first.)
Also, Huggins is expecting signatures and letters from Maciej "Magic" Bender, a 6-10 center from Grundy, Va., and Sagaba Konate, a 6-8, 220-pound product of Hermitage, Pa., this week.
Mountaineer fans should understand the period runs from Nov. 11 until the 18th. Official word from the athletic department won't be announced until all paperwork is in. There might be a day or so delay from the actual signings.
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And finally...
While writing a preview on the WVU's women's basketball team, I came to realize something many Mountaineer fans might not know.
Bria Holmes is really good. I mean, really, really, really good. I mean, like one of the nation's very best.
Of course, Holmes has been dominating for the past two seasons. She's been all-Big 12. Yet did you realize she's considered to be a Top 10 prospect for the next WNBA draft?
It's true. Draftsite.com has her projected as the No. 7 pick headed to the Washington Mystics. ProspectsNation.com has her as the No. 10 player. And "Racing To A Red Light" has her No. 10 and "might end up going much higher." (Yes, there is something called "Racing To A Red Light.")
Breanna Stewart of Connecticut is considered the next draft's gem. She's considered pro-ready a la Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Brittney Griner or Elena Della Donne.
The highest WVU player ever selected in the WNBA draft was 6-4 center Asya Bussie, who went 15th overall. Before that it was All-America point guard Yolanda Paige, who went 16th.