(3) West Virginia 62, Western Michigan 24

Saturday, September 1st 2007, 7:01 pm

By: News On 6

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) _ Pat White threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and Steve Slaton also scored four times in third-ranked West Virginia's 62-24 rout of Western Michigan.

It was the Mountaineers' highest scoring game since an 80-7 win over Rutgers in 2001, WVU coach Rich Rodriguez's first season. West Virginia improved to 5-0 against Mid-American Conference schools under Rodriguez.

Western Michigan's defense was sixth in the nation against the run last season. But it couldn't contain one of the nation's top rushing tandems. That also allowed White to thrive through the air. The junior went 10-of-18 for 192 yards. He also ran for 97 yards in improving to 16-and-2 as a starter.

Slaton, the nation's fourth-leading rusher a year ago, ran for 109 yards after being held to 21 in the opening half.