Coming off of a 34-12 loss to Penn State to open up the 2024 season, West Virginia will square off against FCS UAlbany on Saturday.
The Great Danes come in as the No. 16 ranked FCS team and a 27-21 victory over LIU. Albany head coach Greg Gattuso spoke about the upcoming matchup with WVU this week.
“Obviously it’s a tough matchup always,” Gattuso said. “My Nittany Lions didn’t do me a favor, they had a big win and made them (West Virginia) a little angry, but I’m well-versed in West Virginia. They obviously they have a really good talented football team. I think they have one of the great fanbases that I’ve been around. I played in that stadium (Milan Puskar) when it first opened.”
Gattuso, a native of Pittsburgh, played at Penn State from 1980-1983 and was a member of their 1982 National Championship team. He’s also coached at Duquense, Maryland and Pitt.
“Their fans, I love them. They’re tough, you know they’re rough on you, but I love them because they’re so dedicated to their team,” Gattuso said about WVU fans. “So, I’ve been playing against them, been coaching against them since 1980 and I have a lot of respect for the fans and the program that they’ve built there. It’s a great community.”
Gattuso knows the challenge in front of him and his team. As someone who has experience with the program, he knows the matchup in Morgantown won’t be easy, but is ultimately looking forward to the opportunity.
“I know them well, looking forward to it. I know they’re going to give us a hard time from the stands and they’re going to give us a harder time on the field,” Gattuso said.
Kickoff on Saturday is set for 6 p.m. EST, with the game being streamed to ESPN+.
