OK, so it's not for the Little Brown Jug or the Old Oaken Bucket, but the D.C. Cup (aka D.C. Mayor's Cup) offers the opportunity for the District's two Division I teams, Howard and Georgetown, a chance to build a rivalry and get some attention in the Redskins-centric media market that is Washington D.C. Both teams have had little to show for the 2009 season to date, which makes this game all the more important, especially at Georgetown.

The Howard Bison suffered through a 1-10 season last year, falling victim to the Hoyas in the opening game of the 2008 season. The 2009 season has been much the same, with lopsided losses at Rutgers and Florida A&M. And despite an offensive line averaging 296 lbs. and 23 redshirts on the two-deep, Howard will need to look to a senior quarterback and a pair of underclassmen to  take the cup back across town.

Redshirt senior quarterback Floyd Haigler leads the Bison in rushing and passing; like Georgetown, Howard has not been proficient at either to date. Haigler was 17-30 for 183 yards in last season's game but four Georgetown sacks kept the score within reach for a GU team that averaged under 10 points a game last season. Neither of its running backs listed as starters have carries to date, but  Haigler may look to sophomore WR Willie Carter (10-139-1) as a better option in the secondary. Carter accounts for half of Haigler's passing yards this season, with no other teammate with more than three catches this season.

Howard's defensive numbers are skewed by two strong opponents to begin the season, but the Bison will still have to do a better job on the ground in this one. Utilizing a 2-5-4 setup, redshirt freshman linebacker Keith Pough (16.5 tackles) figures to get a lot of looks running plays, while a veteran secondary led by senior Arando Jamison (11.5 tackles, one sack) will test Georgetown should it consider a more open passing attack.

The story of the Hoyas' 2009 season continues to be one of an ineffective offense and a withering defense. Freshman QB Isaiah Kempf caught a break in his debut when Yale coaches admitted they hadn't prepared for him to start, but Howard should be a tougher test for the freshman as a result of film work. The lack of production from running backs Charlie  Houghton and Philip Oladeji continue to limit Georgetown's offensive options, but the play-calling has to improve before the running game can open up. Georgetown is averaging just 26.7 yards a game on the ground, and on target for the fewest rushing yards gained in a season since it joined the PL in 2001.

Defensively, the Hoyas earned varying praise for playing its last three opponents better than expected, but Georgetown has been hurt in mid-range passing which has allowed upwards of 300 yards a game. Defensive pressure was the key in last year's game with the Bison and figures to be a priority this week.

Some keys to the game:
1. Average Yards Per Rush. Georgetown is averaging 1.5 yards per rush in 2009 versus 3.2 yards per game in an otherwise poor 2008 season. If the Hoyas can't rush, they can't win.
2. Giveaways: The two teams have combined for 14 fumbles in 2009. An errant ball could be the difference.
3. Watch the Skies: Though no hurricane is imminent, rain may be a factor in Saturday's game, putting added pressure on special teams, especially on punt return yardage.

Since defeating Howard on Sep. 7, 2008, Georgetown has lost 12 of 13 games and has not shown any consistency in addressing ongoing issues on offense. With only one home game in the next six, it may be presumptuous to call Saturday's game a must win, but there's little reason why the Homecoming game can't be the best effort of the year, and it's needed now more than ever.