MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Marc Bulger's return to good health is welcomed by more than his struggling West Virginia teammates.

Virginia Tech cornerback Ike Charlton is glad he's back, too.

Bulger will try to help West Virginia avoid bowl elimination Saturday when the Mountaineers (3-5, 2-2 Big East) play host to No. 3 Virginia Tech (7-0, 3-0).

Last year, Bulger threw four interceptions -- three by Charlton -- in a 27-13 loss at Virginia Tech. It was one of the few low points for Bulger in a year in which he threw for 3,178 yards and 27 touchdowns.

"When you're getting pressure on a quarterback, a quarterback can make bad throws," Charlton said. "It was a chance to make plays. If it calls for me to make the play at the right time of the game, I know I can do that."

This has been a nightmare year for Bulger.

He hurt his leg in the season opener and played cautiously the next two weeks. In the fourth game, he broke a finger on his throwing hand and sat out the next two games.

Only one of his eight career 300-yard games has occurred this season. He has thrown 12 interceptions and just six touchdown passes.

One of two returning starters on offense, Bulger admittedly has tried to win many games by himself -- and it has backfired.

"He only did that once last year, and that was against Virginia Tech," West Virginia coach Don Nehlen said. "That's the only time he kind of self-destructed.

"This year it's happened more, and I think it's because he tries to do more than he needs to. I think he's stretching himself a little bit. And we've got to make sure he doesn't do that. You can't do that against this team. We don't have one guy on our offense that's going to win this game. We better have 11."

Bulger, who holds 25 school records, had hoped to break Donovan McNabb's Big East career passing record of 8,389 yards. He would need to throw for 1,443 yards in his final three games.

Last week provided a glimpse of hope. In his first full game in good health, Bulger threw for 346 yards at Miami. But he had four interceptions, and West Virginia couldn't hold a 13-point halftime lead.

"He's had a pretty down year, but you know he'll definitely be ready for this game," Charlton said. "Bulger's the real deal. He's a quarterback that reads pretty good and makes a quick release."

A loss Saturday will eliminate West Virginia from bowl consideration for the first time in four seasons.

Nehlen already seems resigned to that.

"If we don't go to a bowl, we'll be like 80 percent of the other teams," Nehlen said. "When we go to them, we get ridiculed: 'What a lousy bowl that is.' Now that we're not going to a bowl: 'What a lousy team, can't even get to a lousy bowl.'

"If we don't play in the Sugar Bowl or the Rose Bowl, we're lousy anyhow. Then if we don't go to a bowl, we're lousier. So it's the degree of lousiness, I guess."