West Virginia returns home riding plenty of momentum as the Mountaineers welcome Oklahoma State to Morgantown for the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Rich Rodriguez’s Mountaineers are off to a 3-0 start after picking up their biggest win of the season on Saturday, knocking off No. 25 Virginia 38-27 in Charlotte. Michael Hawkins Jr. was the difference-maker, accounting for five touchdowns while rushing for 123 yards as West Virginia turned what looked like a difficult non-conference test into a statement win.
Oklahoma State enters at 2-1, and the Cowboys have been one of the more difficult Big 12 teams to figure out through three weeks. They opened the season with a disappointing 24-10 loss at Tulsa, responded by beating Oregon 39-31, and then handled Murray State 59-0 last weekend.
Now we get to find out a little more about both teams.
Is West Virginia’s 3-0 start — and especially what we saw against Virginia — a sign that the Mountaineers are ready to become a legitimate factor in the Big 12 race? Or can Oklahoma State go into Morgantown and prove that its ugly season-opening loss was simply an aberration?
Saturday night should start providing some answers.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Odds
- Spread: West Virginia -1.5
- Over/Under: 60.5
- Moneyline: West Virginia -122/Oklahoma State +102
Odds as of Tuesday afternoon. Odds are subject to change.
The Biggest Question: Who Controls the Tempo?
Oklahoma State’s passing attack has been on point since its Week 1 mess vs. Tulsa. The Cowboys rank first in the Big 12 Conference in passing yards per game at 306.3, tied with Baylor. Meantime, WVU’s secondary has had issues, ranking 14th in the Big 12 in passing yards allowed per game (246.3). Considering WVU hasn’t really seen a passing attack close to what OSU brings to the table, this could be cause for concern.
However, if WVU can control the tempo with its running game, as we saw last week against Virginia, then this will give the Mountaineers defense the rest that it needs to keep OSU’s passing game in check. The Mountaineers lead the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (281.3), and will need Hawkins, Cook & Co. (sounds like a law firm) to do a lot of damage on the ground to win this game over the Cowboys.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Prediction and Pick
Prediction: West Virginia 31, Oklahoma State 27
Most Big 12 fans haven’t seen a game of this magnitude in Morgantown ever. The place is going to be absolutely bonkers. And for an Oklahoma State coaching staff and team that has a lot of new faces, many making a leap up to the Power 4, this is going to be a road environment unlikely anything most of them have experienced. That’s a highly underrated advantage going into this game.
There are two reasons main match up reasons I am rolling with the Mountaineers: 1) The running game. This unit is firing on all cylinders, and as Michael Hawkins Jr. continues to develop in the passing game, he will keep defenses honest when it comes to overplaying the run. I could see that happening on multiple occasions this weekend. 2) WVU’s pass rush has been underrated, including three sacks vs. UVA last week, which came into the season with one of the better offensive lines in the ACC. Lastly, I will give the coaching edge to Rich Rodriguez in Year 2, as a veteran, over Eric Morris, who is still very much on the front end of his career, about to coach in the biggest game of his career.
Also of note: The public is overwhelmingly backing Oklahoma State, but the line movement suggests the sharper side may be West Virginia.
West Virginia wins. West Virginia covers.
