By: WV Sports Chat Staff
The undefeated No. 23 BYU Cougars (4-0) welcome a struggling West Virginia squad (2-3) to LaVell Edwards Stadium for a primetime Big 12 showdown under the lights.
All WV Sports Chat staff members correctly picked the Mountaineers to lose againt Utah last weekend in Morgantown. WIll anyone roll the dice and pick an upset in Provo?
Season Standings:
- Jonathan K. Martin 3-2
- Justin “Couz” Walker 3-2
- James Gravely 2-3
- Cole Livengood 2-3
- Shanna Rose 2-3
Jonathan K. Martin | On paper these two teams couldn’t be anymore opposite. West Virginia is struggling and BYU is catching their stride.
There is, however, some glimmer of hope for the Mountaineers. Despite a blowout loss to Utah, they appeared to find a few pieces in the second half that could give them a shot in the arm. Khalil Wilkins is expected to start at quarterback and provide the athletic upgrade they need. Meanwhile, Donovan Haslam and Malik Agbo did nice things on the offensive line.
The question is … is it enough to roll into BYU and pull off the upset. I think the Mountaineers do enough to feel better about themselves, but not win the game.
BYU 34 West Virginia 17
Justin “Couz” Walker | As WVU comes off back-to-back blowout losses in Big 12 play, things do not get any easier. The Mountaineers travel to Provo to take on the #23 BYU Cougars. The situation is not ideal for West Virginia either. Not only is it on the road against a really good team, it’s a Friday night game that doesn’t kickoff until 10:30pm Eastern time. As of this writing, BYU is favored by 19.5 points.
BYU boasts one of the top defenses in the Big 12. Meanwhile, the WVU offense has struggled; scoring only 24 points combined in their two conference games. Adding to those struggles is the uncertainty at quarterback. The two most experienced quarterbacks, Nicco Marchiol and Jaylen Henderson, are both out with injuries and Max Brown is questionable. That leaves redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins and true freshman Scotty Fox as the most likely candidates to start against the Cougars.
Defensively, Zac Alley’s unit will try to bounce back from a poor showing at home last week against Utah. They will need to clean up their tackling to stop BYU running back, LJ Martin, who averages over 7 yards per carry.
Everything will need to go right for the Mountaineers to pull off the upset in this one. Unfortunately, that’s a tall task and I just don’t see it happening.
BYU 31 WVU 17
James Gravely | Another week, another loss? This would be the third week in a row for WVU to lose in the Big 12. Eventually Rich Rod saying he will have his guys ready will be true. Will it be Friday night?
There’s a lot more questions than answers about this WVU football team right now … being 2-3, 0-2 in Big 12. Uphill climb. But can we trust Rodriguez and his staff to weather the storm and have the players ready Friday night on a short week?
We likely see Khalil Wilkins start at quarterback. That’s probably a mixture of good and bad. But here’s the thing. I believe in Rodriguez and his staff. The O-Line is depleted. Receivers can’t get open. Missed tackles last week. It’s a mess. Therefore give me WVU winning this game.
West Virginia 28 BYU 27
Cole Livengood | West Virginia enters this week in “win-now” mode following a horrendous two-week stretch that saw the Mountaineers get blown out by Kansas and Utah. The Mountaineers will be without both Nicco Marchiol, who is medically redshirting the remainder of this season, and Jaylen Henderson who will also miss this week’s contest.
If the Mountaineers want any chance at making the postseason this year, they must find a way to get over their top 25 struggles. Since 2015, West Virginia is 7-28 against top 25 opponents with their last win coming in 2021 against #22 Iowa State in Morgantown.
BYU is coming off a gutsy 24-21 victory over Colorado where quarterback Bear Bachmeier went 19-27 for 179 yards and two touchdowns alongside 98 rushing yards on 15 carries. I just don’t see West Virginia competing in this one.
BYU 31 West Virginia 17
Shanna Rose | WVU has dropped two straight games, and the offense has combined for just 24 points. With Nicco Marchiol out for the season, the Mountaineers started Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson last week, but it wasn’t until freshman Khalil Wilkins entered the game that the offense showed some life.
In three drives, Wilkins totaled 201 yards and two touchdowns. If running back Tye Edwards is back and healthy, he would drastically improve the Mountaineers’ offense. BYU is looking to improve to 5-0 and has one of the top running games in the country.
The Cougars lead the Big 12 with 251.3 rushing yards per game. Against Colorado, freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier had a strong game. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. He also contributed on the ground, rushing 15 times for 98 yards. LJ Martin is the Cougars’ leading rusher, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He is one of only seven players in the FBS to record 100+ rushing yards in three or more consecutive games this season. BYU is averaging 38.5 points per game while allowing just 9.2.
The offense is ranked 23rd nationally, while the defense ranks fourth. The Cougars are the better team, and things could get ugly for WVU.
BYU 35 West Virginia 10
