The West Virginia Mountaineers travel south to get down with the Texas Longhorns in Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 11th. This BIG-12 match-up will get underway at High Noon ET and can be seen on the Fox sports 1 Network. As of Wednesday, the Longhorns are a slight -2 point favorite and the contest’s total is at 64 points.
West Virginia is having a superb season under the guidance of head coach Dana Holgorsen. The Mountaineers sport a quick strike, but balanced offense that is putting points on the board consistently. They also have a solid defense that’s done a fairly good job for coordinator Tony Gibson.
#16 West Virginia (7-1):
The passing attack of Skyler Howard has led the Mountaineers to the 26th best in the country. The combination of quarterback to pass catchers has tallied over 287 yards a game. For the season as a whole, Howard has passed for just under 2,300 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.
West Virginia likes to keep their offensive attack as balanced as possible. Running backs Justin Crawford and Rushel Shell have led the way, accumulating almost 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns. Skyler Howard helps the cause with almost 250 yards and a team-high six score via the ground.
Wide receivers Shelton Gibson and Daikiel Shorts have stepped-up for the passing attack of the Mountaineers. Together, the two exceptional wide outs have 77 grabs for over 1,300 yards and 10 scores. Gibson likes the long ball, leading the team with over a 20 yards per catch average.
The Mountaineers defense can give up some yardage on occasions but tighten up when it counts the most. West Virginia is 20th in the nation allowing only 20.6 points per contest. Also, the front seven does okay against running backs, allowing only 148 yards a game which is 46th in the country.
Texas (5-4):
The Longhorns have been an inconsistent ball club, which is why coach Charlie Strong’s future is in doubt. Right now, Texas is back on the up swing, winning their last two contests after losing three in a row. This ones a biggun’ for the Horns because the sixth win on the season would make them bowl eligible.
The learning curve has not been easy, but freshmen Shane Buechele surely has done his part in contributing to the Longhorn’s success. In his rookie campaign, Buechele has accumulated 2,257 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has scampered for 126 yards and another score.
There’s no secret to the Longhorn’s success, it’s in the running game and they love to pound that rock. D’Onta Foreman is making the case for himself that he is the best tail back in the conference. After nine games, Foreman has amassed 1,446 yards on 206 carries and has reached the promise land a team-high 13 times.
When freshmen signal-caller Shane Buechele tossed the pigskin around, he looks to his number one receiver Armanti Foreman. Foreman has snatched the rock out of the sky 33 times for 414 yards and three scores. Six other pass catchers have at least two or more touchdown grabs for the Longhorns.
Defensively, Texas has been atrocious all season long. The Longhorns are 112th in the nation, allowing almost 465 yards a game. They also have trouble against the pass as their secondary is ranked 108th in the nation, giving up 270 yards per contest. Unless this unit improves, Texas could end up with a losing record in 2016.
Trends and Notes:
The Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
The Under is 18-4 in the Mountaineers last 22 conference games.
The Under is 4-0 in the Longhorns last 4 games overall.
Game Prediction:
West Virginia comes into this match-up with their eyes focused on the prize. The BIG-12 title game and a shot at a major bowl. One things for sure, the Mountaineers boast enough offensive fire power to get the job done against the Texas defense.
Texas has been playing well of late, beating in-state rivals Baylor and Texas Tech in back-to-back games. D’Onta Foreman is having his way with whom ever the Longhorns face in the BIG-12. That will be the case once again.
This game is virtually a toss-up. That’s why I recommend not throwing down your greenbacks on a coin flip. Instead, go where the momentum and the numbers lead to in this one. Take the over 64 and cheer for whomever suits your fancy.
