West Virginia Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Texas Tech
West Virginia football will host red-hot Texas Tech in Week 7 and here’s everything you need to know for the Big 12 matchup.
The season hasn’t gone quite as expected for West Virginia football as it’s off to a 3-2 start and has been bounced from the AP Top 25. Still, things are looking up for the program but Dana Holgorsen is looking to avoid a letdown season after reaching 10 wins in 2016.
The Mountaineers will get a surprisingly tricky test in Texas Tech in Week 7 as the Red Raiders come into the game much tougher than expected. Despite losing Patrick Mahomes to the NFL, the Red Raiders continue to field one of the best passing offenses in the country behind senior Nic Shimonek. In fact, he has thrown for 1,811 yards and 14 touchdowns in six games for the 4-1 Red Raiders, ranked No. 24.
West Virginia has an elite passer of its own, though. Will Grier, a Florida-transfer, has been fantastic for the Mountaineers this season. He has passed for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions.
Which side will come out with the big win in this Big 12 bout? Whoever does come out on top is likely to be ranked in next week’s AP poll.
Here’s how to watch Saturday’s TCU football game:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Morgantown, W.V.
Venue: Milan Puskar Stadium
TV: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
Will Grier needs to continue to build that confidence on the offensive side of the ball, but this one is going to come down to defense. The Mountaineers need to find a way to hold Texas Tech’s passing game in check. The Red Raiders have a horrid secondary, so Grier should have a field day, but the Texas Tech offense is high-powered. Make Shimonek earn every completion.
Texas Tech is going to need to keep the train rolling with Shimonek torching defenses. He’s going to face a tougher West Virginia secondary, but the Mountaineers are prone to give up big plays. Basically, Texas Tech needs to continue to do what it does best, and that’s beat teams with the aerial attack. If Shimonek can go for over 300 yards with no turnovers, expect a road win for the Red Raiders.
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Prediction
This one has the look of a shootout in Morgantown, but it’ll be the home team that gets the advantage. The Red Raiders will put up some big-time numbers against a decent West Virginia secondary, but they just won’t have enough juice late in the game as Shimonek will throw a crucial game-clinching pick with two minutes left. Expect Grier to go for over 300 yards and the Mountaineers to total 500-plus offensive yards.
Final Score: Texas Tech 37, West Virginia 40