West Virginia Football: 2018 Hype train is out of control

2018 Schedule and predictions

Date

Opponent

H/A

1

Sep. 1

Tennessee

Home

2

Sep. 8

Youngstown State

Home

3

Sep. 15

NC State

Away

4

Sep. 22

Kansas State

Home

5

Sep. 29

Texas Tech

Home

6

Oct. 6

Kansas

Home

7

Oct. 13

Iowa State

Away

8

Oct. 20

Bye

N/A

9

Oct. 25

Baylor

Home

10

Nov. 3

Texas

Away

11

Nov. 10

TCU

Home

12

Nov. 17

Oklahoma State

Away

13

Nov. 23

Oklahoma

Home

The Mountaineers are considered this big hype machine but they’re only the 43rd ranked team in the S&P+ pre-season analytics. With the offensive firepower they have returning another seven-win or eight-win season won’t bode well for Coach Holgorsen. The Mountaineers have to improve their 93rd ranked special teams unit from a year ago if they want to win games. Holgorsen’s staff pulled in the country’s 35th rated recruiting class per 247 Sports which was an overachievement compared to their S&P+ ranking.

The Mountaineers open with Tennessee at home in Jeremy Pruitt’s debut with the Vols. They then host FCS program Youngstown State before a big road trip to NC State. The Wolfpack are the clear  favorite on the road and that’s a tough game for West Virginia.

The Big 12 slate starts with a home game against Kansas State before a road trip to Texas Tech. That should be a split for the Mountaineers before hosting lowly Kansas who should be an easy victory and tune up before giant killer Iowa State. The Cyclones will be a tough game on the road for Will Grier’s squad.

After a bye week West Virginia hosts Baylor on a Thursday night and gets Texas on the road after a long weekend. The end stretch is quite brutal as the Mountaineers host TCU, travel to Oklahoma State, and then finish the regular season by hosting the Oklahoma Sooners.

I predict the season does not go well for the Mountaineers and Dana Holgorsen is the head football coach at Texas Tech in 2019.

Prediction: 6-6