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West Virginia Football: Mountaineers seek redemption vs. Baylor

By Zach Bigalke

MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Ishmael Zamora #8 of the Baylor Bears is wrapped up after a catch by Elijah Battle #19 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second half during the game at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Ishmael Zamora #8 of the Baylor Bears is wrapped up after a catch by Elijah Battle #19 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second half during the game at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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West Virginia football hopes to rebound against Baylor after suffering their first loss. Don’t miss the Thursday action between the Mountaineers and Bears.

West Virginia stumbled on the road against Iowa State two weeks ago, then took a bye week to stew a little longer on their first defeat of the 2018 season. Now that they are back in action, the Mountaineers will hope to get back to winning ways in Big 12 action against Baylor in a Thursday night showdown in Morgantown.

With Will Grier at quarterback, West Virginia boasts one of the top 10 passing attacks in the entire country. Only two other teams in the FBS are as efficient passing the ball as the Mountaineers, who throw for an average of 320 yards per game. The defensive front, led by David Long Jr., has been incredibly proficient at getting through offensive lines and stopping opponents in the backfield.

Their opponents on Thursday, Baylor, are rebounding after several years spent in the cellar of the Big 12. The Bears are above .500 and need just two more wins to reach bowl eligibility after missing the postseason in 2017. They have the opportunity to play spoiler on the road before the weekend even gets going in earnest.

Only a dozen teams in the country enjoy more time of possession than Baylor. The Bears hold the ball for over 33 minutes a game, racking up 475 yards and 33 points per outing as a result.

Can the Bears pull off an upset in Morgantown in prime time? Here’s how you can watch the Thursday night game between Baylor and No. 13 West Virginia:

Date: Thursday, Oct. 25
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Morgantown, W.V.
Venue: Milan Puskar Stadium
TV: FS1
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

West Virginia needs to do a better job of stopping teams when they reach the red zone, as they currently rank 105th nationally in red zone defense. Better yet, they would be wise to keep Baylor out of the red zone completely. The Mountaineers also need to cut back on the penalties if they are going to stay ahead of the Bears on Thursday.

Baylor’s turnover-averse defense needs to generate takeaways if they are going to keep West Virginia’s high-powered offense from running away with victory. The Baylor offensive line also needs to do a better job of protecting quarterback Charlie Brewer and preventing defenders from getting into the backfield.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: West Virginia -14
Over/Under: 68

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Prediction

West Virginia is going to be pushed by Baylor in a way that few people are expecting. While the oddsmakers have pegged the Mountaineers as a two-touchdown favorite, this contest is going to be much closer. Look for West Virginia to come back to win after Baylor puts the home crowd on upset alert in the first half.

Final Score: West Virginia 38, Baylor 34

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