West Virginia Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2019

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AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 03: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns scrambles pursued by Reese Donahue #46 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Morgantown, W.V.. Texas Longhorns. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 851. Oct. 5. 5

The Mountaineers biggest early-season matchup in the Big 12 comes against Texas on Oct. 5. The Longhorns are neck-and-neck with the Sooners among the conference’s elite, but Texas returns their starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Ehlinger didn’t appreciate the ‘Eers (and, virtually, everybody else), flashing, “Horns Down” all over the place, so he’ll be ready for every opponent in 2019, particularly West Virginia.

Tom Herman’s still a crybaby, but we’ll cut Ehlinger some slack because he’s still a kid. He’s not a man. He’s not 40.

Each team will look wildly different from a season ago, but the Longhorns brought back the most pieces that mattered: Ehlinger, and wide receiver Collin Johnson. They already struggled slowing these two a season ago, but with departures of key figures in their secondary, the Texas duo could have a field day against the Mountaineers.

Prediction: Texas 40, West Virginia 23 (3-2, 1-1)

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