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Texas Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2020

By Jake Mitchell

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns prepares to lead the team onto the field before the game against the Rice Owls at NRG Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns prepares to lead the team onto the field before the game against the Rice Owls at NRG Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Neal Brown of the West Virginia Mountaineers talks to his team during a time out against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Neal Brown of the West Virginia Mountaineers talks to his team during a time out against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

This series has had an interesting four years, to say the least. The home team hasn’t won this game since 2015, with the road team dominating as of late. The signature game in that stretch had to be the 2018 contest, which the Mountaineers won by a score of 42-41. Will Grier threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to make it 40-41 in favor of Texas, and a clutch two-point conversion run from Grier helped hand the Longhorns the defeat.

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In Neal Brown‘s first year, things didn’t change much. The 2019 game was a tight affair, with Texas trailing by three entering the fourth quarter. However, a 21-point fourth period put the Longhorns on top.

West Virginia finished just 5-7 a year ago, but they’ve obviously remained a tough out for most Big 12 teams. Step one in the rebuild in Morgantown is getting that offense back to its potent status of old. To do so, it will come down to the quarterback battle between Austin Kendall and Jarret Doege.

The Mountaineers may provide a test for Texas yet again, but this won’t be where the Longhorns slip up first in 2020. In fact, at home, this will be the most comfortable margin they’ve had against West Virginia in years.

Prediction: Texas 49, WVU 29 (6-0, 3-0)

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