Texas vs. West Virginia Odds
| Texas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 56.5 -105o / -115u | +110 |
| West Virginia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 56.5 -105o / -115u | -130 |
It's a battle of 4-6 teams Saturday at noon in Morgantown between Texas and West Virginia. The Longhorns come into this game absolutely reeling, having lost five in a row including last week's debacle against Kansas.
Everything went south for Texas following the collapse to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. The Longhorns had complete control of that game, and after letting it slip away, they've never been able to get back on track.
Meanwhile, West Virginia enters this contest coming off two consecutive losses, and the Mountaineers must now win the final two games to become bowl eligible. It has been an extremely up-and-down season for the Mountaineers, as they have struggled to find consistency on both sides of the ball.
Texas Longhorns
Texas Without Two Key Players Saturday
When it rains it pours, and this is the case for Texas right now. Steve Sarkisian announced in his Monday press conference that star RB Bijan Robinson will be out for the rest of the season. Moreover, the Longhorns' best corner, Josh Thompson, will also miss the remainder of the year, leaving a big hole in an already suspect secondary.
Robinson was by far the most dynamic playmaker on the Texas offense, and without him the Longhorns will turn to Roschon Johnson to handle most of the carries out of the backfield. Sark announced that Casey Thompson will get the start under center on Saturday, after playing both Thompson and Hudson Card last week.
Will Texas Get Off the Bus?
Motivation is another big concern for the Longhorns at this point in the season. With a five-game losing streak, a decimated roster, and tons of external noise around Austin, you have to wonder if Texas will show up for this one.
Sarkisian certainly did not expect his first year as the head man to play out like this, and his frustration continues to show in weekly press conferences.
Texas still has some pretty impressive offensive numbers across the board, and West Virginia's secondary has really struggled against the pass. Look for Thompson to try to dial up a heavy dose of deep throws to Xavier Worthy.
West Virginia Mountaineers
Lack of Consistency Holding Mountaineers Back
No two-game stretch sums up the West Virginia season more than the Iowa State and Oklahoma State games on consecutive weeks. Against the Cyclones, WVU went for 370 yards of total offense in a 38-31 victory at home. The following week, the Mountaineers hosted the Cowboys and barely eclipsed the 100 yard mark in a 24-3 loss.
This has been a theme for most of the season for West Virginia. Turnovers have plagued the offensive efficiency levels., and a lack of pass rush on defense has burned the defense. To finish the year strong and make a bowl game, the Mountaineers will need to crank it up a notch on both sides of the ball.
Attacking Texas Through the Air
West Virginia QB Jarret Doege has had plenty of time to throw throughout the season. The West Virginia OL ranks #1 in the country in pass blocking, and has done a remarkable job of keeping pass rushers away from the quarterback.
Despite having all of this time, Doege has not gone a good job of taking care of the football. The fifth-year senior has thrown 10 interceptions in 2021, and has had three games where he's tossed multiple picks.
Texas does not sack the quarterback, and the Longhorns come in at 104th in the country in defending the pass. If Doege can make the right decisions in the pocket, he should have ample opportunity to find open receivers down the field.
Texas vs. West Virginia Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Texas and West Virginia match up statistically:
Texas Offense vs. West Virginia Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 46 | 49 |  |
| Line Yards | 20 | 45 | |
| Pass Success | 49 | 79 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 105 | 100 | |
| Big Play | 29 | 16 | |
| Havoc | 52 | 57 | |
| Finishing Drives | 22 | 27 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
West Virginia Offense vs. Texas Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 82 | 78 | |
| Line Yards | 103 | 66 | |
| Pass Success | 50 | 104 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 1 | 119 | |
| Big Play | 87 | 90 | |
| Havoc | 97 | 106 | |
| Finishing Drives | 45 | 116 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 78 | 91 |
| Coverage | 56 | 75 |
| Middle 8 | 50 | 40 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 14 | 84 |
| Plays per Minute | 39 | 95 |
| Rush Rate | 56.9% (54) | 48.7% (103) |
Texas vs. West Virginia Betting Pick
West Virginia opened as a short favorite in this game, and has hovered right around -2.5 to -3 throughout the week. When I break down this game, it's a bit difficult for me to play a side with all the uncertainty around the Texas program right now.
The one thing I do know is that Texas has all sorts of issues on the defensive end. Losing CB Josh Thompson will only magnify the problems in the secondary, and West Virginia has the wideouts to find some explosive plays in this game.
Neal Brown knows he needs to make a bowl game this season, and a win Saturday would make that likely with Kansas still to play in the final game. I expect the WVU offense to come out attacking and have plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the end zone.
Give me the West Virginia Team Total over at 28.5 in a game where I think the Mountaineers flirt with 40. Country Roads, Take Me Home.
