2014
West Virginia
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule and Odds
Without a quarterback or above average defense, there’s not a whole lot you can do in the Big 12. West Virginia was inconsistent to say the least last year. They used three different QBs and their defense was one of the worst in the conference. They lost 37-0 to Maryland one week then beat Oklahoma State the next. They won at TCU, then lost to Kansas and Iowa State. The Mountaineers need to improve on their Four wins or Dana Holgorsen will be on the hot seat.
If we use the odds as an indicator, it looks like trouble for Holgorsen. Their over/under win total at 5 dimes sportsbook is 4.5 wins and bettors are favoring the under.
Clint Trickett is the best returning QB from last year and he finished with a 52.8 completion percentage along with only 7 TDs and 7 INTs. Basically, that’s not going to cut it for this team. He’ll be competing with a few other guys, most notably freshman William Crest, who could easily win the spot. Without stable play at the QB spot, this offense will always be limited. The Mountaineers lost their top RB from last year, but have former Pittsburgh back Rushel Shell to go with Dreamius Smith. The duo should make matters a tad easier for the quarterback.
The offensive line returns two stand-out guards, but that’s it. They’ll need to help out a young left tackle and center. As for the passing Game, they return Four of their top five wide outs from 2013, so at least Trickett and company will have some experienced pass-catchers to look at.
WVU’s defense will be using its Fourth coordinator in as many seasons. They return a few studs, but the defensive line could still be a problem. They had trouble pressuring the QB last season and weren’t great at stopping the run. The good news is that the back seven is filled with experience and quality. Isaiah Bruce and Nick Kwiatkowski bring leadership to the middle of the field, while Daryl Worley and Karl Joseph should be great in the secondary due to their physical play.
The non-Conference Schedule for West Virginia isn’t all that kind as they’ll face Alabama right out of the gates followed by a road Game at Maryland. They could easily be 1-2 entering Big 12 play against Oklahoma.
The Mountaineers will be hard-pressed to win a road Game this year, unless they can figure things out by the end of the season and win at Iowa State. The best chances for Conference wins will come against Kansas and TCU, both at home. To surpass last season’s win total, they’ll need to get a fairly large upset against Baylor or Kansas State at home.
It’s unlikely whoever they have at quarterback will be ready for Alabama in that first Game, and while the defense should be improved, the Crimson Tide are another story. That Game could get ugly.
2014 West Virginia Football Schedule
Aug. 30 vs. Alabama (in Atlanta)
Sept. 6 vs. Towson
Sept. 13 at Maryland
Sept. 20 vs. Oklahoma
Oct. 4 vs. Kansas
Oct. 11 at Texas Tech
Oct. 18 vs. Baylor
Oct. 25 at Oklahoma State
Nov. 1 vs. TCU
Nov. 8 at Texas
Nov. 20 vs. Kansas State
Nov. 29 at Iowa State