2013 Season Analysis- Gm. 9 AT WEST VIRGINIA

By Adam Sweeney

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 9

SERIES RECORD:  Texas 0, West Virginia 2

LAST:  #11 Texas 45, #8 West Virginia 48 (2012)

IF THE LONGHORNS expect to bring home the Big 12 title, they must take care of business against their inferior opponents on the road. A trip to Morgantown to face West Virginia fits that criteria.

West Virginia’s first-ever trip to Austin last season resulted in  [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] a game almost as crazy as head coach Dana Holgorsen’s hair. Early Heisman frontrunner Geno Smith and the Mountaineers outlasted Texas, 48-45, to move to a 5-0 record and a top-five national ranking. From there, things got ugly as West Virginia — thanks to a defense that gave up 38 points a game — stumbled to a disappointing 7-6 finish. Smith and receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are gone, leaving the Longhorns with a better chance at taking the Mountaineers to the wood shed.

Holgorsen loves to throw the pigskin but he’ll need a miracle to post similar numbers from the 2012 season without a reliable quarterback. The team also lost three starters on the offensive line and lacks dependable receivers. Jordan Thompson, West Virginia’s top remaining receiver, had 85 receiving yards all of last season. Jaxon Shipley could do that in a half, maybe even in one quarter against West Virginia. Andrew Buie and a number of West Virginia running backs will have to hold down the fort until reinforcements come.

Look for the Longhorns to impose their will offensively on the Mountaineers. The electric trio of Smith, Austin and Bailey was the only thing that prevented West Virginia from posting a losing record last year. With those players now in the NFL, West Virginia doesn’t have enough bullets to make a stand against the Longhorns. The Mountaineers look destined for the bottom half of the Big 12.

 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

WEST VIRGINIA 2013 SCHEDULE

 

AUG 31 vs. William & Mary

SEP 7 at Oklahoma

SEP 14 vs. Georgia State

SEP 21 at Maryland

SEP 28 vs. Oklahoma State

OCT 5 at Baylor

OCT 19 vs. Texas Tech

OCT 26 at Kansas State

NOV 2 at TCU

NOV 9 vs. Texas

NOV 16 at Kansas

NOV 29 vs. Iowa State

 

HEAD COACH:  Dana Holgorsen

STADIUM NAME AND

CAPACITY:  Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, capacity 60,000

2012 FINAL CONFERENCE

STANDING:  8^th (Big 12)

2012 RECORD: 7-6

ALL TIME RECORD:

708-463-45 (.601)

 

DID YOU KNOW?

With a 708–463–45 record, West Virginia ranks 14^th  in victories among NCAA FBS programs and has the most victories among programs that have never won a national championship.

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