WVU Football Secures First Win Of 2021, Hosts No. 15 Virginia Tech This Week

Written By Chris Imperiale on September 16, 2021Last Updated on March 16, 2025

As soon as the game started, WVU football fans were filled with anticipation for a promising day. After falling narrowly short in their previous match against Maryland, Winston Wright Jr. swiftly returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, boosting the Mountaineers’ spirits.

From there, the team never turned back.

On a day filled with little mishaps, WVU emerged victorious with a remarkable score of 66-0. If the Mountaineers had not eased up, the outcome could have been even more devastating for Long Island University.

Many reserve players had the opportunity to contribute effectively during the game, boosting the team’s confidence as they enter the busiest part of the schedule.

Naturally, WVU supporters were also pleased with this outcome. Even though the line wasn’t available at the beginning of the week, West Virginia sportsbooks managed to have one ready before the start of the game.

If you were confident enough to bet on WVU with a spread of around -50, your faith was rewarded with their effortless win.

Over the weekend, the Mountaineers face off against the highly skilled No. 15 Virginia Tech team. The Hokies have displayed an impressive performance this year, remaining undefeated with a record of 2-0.

Now, let’s reflect on the rout from last weekend and analyze the upcoming Saturday’s match against Tech.

WVU Football Odds At WV Sportsbooks

Navy NAV

Notre Dame ND
8/26, TBD

Nebraska NEB

Minnesota MIN
8/31, TBD

Florida FLA

Utah UTH
8/31, TBD

Miami (OH) MOH

Miami MFL
9/1, TBD

South Carolina SC

North Carolina NC
9/2, TBD

Colorado COL

TCU TCU
9/2, TBD

West Virginia WVU

Penn State PSU
9/2, TBD

LSU LSU

Florida State FSU
9/3, TBD

Clemson CLE

Duke DUK
9/4, TBD

Mountaineers Earn Lopsided Win

WVU was able to channel any frustrations from its loss against Maryland and unleash them on LIU.

In addition to Wright’s 90-yard return at the beginning, running back Leddie Brown scored two touchdowns in the first quarter.

The lead was further extended to 38-0 at halftime, thanks to two additional touchdowns in the second quarter, making the outcome essentially determined.

The Mountaineers accumulated a total of 500+ yards on offense, while keeping LIU to less than 100 yards. Throughout the game, they secured 29 first downs, whereas LIU only managed to obtain nine.

Despite only forcing one turnover, WVU’s defense displayed excellence throughout the entire game. They compelled LIU to punt a total of 10 times, frequently forcing three-and-outs.

Due to the Sharks’ brief presence on the field, the majority of the WVU defenders failed to accumulate noteworthy statistics. The team’s highest total tackles were achieved by Josh Chandler-Semedo, who recorded five in total. Additionally, Akheem Mesidor and Darel Middleton each obtained a sack.

Almost everyone on offense had a chance to touch the ball.

Jarret Doege, the starting quarterback, put on an impressive performance while Garrett Greene also received ample playing time.

Doege recorded an impressive 259 yards passing and scored three touchdowns. In contrast, Greene’s passing game only amounted to 57 yards on seven attempts. Nevertheless, Greene excelled in the running attack.

Greene dominated the game as the top rusher, amassing an impressive 98 yards on 14 carries. Additionally, he found the end zone twice to contribute to his team’s score.

Brown led the team in rushing attempts with 15, however, he was unable to make significant progress aside from scoring two early touchdowns. In total, he only gained 31 yards on the ground.

In addition, Justin Johnson Jr., a freshman, carried the ball 10 times, gaining 42 yards.

During the passing game, a total of 10 players successfully caught at least one ball. Among them, four individuals managed to make three receptions each, with Sean Ryan leading the pack by accumulating an impressive 77 yards.

In the second and third quarters, Junior Sam James managed to score touchdowns.

WVU Football Vs. Virginia Tech Preview

It can be presumed that facing Virginia Tech this week will not be as effortless.

In their previous match against MTSU, the Hokies not only covered the spread but also delivered an outstanding performance. Despite being 5.5-point underdogs, they managed to defeat No. 10 North Carolina by seven points in their opening game at home.

Throughout the game, their defense was absolutely dominant, causing three turnovers and allowing a mere 10 points.

In order to outperform UNC, the Mountaineers must display exceptional sharpness.

In the first two weeks, Virginia Tech’s defense boasts five players who have recorded double-digit tackles. Nasir Peoples, a defensive back, stands out with a total of 17 tackles, closely followed by linebacker Alan Tisdale with 15 tackles.

Leading the defense in sacks, junior TyJuan Garbutt boasts a total of two sacks. Meanwhile, another junior, Jermaine Waller, has already secured two interceptions in the early stages of the season.

The Mountaineers will aim to limit the impact of dual-threat QB Braxton Burmeister on the opposing side of the ball.

After participating in two competitions, he is currently the leading rusher for the Hokies with a total of 94 yards, maintaining an average of 5.5 yards per carry.

Although Virginia Tech seems to prefer running the ball, Burmeister managed to complete over 60% of his passes for a total of 311 yards within a span of two weeks.

Jalen Holston and Raheem Blackshear, the running backs for VT, take turns on the field. Together, they have accumulated nearly 150 yards and scored three times.

Keep an eye out for junior receiver Tre Turner when the Hokies decide to pass. Turner has emerged as the team’s top performer in terms of receptions and yards, showcasing his ability to make significant plays.

Betting On WVU-VT

Now you can find the odds for this week’s game on WV online sportsbooks.

BetMGM WV Sportsbook predicts that the Mountaineers will have a slight advantage on Saturday. The point spread is set at -2.5 in their favor, with a moneyline of -145.

You can get the ranked Hokies at odds of +120.

The total points for this week’s game have slightly decreased compared to previous matchups. BetMGM has set it at 50.5 points, whereas it was around 57 points for Maryland and approximately 56 points last weekend.

The Mountaineers have displayed impressive performance in the initial halves of their games this year. Bettors have the option to consider this strategy, as WVU is only favored by -0.5 in the spread. The moneyline for their first-half score stands at -140, while VT is listed at +115.

BetMGM offers a wide range of prop bets for this game, including the option to bet on whether both teams will score 10 or more points in the first half. The odds for a “yes” outcome stand at +105, while the odds for a “no” outcome are set at -135.