The official return of football season has arrived!
This Saturday, the WVU Mountaineers will kick off their 2020 campaign at home, facing Eastern Kentucky.
This fall, despite a turbulent offseason, college football betting will be available at West Virginia sportsbooks.
Fortunately, the Big 12 Conference, to which WVU football belongs, has made the decision to proceed with fall sports this year.
The Pac 12 and Big Ten, along with several other Power 5 conferences, made the decision to delay football until a later time in the academic year.
The show must go on, even though the implications for this season remain uncertain.
The SEC and ACC conferences, along with the Big 12, are participating in the regular fall season.
Both retail sportsbooks and online sports betting apps in the state have received significant news. College football wagering plays a crucial role in driving the majority of the action throughout the year.
There is a great deal of optimism surrounding the Mountaineers this season as well. Second-year head coach Neal Brown is determined to restore WVU to its previous winning streaks.
Despite 2019 being unremarkable for many, the team demonstrated progress towards the end. Despite only winning a total of five games throughout the season, WVU managed to achieve a 2-1 record in the last three games.
The most notable victory was the four-point win over No. 24 Kansas State, which was achieved on the road.
WV sportsbooks have got you covered as bettors gear up for the upcoming season. In fact, the state has recently expanded its online offerings.
In addition to the existing three mobile platforms, two new mobile apps have recently emerged in the market. William Hill Sportsbook and the betly app have officially launched and are currently accepting bets for the football season.
Mountaineers football preview
This season, Coach Brown and his squad are filled with greater aspirations. Despite a challenging start in the previous year, WVU football displayed immense resilience and determination during the latter half of the season.
In addition to securing victories in some of the concluding matches, they also experienced a couple of narrow defeats against highly-ranked adversaries.
Although WVU may not currently possess the necessary skills to secure a victory in the Big 12, it undeniably has the capability to be a strong competitor in 2020.
The Mountaineers’ increased success in November can be attributed, in part, to the decision of switching to Jarret Doege as their quarterback.
Starting the final three games of the year, the junior hailing from Lubbock, Texas infused the offense with a much-needed spark.
During his brief time as a signal-caller, he successfully completed over 65% of his passes, accumulating more than 800 yards and seven touchdowns.
Coach Brown’s confidence in sticking with Doege going forward was built upon his impressive performance last year as well as during this summer.
Before their opening game against EKU this weekend, the team released the depth chart that outlines their overall lineup.
Doege will be backed up by Austin Kendall, who was the starting quarterback for the majority of the Mountaineers’ games last season.
The backfield will be filled with familiar faces for the quarterback, as Leddie Brown and Alec Sinkfield are back to lead the WVU rushing attack, which fell short of expectations last season.
Leading the team in rushing, Brown accumulated a total of 367 yards on 107 carries. Additionally, the two backs contributed 22 receptions from the backfield.
In order to alleviate pressure on the young quarterbacks, WVU must focus on enhancing its running game for the upcoming season. The team experienced frequent setbacks in 2019, often having to rely heavily on passing to regain ground in games.
Big 12 Conference
Despite the rescheduling and cancellations resulting in WVU’s loss of meetings with Florida State and Maryland, the team still faces a highly challenging schedule.
Once more, the Big 12 Conference boasts an abundance of talent. It showcases top-tier teams at the pinnacle, accompanied by ample depth across the entire league.
For the sixth year in a row, Oklahoma is expected to emerge as the conference champion.
Currently, the Sooners are listed as -125 favorites to secure the regular-season title on DraftKings WV Sportsbook.
However, the conference offers a high level of competition.
Texas is currently leading the pack of strong contenders. The Longhorns secured third place last year, boasting an 8-5 record.
WVU is currently ranked below three other teams in the online sportsbook’s live betting odds to win the conference in WV. These teams include:
- Oklahoma State +650
- Iowa State +1000
- TCU +1600
This year, WVU will have an early opportunity to showcase its talent. Following the opener, the Mountaineers will embark on a journey to Oklahoma State, and subsequently, they will confront Baylor in a home game.
Last year, the Bears achieved an 11-3 record.
If the Mountaineers manage to begin the season with a burst of speed, there is a chance they could achieve an unexpected record. Their schedule remains relatively manageable until October.
In the upcoming month, WVU’s conference-only schedule intensifies considerably. The team will conclude the season by facing off against four of the conference’s top-performing teams.
Heading into the year, three individuals have been ranked. They are:
- No. 14 Texas
- No. 5 Oklahoma
- No. 23 Iowa State
The Mountaineers are expected to secure a mid-ranking position in the Big 12 this season, which is a significant improvement from their performance last year. They were consistently considered underdogs by sportsbooks in almost every conference game.
While it’s uncertain if WVU will secure the title, one thing is for sure—expect the unexpected in a year filled with so much unpredictability.
WVU vs. Eastern Kentucky
The season opener will not pose a significant challenge. Consequently, Coach Brown will have the opportunity to interchange numerous players and help them readjust to the pace of the game.
Surprisingly, Eastern Kentucky has commenced their season by playing their inaugural game of the new year against Marshall.
Last weekend, the Thundering Herd dominated the FCS-subdivision team, achieving a resounding 59-0 victory.
WVU is unsurprisingly favored by a large margin in WV sportsbooks.
The Colonels aim to improve their offensive efficiency as they only achieved a mere seven first downs and accumulated a total of 166 yards in the previous week.
The WVU defense should anticipate a significant amount of ground action. Even though EKU was behind throughout the entire game, they chose to run the ball almost twice as often as they attempted passes last week.
Despite their lack of success, the Colonels did manage to find a few moments of success.
Quentin Pringle, a sophomore, accumulated an impressive total of 39 rushing yards by carrying the ball only six times.
In order for EKU to maintain the WVU defense’s honesty, it is crucial for them to not only excel in the running game but also pose a significant vertical threat.
Most plays should allow the Mountaineers’ secondary to press the receivers and advance towards the line of scrimmage. This strategy will restrict EKU and narrow down the field for their playmakers.
Marshall limited the Colonels to just 80 yards passing.
Although the game’s outcome may not be thrilling, WVU is expected to perform well on both offense and defense.
Based on ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Mountaineers are highly favored to win the game with a near 99% chance. As a result, it is highly likely that backups in every position will have a chance to play on Saturday.
College football betting at WV Sportsbooks
In the state of West Virginia, bettors have the option to place bets on the upcoming season or Saturday’s game through various online sportsbooks. In addition to the recently introduced sportsbooks like DraftKings, William Hill, and betly, WV sports betting customers have a range of other choices available to them.
As of now, DraftKings offers the following odds for WVU’s initial game this year:
- WVU -40.5 (-110)
- EKU +40.5 (-110)
Additionally, you have the opportunity to place bets on WVU futures at present. The online sportsbook provides a list of odds for WVU’s chances of winning the Big 12 Conference.
Win Big 12
- WVU +2500
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