With the arrival of August on the calendar, college football enthusiasts can finally find solace. The long-awaited football season has been eagerly anticipated for months, and now fans and gamblers alike are merely a month away from witnessing their beloved college teams in action.
Without a doubt, the WVU Mountaineers are the team that represents West Virginia.
Entering 2019, the team, sporting gold and blue colors, embarks on a journey filled with numerous roster modifications. After a successful eight-year tenure under Dana Holgorsen, the reins of coaching are handed over to Neal Brown, who previously led Troy for the past four years.
In the wake of Will Grier’s departure to the NFL, WVU is set to introduce a new quarterback to their lineup. Among a group of three contenders, a fierce competition ensues to secure the coveted starting position.
This week, as the team gets ready for its fall camp, numerous roster decisions await. Despite significant departures, Brown possesses a skilled lineup that will compete against other teams in the Big 12 Conference.
The Mountaineers, who achieved a 6-3 record in the Big 12 last year, would consider themselves lucky to replicate that performance in 2019. The conference is widely regarded as one of the top in the country, boasting a few teams that could potentially make it to the playoffs.
Oklahoma and Texas, both ranked in the preseason top 10, enter the season.
If the rumors are true and a sportsbook app is launched in the Mountain State by the end of the month, the West Virginia sports betting market is expected to remain active throughout the football season, regardless of the Mountaineers’ outlook.
We will now analyze the entire Big 12 and assess how WVU will perform against the other teams in the conference this season.
Big 12 Conference favorites
For decades, Oklahoma and Texas have established themselves as dominant forces in the Big 12 conference. While there have been occasional seasons where both teams have failed to meet expectations, their recent performances have solidified their significance on the national stage.
Oklahoma Sooners
For quite some time now, the Oklahoma Sooners have established themselves as one of the top-performing and reliable teams. In the previous season, OU achieved an impressive 12-2 record, securing its second consecutive appearance in the CFB Playoff. Along the way, the team also triumphed in capturing its fourth consecutive Big 12 title.
In addition to their team’s dominance, Oklahoma has achieved an impressive feat of securing the last two Heisman Trophies. Both quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, clinched the coveted award during their final seasons with the team.
What’s even more unbelievable is that the Sooners have an opportunity to secure another Heisman trophy with Jalen Hurts, a talented quarterback who transferred from Alabama. Hurts, known for his exceptional playing skills, made the decision to leave Tuscaloosa after being replaced by the emerging star Tua Tagovailoa.
In 2019, Hurts is set to spearhead yet another formidable offensive assault under the guidance of coach Lincoln Riley. Last season, the coach orchestrated an offense that averaged over 59 points per game.
A significant portion of the OU backfield will consist of returning players. Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon, both running backs, will be back in Norman for another season. Together, they amassed over 2,000 rushing yards and scored 20 touchdowns in the previous year.
Despite the departure of four starters from Oklahoma’s offensive line, Hurts is expected to receive sufficient assistance, rendering the loss inconsequential.
CeeDee Lamb returns as the primary receiving menace, spearheading an electrifying pack of wideouts that will continually exploit the vertical game on every offensive drive.
In the 2018 season, Lamb outperformed Marquise Brown, who was selected in the first round, in both average yards per catch (17.8) and touchdowns scored (11).
Although Oklahoma’s defense could certainly benefit from some assistance, their offense is so potent that they only need to excel in a few games this year. This is why Oklahoma is a clear frontrunner to win the conference once again, and it’s easy to understand why.
The odds for DraftKings Sportsbook New Jersey to win the Big 12 are -167.
Texas Longhorns
Oklahoma’s long-time rival in Austin, the Texas Longhorns, is the sole Big 12 opponent capable of posing a genuine threat. In 2018, under the guidance of head coach Tom Herman, the Longhorns demonstrated promising progress, aligning with their planned second year goals.
Finishing the season with an impressive 10-4 record, the Longhorns achieved a remarkable triumph over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Sam Ehlinger, the quarterback for Texas, has demonstrated his ability to be one of the most influential college football players in the nation, as evidenced by his remarkable achievement of accumulating a total of 41 touchdowns in the previous year.
Last season, his leadership guided the offense, which played a pivotal role in the Longhorns’ remarkable average of over 41 points per game.
Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay have chosen to continue their education in order to enhance their already impressive performance from last year. As a dynamic duo, they accumulated over 1,500 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. With Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s departure, both Johnson and Duvernay are poised to seize even greater opportunities on the field.
Just like Oklahoma, Texas is expected to face defensive challenges. The Longhorns will have a limited number of returning starters, with only two from the previous year.
Caden Sterns, a sophomore defensive back, will be the leader of the group and aims to maintain his exceptional performance from the previous season. Leading the team with four interceptions and ranking fourth in pass deflections, he showcased his skills and will strive to carry that success forward.
Texas has exceptionally high expectations this year, and rightfully so. However, the Longhorns will need to overcome OU in early October in order to achieve their desired goals.
The odds for DraftKings NJ to win Big 12 are set at +450.
WVU’s Big 12 schedule
Sept. 21 – at Kansas
The schedule makers showed great generosity by allowing WVU to commence their conference schedule with a visit to Kansas. The Jayhawks, who only managed to secure three victories in total last season, performed dismally with a 1-8 record in the Big 12.
Kansas could potentially face even worse circumstances this year, depending on the projections considered.
One of the few crucial games on the Mountaineer’s schedule is their conference opener.
Prediction: Win
Oct. 5 – Texas
Following a week-long break subsequent to the KU game, WVU will make their way back to Morgantown to confront one of their toughest adversaries of the year. Texas, being heavily favored, will enter the game with confidence, however, it’s possible that the Mountaineers can exploit this situation to their benefit.
With the exception of the Longhorns, majority of the teams on WVU’s schedule won’t be highlighting their game. There is a chance that the Mountaineers could catch some teams off guard.
To have a chance, the quarterback who starts needs to be exceptional. However, in the high-scoring Big 12, WVU might just surprise Texas if they underestimate them.
Prediction: Loss
Oct. 12 – Iowa State
Regrettably, the home fans in WV will have to endure another challenging game against Iowa State the following week.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who had an impressive freshman year, is currently leading the Cyclones. With his contribution, the team achieved a 6-3 record in the Big 12 conference last season.
WVU might have a chance to win a few conference games this year, but Iowa State is unlikely to be one of them.
Prediction: Loss
Oct. 19 – at Oklahoma
The Mountaineers will face their toughest challenge of the year in October when they go on the road to Oklahoma. Despite Coach Brown’s thorough preparation, this game may not be competitive.
The possibility of an exhilarating game arises from the upcoming match between OU and Texas. Should the Sooners emerge victorious in their rivalry game, WVU might have the opportunity to take advantage of a potentially fatigued Oklahoma team and keep the game fiercely contested.
Prediction: Loss
Oct. 31 – at Baylor
WVU is set to face the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas on Halloween. In contrast to the earlier part of the Mountaineers’ Big 12 schedule, there are multiple games in the latter half that they have a good chance of winning.
One of the games is with Baylor.
Charlie Brewer, the quarterback, achieved an impressive feat by throwing for over 3,000 yards during his sophomore year, and now he aims to enhance the Bears’ performance by surpassing their four conference wins from last year.
Although WVU will face a challenging atmosphere, they have the potential to secure a victory in this particular game.
Prediction: Win
Nov. 9 – Texas Tech
In the upcoming game against Texas Tech, the home fans in Morgantown will have another opportunity to witness WVU secure a victory. Despite their overall record of 5-7 last year, the Red Raiders displayed an impressive fight against the Mountaineers in their previous encounter.
With four offensive linemen returning, quarterback Alan Bowman is poised for a potentially successful year ahead.
The team that might emerge as the winner of this game could be the first team to reach a score of 80 points. Nevertheless, there is a strong likelihood that the team favored to achieve this is WVU.
Prediction: Win
Nov. 16 – at Kansas State
According to coach Brown, the upcoming road game against Kansas State is one that he believes his team can win. Last season, the Wildcats had a conference record of 3-6 and their expectations for this season are not significantly higher.
Although there is potential for Chris Klieman to be a great addition to KSU, it is probable that he will face challenges in his inaugural year.
Kansas State will suffer another Big 12 road defeat as WVU outperforms with an excessive number of points.
Prediction: Win
Nov. 23 – Oklahoma State
The upcoming home game against the OSU Cowboys will not be a walk in the park. They will bring a strong offensive lineup to WV, consisting of several skilled players.
Spencer Sanders, the quarterback, and Tylan Wallace, the wideout, have the potential to create an unstoppable duo that consistently scores throughout the entire year.
WVU simply lacks the offensive firepower to match their opponent in this game.
Prediction: Loss
Nov. 29 – at TCU
TCU’s top receiver, Jalen Reagor, who had an impressive record of 72 receptions, over 1,000 yards, and 11 touchdowns last season, is expected to have an even more remarkable performance in 2019. WVU’s final match in the Big 12 will be an away game against TCU.
Despite the potential for WVU to come out victorious in this game, TCU’s strength at home during their final regular-season match will likely be too formidable to overcome.
Prediction: Loss
Betting on WVU at WV sportsbooks
Throughout the season, college football enthusiasts in West Virginia can expect a plethora of betting opportunities at WV sportsbooks. With WVU carrying somewhat favorable odds, a number of bettors within the state could potentially seize the chance to capitalize on a lucrative payout.
The following odds for WVU and the Big 12 Conference in 2019 are provided by DraftKings.
Chances of winning the Big 12
- Oklahoma -167
- Texas +450
- Iowa State +800
- Baylor +1400
- Oklahoma State +1400
- TCU +1600
- Texas Tech +2000
- West Virginia +2500
- Kansas State +4000
- Kansas +10000
WVU regular-season win total
- Over 5 (-110)
- Under 5 (-110)
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