Oddsmakers Don’t Know How To Deal With Mountaineers

Oct 2, 2023

MORGANTOWN, WV–Don’t Ever predict the Mountaineers to finish last in any sport! Remember when the baseball team was picked to finish last in the Big 12? Well, WVU finished tied for first place in the conference. Likewise the WVU football team was predicted to finish last at number 14 before the season. After five games WVU found themselves in third place just behind Texas 2-0 (5-0), Oklahoma 2-0 (5-0), then WVU at 2-0 (4-1) overall.

The Mountaineers went into hostile territory at TCU Saturday night and when the dust settled, the Mounties came out with a hard fought 24-21 victory at a sold out stadium. Apparently the oddsmakers forgot special teams. The two touchdown underdogs blocked a pair of 4th quarter field goals to hold onto victory ending the Horned Frogs’ 10 game regular conference winning streak.

“This was a fight” WVU coach Neal Brown said. ” We are a team built for ugly football and I felt during the spring and summer that we had a team that could win close football games. I’m drained”, he added. The WVU defense, which had allowed just one TD over its last nine quarters in victories over Duquesne, Pitt, and Texas Tech, limited the nation’s 11th ranked offense to just 121 yards in the second half and 17 points below their season scoring average.

The Horned Frogs marched nearly the length of the field twice to get into position for Griffin Kell to kick game tying field goals and both times they were blocked. Kell’s first try from the 28 yard line was deflected by Mark Lockhart and the 2nd one from the 37 was knocked down by Sean Martin.

It was WVU’s third straight win at Amon G. Carter stadium. The win improved the Mountaineer all time record to 8-5 against the Frogs! Quarterback Garrett Greene completed 10 of 21 passes for 142 yards and ran 12 times for 80 yards and two TD’s. CJ Donaldson had 22 carries for 61 yards and one TD.

WVU is off next weekend. It will give injured starters time to heal. Aubry Burks and Troy Latham were carted off the field. Both were taken to the local hospital. Banks had an upper body injury and was able to be released. Latham had a lower leg injury and underwent surgery. He remains in Fort Worth.

The Mountaineers will head to Houston for a Thursday night October 12 contest against former head coach Dana Holgorsen’s Cougars. Houston is 0-2 in the conference and 2-3 overall.