West Virginia Mountaineers College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
Incremental improvements.
That’s what Neal Brown did during his time at Troy – the teams got better and better over the first three seasons before leveling out a bit with a ten-win fourth year – and on his watch West Virginia went from five wins to six wins to now being in a position to push for being a bit of a player in the Big 12 race.
Set The West Virginia Mountaineers Regular Season Win Total At … 7.5
This isn’t going to be the type of older West Virginia team that seemed perfect for the Big 12 – lots of offense, lots of big plays, lots of shootouts – and that’s okay. Under Brown, the transformation to a more defensive-oriented, ball-control style has been okay, and now the payoff has to come.
The problem is the experience. The Mountaineers have it, but in this super-senior year, they’re not loaded with 20+ returning starters like so many other teams are.
However, the defense should be among the best in the Big 12, the offensive line should be the strongest it’s been in years, and the schedule is just nice enough to make a run.
If the program has progressed like it needs to, it has to at least split the non-conference dates with Maryland and Virginia Tech, and the trip to Oklahoma gets out of the way right out of the Big 12 gate.
Getting Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and – this year, it matters – Texas Tech at home is massive. West Virginia has to own Morgantown, come up with a conference road win against someone other than Kansas, and keep on improving on the way to at least seven wins and a bowl game.
Brown is 4-0 in bowls, but before making it 5-0 he’s about to take West Virginia a few steps forward.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– West Virginia Schedule Analysis