West Virginia is 3-0, and that alone has changed the mood around Morgantown heading into Big 12 play. The Mountaineers are off to their first 3-0 start since 2018, when Will Grier, Gary Jennings, David Sills V, and Co. powered that run, and this version already looks like it belongs in the conversation.
That belief showed up quickly in the betting market. West Virginia opened as a small favorite for next week’s home game against Oklahoma State, even with the Cowboys fresh off a win over No.
6 Oregon two weeks ago. It’s not a massive edge, and it probably shouldn’t be.
On paper, this has the feel of a true toss-up.
Oklahoma State has already answered one early stumble by rebounding from a season-opening loss to Tulsa, and the Cowboys are back on the bandwagon in a big way. Still, this trip gives them something they haven’t had yet: a hostile road environment where the crowd won’t be on their side.
That part matters, even if Tulsa’s Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium wasn’t exactly a nightmare setting.
West Virginia has been here before as the favorite this season, and the results have been mixed. The Mountaineers covered a 40-point spread against UT Martin, but they didn’t cash against Coastal in the opener. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley said they may have let up offensively and got "complacent," and if they had kept their foot down, they likely would have covered that one too.
The line could still move as the week goes on. Money on Oklahoma State could push it back, while West Virginia’s performance against Virginia might be enough to nudge it higher in the other direction. Either way, it’s a number worth watching.
The total is getting plenty of attention too. Points?
Points! That’s the direction this matchup seems headed, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the number keeps climbing before kickoff.
Oklahoma State’s offensive ceiling was already clear based on what Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins did at North Texas under Eric Morris last year. West Virginia’s side of the story is more about upside, and Mike Hawkins Jr. has been delivering it.
He had never been a full-time college starter before this season, but he’s looked the part so far, and his five-touchdown game against Virginia turned plenty of heads. That performance almost certainly helped push the total to open above 60.
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In Other News...
Tony Elliott Just Confirmed How Dangerous West Virginia Really Looked
Mike Hawkins Jr. gave West Virginia the kind of opener that can change the mood around a program in a hurry. In a 38-27 win over No. 25 Virginia, the Mountaineers quarterback hit 10 of 17 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, then added 123 rushing yards and three more scores to power an offense that looked far more explosive than many expected entering the night.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott came away impressed enough to say so, and his comments only sharpened the sense that West Virginias defense under Zac Alley was part of the story too. Elliott pointed to how the Mountaineers controlled the game and took away quarterback Beau Pribulas legs, a detail that matters because it suggests West Virginia was not just winning with one hot hand, but showing the kind of structure that can make opponents uncomfortable for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Upset Win Looks Even Bigger After What The Grades Show
West Virginias upset of No. 25 Virginia already looked like a tone-setting win, but the postgame grades gave it even more weight. The Mountaineers handled business in a 38-27 victory, and the performance sheet from Pro Football Focus offered a clearer picture of why the result felt so convincing: quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. was graded as the highest-rated quarterback in the country through Week 3.
The win also featured strong work from the other side of the ball, with linebacker Ashton Woods and cornerback Nick Taylor drawing especially good marks. For a West Virginia team trying to build something early in the season, those kinds of individual showings matter as much as the final score, because they hint at a defense and a quarterback room that may be settling in at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Looks Tougher Than Expected But One Concern Still Lingers
West Virginia came away from its latest game looking a little sturdier than many expected, with a calm, effective quarterback helping steady things and a physical presence on defense giving the Mountaineers a harder edge. Taylor stood out on that side of the ball, and Ashton Woods has quietly put together a strong run over the last two weeks, giving the defense some real momentum as the season moves forward.
The one area still worth watching is up front, where the offensive line had its roughest stretches. A true freshman on the line allowed four pressures, a reminder that development can show up quickly when the competition gets tighter, even if the long-term outlook remains encouraging. For West Virginia, the encouraging part is clear enough, but the next step is making sure that growth in the trenches catches up with the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]