West Virginia hasn’t exactly tucked last year’s Texas Tech loss away in the past. The 49-0 thumping in the season finale is still sitting there for the players who came back in 2026, and it’s the kind of result that tends to stick.
That game was supposed to be a chance to close the year on a better note. Instead, Texas Tech took control immediately, racing to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and carrying a 28-0 cushion into halftime.
WVU never found much of a foothold, moving the chains only nine times while finishing with 180 yards of offense. The ground game was especially rough, with just 37 rushing yards on 22 carries.
This year’s Mountaineers bring a much different offensive profile into the matchup. With Mike Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook driving one of the most dangerous attacks in college football, Texas Tech is getting a stiffer test than it did a year ago.
The bigger question for WVU remains on the other side of the ball. Zac Alley’s defense still has plenty to clean up, even if it’s trying to build off what it showed against TCU two weeks ago. If the Mountaineers want a real shot here, they can’t let Texas Tech pile up numbers like it did last season, when the Red Raiders threw for 384 yards and added 188 more on the ground.
Corey McIntyre Jr. was among the players who lived through that blowout, and the junior defensive lineman said the group hasn’t forgotten.
“It was bad. It was very annoying for sure," McIntyre said about the 49-0 loss. "And I feel like everybody that was here last year feels the same way and has that type of animosity this week to go get back.”
There’s more than pride attached to this one, too. A win would keep West Virginia in the Big 12 title conversation, though the path is narrow: the Mountaineers would need to win out and get help.
History also gives WVU a reason to believe a turnaround is possible. According to Jed Drenning, West Virginia has lost by 30 or more points to an opponent and then beaten that same team the following year 14 times. The most recent example came against Texas Tech itself, when WVU dropped a 48-10 game in 2022 and then turned around and beat the Red Raiders 20-13 in Morgantown in 2023.
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West Virginia Gets A Needed Boost At Texas Tech
West Virginia is set to get a welcome lift for its trip to Texas Tech, with wide receiver Armoni Weaver-Bomar, defensive lineman Corey McIntyre Jr. and cornerback Jason Chambers all expected back in the mix. Weaver-Bomars return is especially notable after he underwent surgery for a fractured finger earlier in the season, and the Mountaineers are hoping he can be available if his recovery continues on schedule.
The timing matters because Texas Tech brings its own dangerous passing-game threat, with Kenny Johnson still the Red Raiders player to watch as their leader in receptions and receiving yards. For West Virginia, getting bodies back on both sides of the ball could help against a team that can stress a defense quickly, and it adds some needed depth to a roster that has been managing absences for much of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Honor Huffs Eligibility Fight Just Became A Real West Virginia Story
Honor Huffs eligibility case has moved from a legal argument to a live roster issue for West Virginia, after a Monongalia County circuit court judge granted him a preliminary injunction that allows him to compete in the 2026-27 NCAA Division I mens basketball season. The ruling blocks the NCAA from enforcing its eligibility rules against Huff for now, giving him the green light as he prepares to enter the transfer portal.
For the Mountaineers, the significance is bigger than one players paperwork. Huff had been seeking an additional year after sitting out a season under transfer rules, and his case centered on whether NCAA rule changes should apply to him. With the court siding with him at this stage, West Virginia now has a real offseason storyline to follow, even if the broader fight is far from over. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Faces An Early Test Of Ross Hodges New Identity
West Virginias three-game homestand continues with a matchup against Stetson, and it comes with a familiar face on the other bench in Donnie Jones. The Hatters have opened their season with losses to Clemson and South Carolina, but they still bring a veteran presence through senior forward Collin Kuhl, who has been their leader in scoring and rebounds.
For the Mountaineers, the bigger story is how Ross Hodges first team keeps building on the season-opening win over Niagara. West Virginia had multiple players score in double figures in that one, and Hodge came away encouraged by the groups depth and defensive intensity, two traits that will get another early test as the homestand rolls on. [Read more 🡒]