West Virginia got a cleaner look on the availability report for its matchup with Texas Tech, and the biggest takeaway is that three Mountaineers who were previously listed as probable are now off the report entirely.
Safety Matt Sieg, cornerback Nick Taylor and wide receiver Armoni Weaver-Bomar are all set to play Saturday night after showing up as probable in the first report. Weaver-Bomar’s return stands out most. He hasn’t played since the Oklahoma State game while working back from a fractured finger, and West Virginia could use the speed he brings to the receiver room, especially when the ball is in his hands in space.
The report also brought some movement in the other direction. Freshman quarterback Jyron Hughley is out, along with running back Andre Devine, running back Lawrence Autry, defensive lineman Darius Wiley and N/S Emory Snyder.
Hughley has been West Virginia’s third option at quarterback, so his absence won’t change the top of the depth chart for this game. Still, the update leaves some questions about whether the issue is short-term or something more. With injuries handled so closely across college football, there’s not much to go on beyond the status itself.
There’s also a bigger picture to watch in the secondary. West Virginia has been trying to sort out the right mix on the back end, and availability could force more shuffling. Jacob Bradford is doubtful, which is a tough break after he flashed against TCU and seemed like he might be headed for a larger role.
Texas Tech also had its own changes on the report. The Red Raiders ruled one more player out and moved three into the probable category.
Among the other West Virginia names on the report are WR Kenny Johnson, OL Jordan Church, LB Ansel Nedore, S Mikal Harrison-Pilot, S Peyton Morgan, S Miquel Dingle Jr. and S Marcus Ramon-Edwards.
Both teams will release another report tomorrow morning, and kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
In Other News...
WVU Brings Back A Fan Favorite Look For A Brutal Texas Tech Trip
West Virginia is reaching back into the closet for a familiar road look as it heads to Lubbock for a late-night test against No. 15 Texas Tech. The Mountaineers will go with their traditional away uniforms, pairing glossy blue helmets with white jerseys and gold pants for a matchup that already carries plenty of weight given the Red Raiders recent run at home.
It is the kind of trip where every small detail gets noticed, from the uniform combination to the kickoff time, which is set for about 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. West Virginia has history with Texas Tech to lean on, but the bigger challenge is walking into a place where the Red Raiders have been hard to beat lately and trying to make the old-school look translate into something more meaningful on the field. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Basketball Just Opened The Door For More West Virginia Families
West Virginia basketball is once again being used as a bridge between the program and the state it represents. The WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Mountaineer Athletic Club have teamed with DAC Energy to buy $100,000 worth of mens basketball tickets, with the goal of getting them into communities across West Virginia through outreach programs.
The tickets will be spread around for nonconference games and select Big 12 matchups, giving more families a chance to get into the building and see the Mountaineers in person. DAC Energy, led by Ken and Jennifer Mason, has long been involved in supporting WVU athletics and community efforts, and this latest partnership keeps that connection going in a very visible way. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginias Upset Chances May Hinge On One Dangerous Texas Tech Threat
Texas Tech brings one of the more dangerous offenses West Virginia will see this season, and the matchup has the feel of a game where the margins could be thin despite the Red Raiders carrying the edge on paper. Phil Steeles read is straightforward enough: Texas Tech is the better team, but the Mountaineers can keep this one in play if they can slow down the ground game and force the Red Raiders to work for everything.
For West Virginia, that makes the opening script pretty clear. The Mountaineers know they will need to match Texas Techs offensive punch, but the real test may come on the other side of the ball, where one dangerous threat could dictate whether this turns into a shootout or a game the home team can hang around in deep into the fourth quarter. [Read more 🡒]