A rough stretch has taken some of the shine off West Virginia’s season, but the Mountaineers are still staring at a path to a respectable finish. The Big 12 Championship picture has slipped away, yet there’s still plenty left on the schedule to turn this into a meaningful year.
That was the conversation this morning on the In the Gun Podcast, where I asked college football analyst Phil Steele how high he thinks WVU can still climb after the disappointing start to conference play.
“I can probably see, at this point, I think seven (wins) would be a possibility. Now, the schedule gets pretty tough at the end.
Road trips to TCU, and I know TCU hasn’t been playing great so far, but look at the test they gave BYU last week, and they have talent. They have to play Texas Tech on the road, Utah on the road, and Houston at home - those are all tough games.
I think West Virginia’s got to take care of business this week. As you mentioned, they’ve got to get that defense going.
If they do and get the win, I can see seven, but I think it’s going to be tough to do much more than that with this defense and with that schedule at the end of the year.”
That assessment lines up with the reality facing WVU. The back half of the schedule is loaded, and the defense still has to show it can hold up. But the Mountaineers’ offense has kept them in games, and that alone gives them a fighting chance week after week.
The immediate focus is Arizona, a solid test at home. If West Virginia handles business in this homestand and goes 2-0, the season outlook changes fast. They would already be past last year’s win total and sitting one win away from bowl eligibility with five games still on the board.
West Virginia and Arizona kick off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.
In Other News...
WVU Has One Lingering Concern In A Very Winnable Arizona Game
West Virginia gets a favorable setup against Arizona this weekend, and that is exactly why the matchup feels like one the Mountaineers should be able to manage if they play to their strengths. Phil Steele pointed to West Virginias offensive upside, while also noting Arizonas injury situation and the burden of a long road trip, both of which add to the sense that this is a game the Mountaineers can control from early on. The noon ET kickoff on TNT gives the meeting a little extra visibility, too, for a WVU team trying to turn a promising spot into a clean result.
Still, Steeles read comes with a catch, because West Virginia has not exactly erased concerns on the defensive side. Even in a game that looks winnable on paper, that remains the lingering issue, and it is the sort of thing that can keep a staff and fan base uneasy until the opening series and beyond. Steeles cautious lean toward the Mountaineers reflects the overall shape of the matchup, but it also underscores how much WVU may need its offense to carry the day if the defense does not firm up. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces A Tough Road Test With Noah Fifita Rolling
West Virginia gets Arizona in a Week 6 matchup that arrives at a tricky moment for the Mountaineers, who have dropped their last two after opening 3-0. The home side still has plenty to play for, but the recent slide has made this one feel more like a measuring stick than a routine conference-style tune-up, especially with a Wildcats team coming in on a three-game surge.
Arizona has steadied itself after an early loss, and much of that turnaround has come with Noah Fifita running the offense confidently as a senior. He has paired strong passing production with enough threat on the ground to keep defenses honest, which makes him a difficult matchup on the road and a big reason this trip to Morgantown has real bite. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Needs This Week 6 Test To Show Real Big 12 Progress
Week 6 brings a full slate of Big 12 games with real weight behind them, and the race is already starting to sort itself out. Iowa State heads to BYU, UCF visits Oklahoma State, Houston travels to Kansas State, and Hawaii makes the trip to Arizona State, but for West Virginia fans the spotlight is on Arizona coming into Morgantown. It is the kind of October test that can tell you a lot about where a team stands once the league grind starts to separate contenders from the rest.
West Virginia gets a chance to measure itself against a conference opponent that arrives with its own ambitions, while Kansas has a different proving ground out in Utah. The Big 12 has enough matchups this week to shape the standings in more than one direction, and the Mountaineers are right in the middle of a weekend that could clarify who is making real progress and who still has ground to cover. [Read more 🡒]