West Virginia heads to Charlotte, North Carolina next week for a non-conference matchup with Virginia, and the early betting market has already moved against the Mountaineers.
WVU opened as an 8.5-point underdog, but that number has climbed to 9.5 after some early money came in on UVA. The total has also risen, going from 50.5 points at the open to 54.5 at the time of publishing.
The Mountaineers are 2-0 on the season, but they’ve split their first two games at the window at 1-1 against the spread. In Week Two, West Virginia not only covered the 40.5-point spread, it did so in style, with a late fumble return for a touchdown helping push the game over the total in a 52-7 win.
Week One went differently. WVU won the game but failed to cash as a 20.5-point favorite. The under hit at 56.5, though that came with a wrinkle: if you bet right before kickoff, when the line had dropped to 54.5, the final total of 55 points went over.
Last season, the Mountaineers were a strange case. They finished 4-8 overall, yet went 7-5 against the spread.
West Virginia covered in each of its four wins, and also cashed in losses to BYU (+20.5), TCU (+16.5) and Arizona State (+9.5). The misses came in losses to Ohio, when they were 3.5-point favorites, plus Kansas (+12.5 but lost by 31), Utah (+13.5 but lost by 34), UCF (+6.5 but lost by 32) and Texas Tech (+24.5 but lost by 49).
The totals market was just as messy. Depending on when the bet was placed and which sportsbook was used, last year’s games went under the expected total in five, six, seven or eight contests.
The under was clear in matchups with Texas Tech, TCU, Kansas, Ohio and Robert Morris. The over was clear in games against Houston, UCF, BYU and Utah.
In Arizona State, Colorado and Pitt, the number moved enough that the total crossed the final score at different points.
In Other News...
West Virginia Hit With Shocking Staff Crisis Involving Familiar Name
West Virginias football staff is dealing with an unexpected off-field disruption involving a familiar name in Morgantown. Assistant running backs coach Noel Devine was arrested and booked on a felony strangulation charge in Monongalia County, a development that quickly shifted attention away from the field and back to a serious legal matter.
Devine has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 23. Rich Rodriguez has placed him on indefinite leave while the program waits for more information, leaving one of the staffs recognizable figures in limbo as the Mountaineers move forward without clarity on when, or if, he will return. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs 2-0 Start Feels Real In One Area And Risky In Another
West Virginias 2-0 start has the look of something sturdier than a September fluke, especially on offense. The Mountaineers are scoring 41.5 points per game, a sharp jump from recent seasons, and quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has given the attack a steady, dual-threat edge with both his arm and his legs. Even the special teams piece has held up cleanly, with Jack Cassidy handling his work without a miss so far.
The part that still feels a little dangerous is what happens when the defense has to get off the field. West Virginia has kept its turnover habit alive from last season, which has helped paper over some issues, but third downs have been a problem and that can wear on a team over time. For a program trying to prove this fast start is real, the offense and the takeaways are doing their job, while the defense still has some answering to do. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia's Blowout Still Left Two Roster Concerns Hanging
West Virginias lopsided win over UT Martin had all the markings of a comfortable September afternoon, with 115 players in uniform and 95 seeing action as the staff spread snaps around in a 52-7 rout. The Mountaineers are 2-0 now and remain unbeaten against FCS opponents, but the bigger value from a game like this often comes in the depth chart, where young players and reserves get a longer look while the starters avoid unnecessary wear.
Even so, the depth picture is not completely clean. Defensive end Darius Wiley is done for the season with a leg injury, and freshman running back Chris Talley sat out for a second straight week because of a hamstring issue. Those absences do not change the result of Saturdays blowout, but they do leave West Virginia with a couple of roster questions to sort through as the schedule stiffens and the rotation tightens. [Read more 🡒]