West Virginia heads into Week 2 with the kind of matchup oddsmakers love and fans probably expected after a rough second half against Coastal Carolina. The Mountaineers are back home against UT Martin, an FCS opponent that should present a far different challenge than the one WVU faced in its season opener.
The line reflects that reality in a big way. West Virginia is favored by more than five touchdowns, and the number makes sense given the gap in roster strength. Even with an uninspiring finish last week, the Mountaineers are still expected to control this one from the start.
One thing WVU likely wants to clean up is its passing volume. The Mountaineers threw the ball only 14 times against Coastal Carolina, and while they may not need to air it out constantly on Saturday, they should open things up a bit more. The goal will be simple: get ahead early, put points on the board, and give the starters a chance to get out healthy before the huge Week 3 matchup with Virginia.
UT Martin’s track record against FBS teams a year ago doesn’t do much to calm the nerves. The Skyhawks played Oklahoma State, UTEP and Missouri State and lost those games by 20, 25 and 32 points.
That Oklahoma State win, as noted, ended up being their only victory of the season. UTEP, meanwhile, finished 2-10.
Offensively, UT Martin averaged just 11.3 points per game in those FBS matchups last season, and this year hasn’t shown much more punch. The Skyhawks scored 24 against Central Arkansas and 42 against Chicago State, a program in its first season. Those results don’t offer much reason to think they’ll suddenly light up WVU.
If the Mountaineers’ defense plays to expectation, UT Martin may struggle to get much going at all, possibly scoring no more than once. On the other side, West Virginia should have no trouble moving the ball and piling up points. The only real question is what Rich Rod decides to do in the second half: keep pressing for more or ease off and start burning clock.
West Virginia and UT Martin are set for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. The game will be available on ESPN+ and the Watch ESPN app.
In Other News...
West Virginia Just Lost A Young Piece Fans Were Counting On
Rich Rodriguez used the seasons second Coaches Show to revisit West Virginias loss to Coastal Carolina, and the list of concerns was familiar: discipline, defensive breakdowns and an offense that never quite settled in. He also touched on Cam Cooks workload and the play up front, two areas the staff has been trying to steady as the season moves along.
The bigger setback came with an update on Darius Wiley, whose severe leg injury will keep him out for the rest of the year. Wiley is scheduled for surgery, a tough blow for a young player fans had been hoping would become part of the solution as the Mountaineers try to sort out the details around them. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Sent WVU A Message After That Sloppy Finish
West Virginias season opener looked encouraging for a half, then turned messy in the kind of second-half stretch that can change the tone of a whole week. The Mountaineers had control early, but Coastal Carolina chipped away after halftime and exposed the sort of lapses Rich Rodriguez has little patience for, especially this early in the season when habits are still being formed.
Rodriguez did not wait around to let the film speak for itself. He held an immediate staff meeting after the game to address discipline and performance issues, stressing that mistakes have to be corrected quickly and standards have to stay consistent from one snap to the next. For a program trying to establish an identity under a head coach who clearly wants sharper execution, the disappointing finish was a reminder that the fixes cant wait. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Suddenly Has A Defensive Front Problem It Cant Ignore
West Virginias defensive front took a hit it cant simply scheme around, with Darius Wiley now out for the season after suffering a severe lower-body injury, according to Rich Rodriguez. Its a tough blow because Wiley had already made his presence felt in the opener, giving the Mountaineers a useful interior piece at a spot where depth can disappear quickly.
Jeremiah Johnson and Tobi Haastrup are expected to see more snaps as WVU tries to absorb the loss and keep the rotation afloat. For a defense built to hold up against the run and stay sturdy up front, the challenge now is less about replacing one player than finding a reliable combination fast enough to keep the unit from feeling Wileys absence every week. [Read more 🡒]