West Virginia has turned the page from non-conference play and is now heading into a Big 12 opener that carries a little more weight, with Oklahoma State coming to Morgantown for a night game and a likely spot in the Top 25 rankings hanging in the balance.
On Tuesday evening, the Mountaineers unveiled their depth chart for the matchup, and the biggest headline came right at quarterback: Michael Hawkins Jr. OR Scotty Fox Jr. remains the setup, with Jyron Hughley and Max Brown behind them. That OR designation doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
RB: Cam Cook, Amari Latimer, Chris Talley, Martavious Boswell
The quarterback split wasn’t surprising, but it was still notable to see it stay intact. The belief here is that the staff sees two starting-caliber quarterbacks on the roster, which explains why the battle is still being treated as open. Whether that continues all season or not, the chart says the competition is still alive.
At receiver, Prince Strachan is not listed in the three-deep at X, but he is expected to see more action this weekend against Oklahoma State and could wind up with the second-most reps at the spot behind John Neider.
BAN: Harper Holloman, David Afogho, Tobi Haastrup OR Jeremiah Johnson
MIKE: Ben Cutter, Tyler Stolsky OR Isaiah Patterson
BS: Kamari Wilson, Da'Mare Williams OR Kameron Reddic
Up front, David Afogho seems to have locked in the No. 2 role at EDGE behind Harper Holloman. Tobi Haastrup is still in a rotational spot as he continues to develop, which looks like the right setup for that group.
At MIKE, Isaiah Patterson appears to have moved ahead of Tyler Stolsky. Patterson has led West Virginia in tackles in each of the last two weeks, while Stolsky saw only a few snaps last weekend.
In Other News...
WVU Secondary Just Got Intriguing With JaCorey Thomas In The Mix
A court ruling in Indiana has cleared the way for JaCorey Thomas to be eligible for the 2026 collegiate football season, setting up what would be his fifth and final year. The former Georgia defensive back recently committed to West Virginia and, even before he appears on the schools official roster, he already looks like a useful addition for a Mountaineers secondary that can always use more veteran depth.
What remains unclear is how quickly Thomas will be able to factor into the picture. West Virginia has not yet listed him on its roster, and his availability for the upcoming game against Oklahoma State is still uncertain, leaving the Mountaineers with at least one more moving part as they sort through the back end of the defense. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Finally Gets A Home Test That Could Reveal Everything
West Virginias first real chance to learn what kind of team it has comes in its fourth game of the season, when Oklahoma State comes to Morgantown. The Cowboys arrive with a 2-1 record under first-year coach Eric Morris, and they bring enough firepower to make this a meaningful test rather than just another early-season checkpoint.
Drew Mestemaker has helped power an offense that ranks sixth nationally, while Caleb Hawkins and receiver Wyatt Young give Oklahoma State more than one way to stress a defense. The Cowboys also make life difficult on the other side of the ball, sitting near the top of the country in third-down stops, which means West Virginia will have to earn everything in a game that could say a lot about where the Mountaineers really stand. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Has A Real Chance To Seize Early Momentum Vs Oklahoma State
West Virginia gets a chance to turn a promising start into something more substantial when it hosts Oklahoma State at Mountaineer Field, with kickoff set for a FS1 telecast. The Mountaineers are looking to open 4-0 for the first time since 2018, a marker that would give this early stretch some real staying power and add a little more weight to what has already been a strong opening.
The matchup also comes with a modest but meaningful edge in the projections, as ESPNs Football Power Index gives West Virginia a 59.7% chance to win. Oklahoma State still brings enough of a threat to make this more than a formality, which is why this game feels like such an early swing point for the Mountaineers - a chance to bank momentum before the schedule starts demanding more from them. [Read more 🡒]