WVU came away with a dominant 42-21 win over Cincinnati on Saturday.
Morgantown, WV – It’s hard to believe, but WVU’s 2023 home slate has officially wrapped up. In front of roughly 44,000 fans, the Mountaineers put together a dominant 42-21 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. It was the first time since 2011 that the two schools have met on the gridiron, and the first time since 2010 that the series has returned to Morgantown.
Now sitting at 7-4 and 5-3 in Big 12 play, WVU will have the chance to finish 8-4 with a win over a struggling Baylor squad. While a Big 12 title chance is virtually dead, a strong finish to 2023 will set the Mountaineers up for what could potentially be a big season in 2024.
There were a lot of takeaways from yesterday, but five things in particular stood out from what transpired on the field.
Here are five thoughts following WVU’s big win over the Bearcats:
- Jahiem White is special – This is easily my most “no sh*t” thought of the week. Jahiem White put up nearly 300 yards of total offense on the Bearcats, making it look relatively easy in the process. The potential is there for the true freshman to put together one of the most impressive careers in WVU history. There is no reason to believe that he won’t.
- Losing Frazier and Nester will hurt – WVU celebrated Senior Day yesterday, and many notable players made the walk prior to the team running out onto the field. Zach Frazier and Doug Nester both participated in the event, meaning neither will likely return in 2024. Nester is out of eligibility, but Frazier could return next year if he chooses. However, it is hard to blame the aforementioned Frazier for wanting to take his chances professionally given his draft stock.
The offensive line should be fine, but it is hard to expect them to be as productive in 2024 missing arguably their two biggest pieces.
- Receivers in the portal need to be a point of emphasis – I hate to be the one to admit it, but it is pretty obvious that WVU’s receivers have underperformed in 2023. If this team wants to take the next step in 2024, they have to find some help on the outside. Neal Brown and his staff need to put an emphasis on finding this help in the transfer portal this offseason.
- How the hell do people still complain about Garrett Greene? – Seriously…how? Greene has easily been WVU’s most important player on offense. Without his services, there’s no way this team is in the position it is. Any hate on Greene at this point in time is simply asinine.
- Finishing strong – Barring a collapse against Baylor, Neal Brown’s job is safe going into the 2024 season. But this team has to finish strong to give fans something to believe in. A 9-4 record would inject excitement into a fanbase that has, for the most part, been stagnant for the last few years.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
