(Photo by WVU Athletics)Â
WVU has already learned the kickoff time and network for their September 2nd game against Penn State. The Mountaineers and Nittany Lions will battle it out in front of a national NBC audience in a prime time slot of 7:30.
With the season fast approaching, we can expect to see most of WVU’s early-season matchups to receive time slots and networks soon. Today, we are taking a look at their season, and predicting the kickoff time and network for each game.
PREDICTIONS FOR KICKOFF TIMES AND NETWORKS:
- Duquesne at WVU – 2 p.m. on ESPN+
The usual time slot for WVU’s FCS opponents. Expect this game to be thrown on ESPN+. No way the Big 12 wastes a cable slot on this blowout.
- Pitt at WVU – Noon on ESPN
If WVU and the Big 12 have shown anything over the last few seasons, it’s that they don’t like giving the Mountaineers night games. This matchup won’t be any different. Nonetheless, Milan Puskar Stadium will still be rocking.
- Texas Tech at WVU – 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2Â
No noon game for the Mountaineers here. When WVU and Texas Tech square off, it is more often than not placed in the 3:30 slot. The crowd at this one will depend on how the Mountaineers have performed in their first three games.
- WVU at TCU – 3:30 p.m. on FoxÂ
TCU’s appearance in the national championship game last season will make them a hot commodity for networks. We don’t expect this one to be a night game, but the national audience will be there for the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs.
- WVU at Houston – 7 p.m. on FS1
The Mountaineers and Houston will meet up on a Thursday night in mid-October. The FS1 slot on Thursday is usually where mid-week Big 12 games land. Expect the same here.
- Oklahoma State at WVU – 3:30 on ESPN2
Another 3:30 kickoff in Morgantown. We almost put this one at noon, but the last two games between these teams in Morgantown have kicked at 3:30. ESPN2 seems like a likely landing spot.
- WVU at UCF – Noon on ESPN
The Big 12 will be trying to sell UCF all season. I don’t see these two squads getting a night game, but I believe a national time slot on ESPN is feasible. The Mountaineers and Knights kickoff early in Orlando.
- BYU at WVU – 4 p.m. on FS2Â
This has all the makings of a weird matchup, and the Big 12 and networks know it. We will see this game getting dumped on FS2 at an odd 4 p.m. slot. It will be the first time since 2016 that the two sides have met (WVU won 35-32), and only the second time in history.
- WVU at Oklahoma – 8 p.m. on ABC
The Mountaineers and Sooners always provide quality matchups. Oklahoma should be much improved, and ranked at this time in the year. A primetime slot on ABC sounds about right for this one.
- Cincinnati at WVU – 2 p.m. on ESPN+
The Bearcats will likely struggle in their first year in the Big 12. With the Mountaineers likely to be a team in the bottom-half of the league, we don’t see the Big 12 wasting a major time slot on this one. Expect this one to be dumped on ESPN+ for WVU’s one conference home game of the year on the streaming service.
- WVU at Baylor – Noon on ESPN2
Neither of these teams will be contending for the Big 12 Championship, so it will receive another noon time slot. If both teams are battling for bowl eligibility, then it will likely garner viewers.
Expect kickoff times and networks for WVU’s early season games to be announced in the coming weeks.
