Morgantown, West Virginia – The West Virginia Mountaineers are 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 Conference halfway through the season and it’s still very difficult to tell just how good or bad this team is right now.
The final six games will likely determine whether head coach Neal Brown will return for another season with the Mountaineers next season, or perhaps be fired. Here’s how our experts think the final six games of the season will play out:
Joshua Kerns, Writer, The Voice of Morgantown
@ Texas Tech – W 35-32 (Neal Brown gets his first win against Texas Tech in a similar fashion to this year’s Baylor game on a last-second field goal)
vs. #8 TCU – W 23-21 (MAJOR upset win and the biggest win in Neal Brown’s tenure at WVU.)
@ Iowa State – L 38-31 (WVU will be looking to the next week against OU and their minds won’t be in this game until it’s too late)
vs. Oklahoma – W 48-42 (Typical WVU vs OU shootout. The ONLY difference is that West Virginia takes the win. Their first win against Oklahoma since joining the Big 12 in 2012.)
vs. Kansas St. – L 42-21 (Letdown blowout loss against the Wildcats after an EMOTIONAL win against OU the week prior)
@ Oklahoma St. – L 40-17 (West Virginia ends their season against a REALLY GOOD Oklahoma State team in Stillwater where they are outplayed and outcoached.)
Joshua Kerns’ Final Record Prediction: 6-6 overall (4-5 Big 12)
Clark Johnson, Senior Writer, The Voice of Morgantown
@ Texas Tech – W 38-35
vs. #8 TCU – W 45-44
@ Iowa State – L 21-24
vs. Oklahoma – W 52-45
vs. Kansas St. – W 28-20
@ Oklahoma St. – L 14-35
Clark Johnson Final Record Prediction: 7-5 (5-4 Big 12)
Brad Smith, Publisher, The Voice of Morgantown
@ Texas Tech – L 35-56 Neal Brown has never beaten Texas Tech and this game won’t be any different. Texas Tech has the best passing attack in the conference and West Virginia has the worst pass defense. Texas Tech win big.
vs. #8 TCU – L 17-35 TCU is the most complete, best team in the Big 12 Conference. Even with the home field advantage, the Mountaineers can’t hang with the Horned Frogs.
@ Iowa State – L 24-35 Winning on the road at Iowa State, one of the best-coached teams in the conference, is a huge challenge. West Virginia loses its third straight to move to 3-6 on the season.
vs. Oklahoma – L 63-45 Oklahoma is having a down year, but Oklahoma is still Oklahoma and the Sooners will once again completely out-class and out-talent the Mountaineers.
vs. Kansas St. – W 35-31 West Virginia wins its final game of the year with a surprising victory over Kansas State. After 5 straight losses, many of the “trust the climb” folks start to reappear after this win.
@ Oklahoma St. – L 10-49 If TCU isn’t the best team in the conference, Oklahoma State is. Oklahoma State will be motivated with an opportunity to play for the conference championship while the Mountaineers will be long resigned to another poor season under Neal Brown.
Brad Smith Final Record Prediction: 4-8 (2-7 Big 12)
