Norman, Oklahoma – The West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1) will try to ride a wave of momentum after beating bitter rival Virginia Tech into Norman to play the #4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners under the lights.
Oklahoma is currently favored by 16.5 points at home, but they are coming off an unimpressive 23-16 win last week in Norman over a very average Nebraska team. Oklahoma also squeaked past Tulane 40-35 in its season opener.
While Oklahoma has not had a great start to the season, they are loaded with talent and and will be pumped up to play their conference opener under the lights against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Here’s how our experts think the game will play out:
Tucker Via, Writer, The Voice of Motown (2-1 on the season)
As expected, West Virginia is coming in as huge underdogs. This game reminds me a lot of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. The entire country is picking against the Mountaineers except for West Virginia.
Oklahoma has shown they are beatable, however. Close games with Tulane and Nebraska exploited the Sooners’ weaknesses. However, in the past, it seems that Oklahoma has always “gotten it together” when they play West Virginia. Despite this, I have confidence that our Mountaineers will go out and knock off the 4th rated Sooners en route to one of the biggest and most memorable wins in program history.
For that to happen, both quarterbacks have to have career games and the defense will have to limit Spencer Rattler.
WVU 31 Oklahoma 26
Brad Smith, Senior Writer/Owner, The Voice of Motown (2-0 on the season)
If anyone but Jarret Doege was leading the Mountaineers into Oklahoma tomorrow, West Virginia would have a real chance. Unfortunately, the idea of Doege being effective and error-free against a really talented Sooners’ defense just seems so far-fetched.
At home, maybe. Perhaps the crowd would carry West Virginia to a win, but one the road, with Jarret Doege, it’s not going to happen.
West Virginia’s defense will play well enough to win, but ultimately the Mountaineers just aren’t good enough offensively to beat a team of Oklahoma’s caliber right now.
Oklahoma 42 West Virginia 10
