MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Las Vegas isn’t giving West Virginia much of a chance this weekend. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Mountaineers have opened as a 12.5-point underdog to the Utah Utes in Morgantown.
The line shouldn’t surprise anyone after WVU’s humiliating 41–10 loss at Kansas. Oddsmakers clearly have little confidence in Rich Rodriguez’s offense, which has looked completely broken through four games. The offensive line is a mess, the run game is non-existent, and the Mountaineers’ playmakers have shown little ability to create separation or explosive plays.
Utah, on the other hand, comes into the matchup with its usual brand of physicality and discipline. Built on toughness in the trenches and a stout defense, the Utes present exactly the type of challenge WVU has consistently failed to meet.
For West Virginia to even cover the spread, let alone pull off an upset, several things must change quickly:
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The offensive line must improve. Kimo Makane’ole and Ty’Kiest Crawford have been liabilities, and the loss of Landen Livingston only makes things worse.
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Rodriguez must abandon the ultra-conservative playcalling. Utah will eat alive the same predictable runs and short throws that Kansas shut down with ease.
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The defense must carry the load. WVU’s best chance is to turn this into a slugfest and hope for turnovers, because expecting a shootout win is unrealistic.
Oddsmakers setting WVU as a double-digit underdog at home is a damning statement about where the program stands right now. But it also presents a chance. If the Mountaineers can find a way to play inspired football, feed off the home crowd, and scrap their way into the fourth quarter, this could be the type of game that salvages confidence in a season teetering on the edge.
West Virginia will enter Saturday as a heavy 12.5-point dog to Utah, and frankly, that feels generous given what we’ve seen from this team so far. If Rich Rodriguez and the Mountaineers want to prove Vegas — and their critics — wrong, it has to start with a complete reset in the trenches and a willingness to finally take risks.
