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College football 2018: Biggest X-factor on every Top 25 team

By Derek Grochowski

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 18: West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Will Grier (7) warms up prior to the college football game between the Texas Longhorns and the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 18, 2017, at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 18: West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Will Grier (7) warms up prior to the college football game between the Texas Longhorns and the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 18, 2017, at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

10. Will Grier, West Virginia Mountaineers

Things in Morgantown West Virginia could be a lot of fun this year. It is time for Dana Holgorsen’s Mountaineers to make their statement in the Big 12. It will not be easy they have a tough schedule ahead of them. They finished with a seven and six record but hung in with a lot of tough teams along the way. Their losses to Virginia Tech and TCU were both by only one possession and their only blowout loss came to third-ranked Oklahoma.

Along the way, their lost their key offensive weapon, Will Grier. In the middle of November Grier dove for a touchdown and broke his finger on his throwing hand. It required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the season. The Mountaineers offense struggled through the rest of the season.

The good news for West Virginia is that Grier announced he will be returning to the program for his senior season making him their x-factor this season. Assuming the finger is fully healed Grier will be one of the top senior quarterbacks to watch this season.

Grier has all of the weapons around him to be a top quarterback in the nation. His wide receivers are loaded with talent, and the offensive line should be good. The ground game leaves a lot to be desired but in a pass-heavy offense it will not slow them down at all. The Big 12 will still be good but there is a lot of turnover in the quarterback position at the top. Both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have question marks at quarterback, Texas will be better but not unbeatable and TCU has the defense to be great but the offense is lacking.

The opportunity is there for Grier and the West Virginia Mountaineers to be great this season. In 11 games last season Grier threw an impressive 34 touchdowns for just under 3,500 yards. If he can build on those numbers and get even better he will be in the conversation for the top of the draft and the Mountaineers could be a dark horse playoff team.