The West Virginia Mountaineers look to stay undefeated after a tough Big-12 game against Iowa State. Here is everything you need to know about the game.
West Virginia has climbed to No. 6 in the AP poll and will look to stay on top of the Big 12 with a win against Iowa State. Last weekend, both teams came away with victories, but this match-up will present a unique test for each team.
The Mountaineers improved to 5-0 with a 38-22 victory over Kansas, but the score doesn’t exact paint the entire picture. West Virginia struggled to put away the Jayhawks and star quarterback Will Grier had issues in the red zone all afternoon. In what was by far the worst game of his collegiate career, Grier turned the ball over four times and quite frankly did not look like the Heisman hopeful we’ve watched all season. That said, no one should expect a repeat performance out of Grier, who will look to get his season back on track in Ames.
Iowa State is coming off their biggest win of the year, which was a 48-42 victory over Oklahoma State. While their 2-3 record may cause some to overlook the Cyclones, this is a legit football team that can bring it against anyone in the Big 12. Their three losses , which came against Iowa, Oklahoma, and TCU, all were decided by 10-points or less. If the Mountaineers come out flat and continue to give the ball away, Iowa State could very easily knock off a second ranked opponent in consecutive weeks.
Now that West Virginia is the remaining undefeated Big 12 team, the question becomes can they keep it alive? It won’t be easy and with Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State , and TCU still on the schedule, this weekends game can go a long way in terms of setting the tone for the second half of the season.
How to watch and bet on West Virginia vs. Iowa State
Date: Saturday, Oct. 13
Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Ames, IA
Stadium: Jack Trice Stadium
TV Info: FS1
Live Stream: FuboTV
Betting Odds
Points Spread: West Virginia -6.5
Money Line: WVU -240, ISU +200
O/U: 56
Keys to Victory
West Virginia – The key for the Mountaineers this weekend will be cleaning up the interior offensive line and establishing their rushing attack. So far, both have been an issue for West Virginia at times, but they have shown flashes of success in both areas. The offensive line is led by tackles Yodney Cajuste and Colton Mckivitz, but a committee of interior linemen are still fighting to secure a starting spot. The Mountaineers desperately need some guys to step up and allow the unit to develop the chemistry needed to succeed down the stretch.
That chemistry should directly affect the West Virginia rushing game, which has had it ups and downs. Freshman running back Leddie Brown leads the team in the rushing, but the Mountaineers are deep at the position and can interchange four running backs throughout the game. While the team has plenty of talent at the position, offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has yet to commit to running the ball. Whether he makes that commitment is something to watch for Saturday, but if he does, it should allow the field to open up for Grier to torch the Cyclones secondary through the air.
Iowa State – The key for Iowa State will be on the defensive side of the ball. So far, this team has faced some of the best offenses in the country, but have held all of their opponents under their scoring average. If they study the film from West Virginia’s game against Kansas, they should come out and dare this team to run the ball in the red zone. It’s something the Mountaineers have yet to do and Kansas made them pay for the decision, coming away with three interceptions inside the 30 yard line.
Offensively, the Cyclones have yet to name their starting quarterback for this weekend, but freshman Brock Purdy shined in his first start against Oklahoma State. Purdy accounted for over 400 yards and 5 touchdowns. If the Cyclones expect to keep up with the Mountaineers, they will need another strong performance by Purdy, who will likely be without star running back David Montgomery for a second straight week.
Prediction
Don’t expect Will Grier to struggle for a second consecutive week. The Mountaineers offense should enter the game with a chip on their shoulder and light it up in Ames on Saturday.
Final Score – West Virginia 41, Iowa State 27