For WVU football, the Backyard Brawl is looming large on the horizon with the possibility of ESPN’s College Gameday coming to Morgantown. Yet, the Mountaineers still have an impressive opponent standing in their way in Week 2 in the Ohio Bobcats, defending champions of the MAC.
There’s no doubt that Ohio’s week 1 performance has captured the attention of the Mountaineer coaches, players, and fans. Though it resulted in a loss, Ohio gave Rutgers a “run for their money” in a 34-31 game at the home of the Scarlet Knights. With that being said, let’s get into 4 things you need to know regarding Saturday’s matchup.
1. Game Details
The Mountaineers will hit the road for the first time this season on Saturday, September 6th. In what will be their shortest road trip of the season (by a significant margin), West Virginia will cross over the Ohio border and make the sort drive into Athens. Kickoff is set for 4pm ET on ESPNU.
2. Final Odds
Vegas oddsmakers have the West Virginia Mountaineers bouncing between a 3 to a 3.5 point favorite against the Ohio Bobcats as of Friday night, with over/under totals that sit between 58.5 points and 60.5 points.
3. Quarterback Matchup
6’2, 235-pounds. 6’0, 211-pounds. Those are the respective measurements of WVU quarterback Nicco Marchiol and Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro. Both of these QB’s are not afraid to mix it up and get physical in the rushing attack. As the full-time starter a season ago, Navarro rushed for 1,054 yards and an impressive 18 touchdowns. As for Marchiol, well, in a game in which he came off the bench last season, he did this to Oklahoma State’s top tackler:
Nicco Marchiol. Hard Edge. pic.twitter.com/CSQ25PJJle
— Jonathan Martin (@JonathanKMartin) August 6, 2025
With that said, get familiar with these two quarterbacks and what they bring to the table. Marchiol has yet to lose a game in which he has started for the gold and blue, and Navarro led his school to a conference title last season. While both signal callers figure to contribute in the running game, whoever has more success through the air could see their team come out on top.
4. The Battle in the Trenches
Both West Virginia and Ohio bolster almost entirely new offensive line units. There are questions still to be answered with both units, but on paper, Ohio’s offensive line did a pretty solid job against Rutgers. Ohio had 201 yards on the ground on 31 carries, good for an average of 6.5 yards per attempt. Navarro was an efficient 21-for-31, and the offensive line didn’t surrender a single sack.
As the legendary John McKay once said, “football games are won and lost in the trenches.” Go ahead and place an added emphasis on that statement in West Virginia’s matchup with Ohio on Saturday.
5. Zac Alley will bring different looks defensively
Perhaps one of the biggest points for fans to acknowledge as they prepare to watch Saturday’s game is that West Virginia has quite a bright, young coach serving as their Defensive Coordinator. At just 31 years old, Alley has developed his knowledge for the game of football under the defensive mastermind, Brent Venables. Alley spent seven seasons working with Venables at Clemson.
While we saw a glimpse of what Alley brings to the table against Robert Morris, we have yet to fully see what this defense can look like with Alley at the helm. In week 2, we’ll get more of these disguised blitz packages, unique schemes, and formations that keep opposing offenses guessing. Alley has found success at each of his stops (Clemson, Boise State, Louisiana-Monroe, Jacksonville State, and Oklahoma). This has enabled him to quickly climb the ranks to become the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at West Virginia.