The reason most FBS football teams include one FCS opponent on their schedule is pretty simple – pad the home schedule with as many games as possible and an easy win, and make sure your team is automatically one win closer to bowl eligbility come the end of the season.
So no fanbase goes into one of their team's games against an FCS opponent expecting their team to struggle. But it's always nice to be able to check out that opponent's early performances and breathe a sigh of relief when they don't look good in the slightest: and that's something West Virginia fans can do right now.
UT-Martin stunned by underdog opponent two weeks ahead of clash with WVU football
The Mountaineers may have had one of the tougher FCS opponents on paper this season, as UT-Martin, the program's Week 2 opponent, entered the season ranked No. 22 in the preseason Top 25. However, they were upset by a massive underdog on Thursday night to open the season, falling 36-24 to Central Arkansas, who went just 3-9 last season.
Sme more positive signs from the game? Well, Central Arkansas went 10-for-15 on third downs and 2-for-3 on fourth down. So if it's a slow start for West Virginia like it was last year against Robert Morris, the Mountaineers should be able to move the ball if they get behind the chains.
UT-Martin also gave up nine missed tackles on run plays and allowed Central Arkansas to rack up 228 rushing yards, with seven rushes of 10-or-more yards. With the Mountaineers set to see last season's leading FBS rusher Cam Cookmake his debutin the old-gold-and-blue, and some analysts predicting that West Virginia could havemultiple 1,000-yard rushersthis season, expect Rich Rod's run game to find it's footing early against UT-Martin.
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