West Virginia will be back on the road this Saturday for a matchup with the 22nd-ranked Houston Cougars. Houston boasts a 7-1 (4-1) record and is still in the hunt for a Big 12 Conference title as the calendar turns to November. The struggling Mountaineers are still looking to pick up their first conference win after an improved effort against TCU on homecoming weekend came up short, 23-17. Let’s look at four Over/Unders to keep an eye on in the Big 12 matchup.
99.5 Rushing Yards for WVU
Since their loss to Texas Tech on October 4th, the Houston Cougars have reeled off 3 straight wins and showcased a rather solid defense at times. Over the last three games, Houston has given up just 85 rushing yards per contest (45 yards to Oklahoma State, 112 to Arizona, and 98 to Arizona State). West Virginia is coming off its worst rushing performance of the season against TCU, totaling just 41 yards on the ground. While freshman Scotty Fox Jr., who figures to get the start against Houston, is a capable runner, he does not seem to be as reliant on his legs as Khalil Wilkins is. For the first time since entering conference play, West Virginia showed an ability to be effective through the air with Fox Jr., who eclipsed 300 yards and threw 2 touchdowns while completing 28 of his 41 pass attempts. Certainly, Coach Rodriguez was unhappy with his team’s performance on the ground. Take the over 99.5 and expect WVU to at least strive toward a balanced attack, which they hope to showcase.
8.5 Pass Catchers for WVU
The aforementioned Scotty Fox Jr. managed to find nine different receivers en route to his 28 completions last week. Will he be able to spread the ball around as effectively on the road at Houston? The safe play is to take the under here, while the Mountaineers may be effective through the air again with Fox Jr., banking on him to find nine targets is a bit steep.
74.5 Rushing Yards for Conner Weigman
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has been an effective runner this season, most noticeably in the last two weeks. Weigman had 14 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown against Arizona, and followed that up with 21 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns against a ranked Arizona State team on the road.
This season, West Virginia has faced several dual-threat quarterbacks, and the success that they have had in stopping the run has varied. Take the under here, as Weigman has only eclipsed the 75+ yard mark three times this season, albeit two of which came in the previous two weeks.
10.5 Total Receptions for Amare Thomas & Tanner Kozoil
It is no secret who Weigman’s favorite targets are this season. UAB transfer Amare Thomas and Ball State transfer tight end Tanner Kozoil have nearly 60% of the team’s total receiving yards. They have eight of the team’s 13 receiving touchdowns and 73 of the 132 receptions. West Virginia’s secondary will have its hands full attempting to cover these two impact transfers for Houston. Take the over, expect a high volume of passes to be thrown their way on Saturday afternoon.