Why a clash with UT-Martin is exactly what West Virginia football needs in Week 2

Every year, you'll see just about every FBS opponent schedule at least one opponent from the FCS level. Sometimes, you'll hear it called a "cupcake" game. It's not a guaranteed win – look at the Michigan and Appalachian State in 2007, for example. But it's as close as you'll get, and often a chance to work out some kinks against lesser competition.

The Mountaineers opened their season against an FBS opponent, albeit a Group of 6 team, in Coastal Carolina. And while they looked flat out dominant at times, there were also some questionable – and, dare I say, concerning – moments for the Mountaineers. So this week's clash against UT-Martin might hold even more value than normal for West Virginia.

West Virginia Mountaineers need a tune up game before Week 3 showdown with Virginia

The Mountaineers looked great in the first half on Saturday against Coastal Carolina – they put up 24 points and over 200 rushing yards in the first two quarters. It would have been 31 points if Michael Hawkins Jr. hadn't fumbled at the goal line, giving Coastal a touchback and preventing a score. And they had 50 seconds to attempt another score late in the half but chose to kneel the ball instead.

But they also struggled to move the ball consistently in the second half. Part of that may have been Rich Rodriguez'sadmittedly conservative playcalling, but it still leaves question. And both the quarterback contain and pass coverage looked very rough in the second half, allowing an underclassman Sun Belt quarterback shred the defense.

This combined to allow the Chanticleers to outscore West Virginia 24-7 in the second half – that's all reason to have some concerns, even if it's still far from time tohit the panic button. So the Mountaineers certainly have a few things to figure out and kinks to get smoothed, even if they ultimately won in Week 1 and looked damn good doing so at times.

And with Week 3 bringing a neutral-site game in Charlotte against defending ACC runners-up Virginia, who opened the season with a dominant win over ACC rival NC State and is now ranked in the AP Top 25, there's not a ton of room left to figure those issues out in a game.

So that makes the UT-Martin game this week even more important than it might normally be for the Mountaineers. Because it's hard to deny that opportunity for a tune-up before power conference play begins is massively needed.

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