WVU football's defense gave up 41 points to the Kansas Jayhawks last Saturday. The defense struggled in a few different areas, and it's likely that defensive coordinator Zac Alley realizes that WVU’s schedule does not lighten up for the defense for much of the rest of the season.
Breaking down the rest of the Mountaineer schedule, there are a lot of tough offenses that the defense will have to go up against.:
9-27 vs. Utah
The Utah Utes (3-1) are averaging 453.5 yards per game. That is good for the 32nd place among all FBS teams. The Utes are averaging 36.8 points per game despite their last game only being able to score 10 points against Texas Tech. In comparison, the Mountaineers are next to last in the Big 12 in points per game (only behind the struggling Oklahoma State), and they are 10th in total offensive yards per game.
Led by a dual-threat quarterback, Devon Dampier, the Utes can get it done on the ground and through the air. Their leading receiver, Ryan Davis, has racked up 29 receptions and 241 receiving yards, also adding one receiving touchdown. Dampier is the leading rusher on the team (225 rushing yards), but running back Wayshawn Parker is not far behind with 214 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
10-3 @ BYU
BYU is averaging very similar numbers to Utah through the first four games of the season. Coming in directly behind the Utes, the BYU Cougars (3-0) are the 33rd team in all of the FBS in yards per game, with 452, literally only one yard less per game than the Utes. From a scoring standpoint, the Cougars are the second-highest team in the Big 12, averaging 43.3 points per game, only behind Baylor’s absurd 52 points per game. Comparing the scoring prowess of the Cougars to the lack of scoring from WVU shows a stark difference. If you take away WVU’s 45 points against Robert Morris, WVU has only scored 44 total points in its last three games, while BYU is scoring 43 points per game. That is a very eye-opening.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has been a solid replacement for Jake Ratzlaff, who transferred after issues off the field. Bachmeier has 518 passing yards so far this season with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The best news for the Mountaineers seems to be that Bachmeier is not a running quarterback, as WVU has had trouble stopping such mobile signal callers this year. The Cougars rely on running back LJ Martin for their rushing game. Martin has 342 rushing yards through four games with one touchdown on the season. Wide receiver Chase Roberts and tight end Carsen Ryan are the Cougars' top receiving threats. Roberts and Ryan have 11 and nine receptions on the year, respectively, with 185 receiving yards and 146 receiving yards, respectively.
10-18 @ UCF
UCF (3-0) is right behind Utah and BYU in yards per game with 449.3 yards per game. UCF is a little lower on the list in terms of points per game compared to BYU; the Golden Knights are averaging 39.7 points per game so far in 2025.
The Golden Knights are fueled so far through their first three games by quarterback Tayven Jackson. Jackson has 694 passing yards through only three games this season, which is good for 231.33 passing yards per game. Jackson has registered a 158.7 passer rating in his first three games this season. The Golden Knights don’t have a rusher or a receiver with over 160 yards before week 5.
10-25 vs. TCU
Hosting the current 24th-ranked team in the country will not be an easy task for the Mountaineer defense. The Big 12’s second-ranked offense in yards per game (516 yards per game), the TCU Horned Frogs (3-0) are no joke and can be as explosive as any team in the Big 12. TCU is also the second-ranked team in the Big 12 for points per game, putting up 41.7 points per game.
Quarterback Josh Hoover is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country this season. Hoover has already put up 1,000 passing yards this season through his first three games, averaging 333.33 passing yards per game. The Horned Frogs do not have much of a running game, but leading receiver Eric McAlister is a name for Alley and company to remember. McAlister has 320 receiving yards on 13 receptions and three touchdowns. Second-leading receiver Jordan Dwyer (17 receptions, 257 receiving yards, and two touchdowns) is also a very viable receiving option for Hoover.
11-1 @ Houston
This is where the schedule might getting a bit easier for the Mountaineers' defense. Houston (3-0) is a bottom-seven team in the Big 12 in both points per game and yards per game. The Houston Cougars are more of a balanced offense with former Texas A&M quarterback Connor Weigman posting 569 passing yards so far this season, and Dean Connors leading the team with 271 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns so far this season. Weigman is also another mobile quarterback and has racked up 142 rushing yards to go with his passing yards.
11-8 vs. Colorado
Colorado (2-2) has played three quarterbacks so far this season, but it seems like another mobile quarterback will have his chance against this Mountaineer defense. Kaidon Salter has 565 passing yards and 165 rushing yards through his first four games. Ranking in the bottom four for Big 12 teams in both yards per game and points per game, this might be the easiest matchup that WVU has all year.
11-15 @ ASU
Arizona State (3-1), the reigning Big 12 champs, are a bottom-seven team in yards per game and points per game. Sam Leavitt is the starting quarterback with 748 passing yards through his first four games this season. Leavitt is yet another mobile quarterback as he is second on the team with 219 rushing yards, behind team-leading rusher Raleek Brown with 372 rushing yards. Jordan Tyson is one of the best wide receivers in the country and has already put up 357 receiving yards through the first part of the season.
11-22 vs. Texas Tech
Last on the schedule but certainly not last in the standings, the Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0) are the best offense so far in the Big 12 in 2025. Averaging 573 yards per game and 52 points per game, this is the best offense in the Big 12, and there is no doubt.
Behren Morton is already above 1,000 passing yards with 1,065 to start 2025. Including the backup quarterback Will Hammond, the Red Raiders have four rushers who have over 165 rushing yards in the first three games, with Cameron Dickey leading the way with 232 rushing yards. Morton was injured against the Utes last week, but is expected to be back before the end of the season.