No. 16 West Virginia will have a fight on its hands when the Mountaineers visit Texas on Saturday. The Longhorns have rebounded by winning three of the past four games after an ugly start to the year, and they are one win away from bowl eligibility.
West Virginia vs. Texas 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
The Mountaineers and Longhorns could be the explosive game we’re looking for to start the day off right.
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The shine may be starting to come off Texas’ upset win over Baylor two weeks ago, but it was absolutely massive at the time and may still be. A loss may have been the end of Charlie Strong’s tenure with the Longhorns, but instead the win may springboard them through the end of the season and save his job. The Mountaineers will be a tough out, but despite their shiny 7-1 record, they are vulnerable.
The Mountaineers are still in the hunt for the Big 12 title, but they’re chasing Oklahoma and need the Sooners to slip twice because they own the tiebreaker. After years of being an offensive team let down by their defense, the Mountaineers seem to have found balance under Dana Holgorsen, ranking 30th and 37th in Offensive and Defensive S&P+, respectively.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 12 p.m. ET, FS1
Radio: West Virginia | Texas
Online streaming: FOX Sports GO
Spread: Texas is favored by two points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at The Smoking Musket for West Virginia fans and Burnt Orange Nation for Texas fans.
Three big things to know
1. West Virginia can give itself a huge boost by stopping running back D'Onta Foreman. He's averaging over 180 yards per game, which is the best mark in the country, and gives freshman quarterback Shane Buechele a major stud to lean on. If he can't get going, Texas is in rough shape.
2. The worst unit on the field in this should be Texas' defense. They rank 85th in Defensive S&P+, and will need the Texas offense to keep scoring points to keep this game going. If someone on defense is going to step up and make a big play, look for five-star linebacker Malik Jefferson to be the one who does it.
3. West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard may not be having as explosive a season as he did last year, but he's doing a better job taking care of the ball and being more efficient. He only has six interceptions compared to 14 last year, and his yards per attempt has gone up nearly an entire yard.
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