(Graphic Illustration – Monday Morning Quarterback – WVU Football – Image rendered by way of the usage of ChatGPT)
From the opening kickoff Saturday, West Virginia seemed nothing just like the workforce which had struggled over the past a number of weeks. Beginning with the primary sequence on offense the Mountaineers had been capable of management the road of scrimmage and efficiently run the ball. With 4 minutes remaining within the first quarter WVU had constructed a 14-0 lead and Houston had run solely six performs.
Unfortunately the offense grew to become ineffective by way of the second and third quarters, gaining solely 61 yards on 26 performs and making solely two first downs. But the deciding components within the final result of the sport had been 4 essential turnovers dedicated by Houston which led to straightforward scores by the Mountaineers. A fumble within the second half gave WVU a brief subject from which it was capable of rating on a landing drive from solely 27 yards, and a 3rd quarter interception once more gave the Mountaineers good subject place which they transformed right into a subject objective.
The largest play and turning level of the sport got here halfway by way of the third quarter with Houston driving into WVU territory and poised to take its first lead of the sport, when Jordan Scruggs intercepted a move and returned it 80 yards for a landing. Instead of falling behind or no less than seeing the sport tied, the defensive rating gave West Virginia a 10- level lead which it by no means relinquished.
Despite the turnovers the Houston offense had excellent ability place gamers and was nonetheless able to mounting a comeback however the WVU offense once more discovered its rhythm within the fourth quarter. Clinging to a 31-28 lead getting into the ultimate stanza the Mountaineers engineered a 73-yard drive capped by a 34-yard landing run by quarterback Scotty Fox on fourth-and-4. The subsequent possession noticed one other essential fourth down conversion on a 53-yard move from Fox to tight finish Jeff Weimer resulting in one more rating to place the sport out of attain. West Virginia was 4 for 4 on fourth down makes an attempt.
How tough the 2025 season has been was evident when one realized that having a lead within the fourth quarter was the primary for the reason that opening sport vs. Robert Morris.
After rotating 4 totally different quarterbacks as starters the Mountaineers have now discovered their reply at that place. Scotty Fox has been excellent over these final two weeks, and being a real freshman ought to solely get higher.
THIS SATURDAY: After displaying some high quality play early within the season the Colorado Buffaloes have fallen on exhausting occasions. They have been demolished the final two weeks vs Utah and Arizona, being outscored within the first half a mixed 81-7. They rotated three quarterbacks of their loss on Saturday and are actually trying for solutions. One must be leery of a workforce taking part in with desperation, however for the primary time in two months the Mountaineers will probably be favored at house.
WEST VIRGINIA 31, COLORADO 21.