--Teams don’t typically beat TCU the way that West Virginia did today even in down years like they are currently having with injuries and attrition. Even Oklahoma was 52-27 and that’s the worst margin of defeat for Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson during his tenure at TCU. That is saying something considering the length he’s been at the program and the success they’ve had. West Virginia was expected to win this game, no question, but the way they did it is something that is encouraging any way you slice it. This was a dominant performance that didn’t start that way – speaking even more to what the Mountaineers were able to do to the Horned Frogs. No, it wasn’t as thrilling as what happened a week ago but it’s perhaps even more impressive considering this game had all the makings of a possible let down but the Mountaineers had no part of that.
--Now something else that stood out to me in this game and really has all year is that this team is not only winning but seems to be having fun doing it. From early in the year, this team celebrates every touchdown regardless who gets it and seems as happy for the backups getting in as they do anybody else on the club. Even some of the touchdown celebrations have been a sign of just how much fun this team is having together such as the tea party one today between Grier and Sills. It’s a team that after so many things going the other way almost expects for things to go right this year and outside of Iowa State it has. But let’s deep dive into the game.
--It’s almost hard to believe that this game was tight until West Virginia scored three touchdowns in a span of 3:25 to push the lead out to 24-3 entering the halftime break. There was no coming back from that as the Mountaineers rolled to a win in the second half without ever really looking back.
-West Virginia held TCU to a total of -7 rushing yards. Yes, -7. That is the least amount generated by an opponent since the Maryland game in 2010 when the Mountaineers held the Terrapins to -10 yards. Take that into consideration for a second, West Virginia had a total of nine rushes over seven yards in the game. Their longest run of the game was six yards and even taking out the quarterback sacks they still only finished with two-yards on 13 attempts. That is a dominant effort from the defensive line and the linebacker unit as they consistently lived in the backfield.
--West Virginia had allowed nine consecutive drives following the first of the Texas game to either score or go to the edge of the red zone until a sack forced a punt on the second drive of the game for the Horned Frogs. After that, four consecutive punts with a trio of three and outs as well as the drive to end the half. The Mountaineers allowed only 114 yards in the first half. Outside of that opening drive, TCU had only one other scoring drive after the fumble on the punt that hit a West Virginia player and there were a total of nine punts and a safety. The Mountaineers allowed 222 yards total which is the best defensive performance for the program since allowing 209 yards to Kansas in 2015.
--West Virginia with eight more tackles for loss giving them 77 on the season which is 8.5 per game over the nine game schedule. The Mountaineers had a total of 85 for all of last season in 13 games.
--Redshirt junior David Long had himself yet another day with 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. He now has a total of 17.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks on the season. That is quickly approaching the all-time record at West Virginia which is held by defensive end Johnny Dingle during the 2007 season with 19. It’s fair to believe that Long is one of the most impressive players in quite some time at that spot.
-It’s fair to wonder that if that turnover didn’t happen and coordinator Tony Gibson didn’t elect to run a blitz leaving his corner alone on the outside if TCU would have scored again in this one. The Mountaineers were exceptional on third down as well allowing only 2-15
--West Virginia rolled up 535 offensive yards, the most since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference against TCU, with 164 tough yards on the ground. It wasn’t all perfect as they only converted 3-12 on third down but there isn’t a lot you can complain about. Junior running back Martell Pettaway continued to pick up chunk gains and ran very hard breaking tackles on his way to 59 yards on 12 carries.
--Just another day at the office for senior quarterback Will Grier completing 25-39 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around to eight different wide receivers with four of them going over 50-yards. The tempo really got TCU off balance and helped turn the tide of this game allowing them to pick up chunks and get into a rhythm while keeping the same TCU personnel on the field and not allowing them to flip in and out of fronts. He now has 65 total touchdown passes good for second all-time and has thrown for at least three in 15 of 20 games.
--Senior David Sills has 12 touchdowns on the year, while senior Gary Jennings now has 11 touchdowns making them the top duo in the nation on that front.
--Tight ends continue to be utilized in this offense and the 32-yard scoring toss to redshirt senior Trevon Wesco was beautiful as nobody accounted for him with the Mountaineers using tempo to get TCU out of sorts. The position hauled in seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on the day. That is now 31-34 on the season on passes completed to tight ends. On the year they have 367 yards and two scores.
--Tip your cap to the West Virginia special teams. (Punt off the back aside) West Virginia was very good on that phase of the ball and had a game changing play with the turnover on the kickoff which they recovered but they also connected on a 47-yard field goal in the wind, pinned a punt down at the one-yard line and controlled the field position aspect starting at their own 39-yard line while the TCU was stuck at their own 22-yard line. This unit has been beaten and badgered a lot and they really have played well not only today but throughout the course of the year.
–-After last week it was a relatively clean game with a pair of penalties for 15 yards in the first half. What a difference from the 14 flags for 128 yards they had against Texas a week ago.
--Now again, none of this matters if West Virginia doesn’t continue to win games and next up is another game on the revenge tour with a trip to Oklahoma State. That is never an easy place to win and there is a real possibility that they could be fighting for a bowl depending on what happens against Oklahoma but it’s another opportunity for this team to again distance itself from what it had been known has. This team has a different feel to it and continues to deliver to that fact. Can it do it again to set up the match up that West Virginia fans have had circled all year to close the regular season?
--Now something else that stood out to me in this game and really has all year is that this team is not only winning but seems to be having fun doing it. From early in the year, this team celebrates every touchdown regardless who gets it and seems as happy for the backups getting in as they do anybody else on the club. Even some of the touchdown celebrations have been a sign of just how much fun this team is having together such as the tea party one today between Grier and Sills. It’s a team that after so many things going the other way almost expects for things to go right this year and outside of Iowa State it has. But let’s deep dive into the game.
--It’s almost hard to believe that this game was tight until West Virginia scored three touchdowns in a span of 3:25 to push the lead out to 24-3 entering the halftime break. There was no coming back from that as the Mountaineers rolled to a win in the second half without ever really looking back.
-West Virginia held TCU to a total of -7 rushing yards. Yes, -7. That is the least amount generated by an opponent since the Maryland game in 2010 when the Mountaineers held the Terrapins to -10 yards. Take that into consideration for a second, West Virginia had a total of nine rushes over seven yards in the game. Their longest run of the game was six yards and even taking out the quarterback sacks they still only finished with two-yards on 13 attempts. That is a dominant effort from the defensive line and the linebacker unit as they consistently lived in the backfield.
--West Virginia had allowed nine consecutive drives following the first of the Texas game to either score or go to the edge of the red zone until a sack forced a punt on the second drive of the game for the Horned Frogs. After that, four consecutive punts with a trio of three and outs as well as the drive to end the half. The Mountaineers allowed only 114 yards in the first half. Outside of that opening drive, TCU had only one other scoring drive after the fumble on the punt that hit a West Virginia player and there were a total of nine punts and a safety. The Mountaineers allowed 222 yards total which is the best defensive performance for the program since allowing 209 yards to Kansas in 2015.
--West Virginia with eight more tackles for loss giving them 77 on the season which is 8.5 per game over the nine game schedule. The Mountaineers had a total of 85 for all of last season in 13 games.
--Redshirt junior David Long had himself yet another day with 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. He now has a total of 17.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks on the season. That is quickly approaching the all-time record at West Virginia which is held by defensive end Johnny Dingle during the 2007 season with 19. It’s fair to believe that Long is one of the most impressive players in quite some time at that spot.
-It’s fair to wonder that if that turnover didn’t happen and coordinator Tony Gibson didn’t elect to run a blitz leaving his corner alone on the outside if TCU would have scored again in this one. The Mountaineers were exceptional on third down as well allowing only 2-15
--West Virginia rolled up 535 offensive yards, the most since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference against TCU, with 164 tough yards on the ground. It wasn’t all perfect as they only converted 3-12 on third down but there isn’t a lot you can complain about. Junior running back Martell Pettaway continued to pick up chunk gains and ran very hard breaking tackles on his way to 59 yards on 12 carries.
--Just another day at the office for senior quarterback Will Grier completing 25-39 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around to eight different wide receivers with four of them going over 50-yards. The tempo really got TCU off balance and helped turn the tide of this game allowing them to pick up chunks and get into a rhythm while keeping the same TCU personnel on the field and not allowing them to flip in and out of fronts. He now has 65 total touchdown passes good for second all-time and has thrown for at least three in 15 of 20 games.
--Senior David Sills has 12 touchdowns on the year, while senior Gary Jennings now has 11 touchdowns making them the top duo in the nation on that front.
--Tight ends continue to be utilized in this offense and the 32-yard scoring toss to redshirt senior Trevon Wesco was beautiful as nobody accounted for him with the Mountaineers using tempo to get TCU out of sorts. The position hauled in seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on the day. That is now 31-34 on the season on passes completed to tight ends. On the year they have 367 yards and two scores.
--Tip your cap to the West Virginia special teams. (Punt off the back aside) West Virginia was very good on that phase of the ball and had a game changing play with the turnover on the kickoff which they recovered but they also connected on a 47-yard field goal in the wind, pinned a punt down at the one-yard line and controlled the field position aspect starting at their own 39-yard line while the TCU was stuck at their own 22-yard line. This unit has been beaten and badgered a lot and they really have played well not only today but throughout the course of the year.
–-After last week it was a relatively clean game with a pair of penalties for 15 yards in the first half. What a difference from the 14 flags for 128 yards they had against Texas a week ago.
--Now again, none of this matters if West Virginia doesn’t continue to win games and next up is another game on the revenge tour with a trip to Oklahoma State. That is never an easy place to win and there is a real possibility that they could be fighting for a bowl depending on what happens against Oklahoma but it’s another opportunity for this team to again distance itself from what it had been known has. This team has a different feel to it and continues to deliver to that fact. Can it do it again to set up the match up that West Virginia fans have had circled all year to close the regular season?
