Georgia Southern @ West Virginia preview
Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium
West Virginia’s first three seasons in the Big 12 haven’t exactly gone as planned with the Mountaineers posting an 11-16 league record while going 18-20 overall. Now armed with one of his most experienced rosters in his five seasons with the program, coach Dana Holgorsen’s Mountaineers are aiming higher this season, which begins with Saturday’s home game against defending Sun Belt champion Georgia Southern.
In all, 24 returning West Virginia players made at least one start last season. That includes quarterback Skyler Howard, leading rushers Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood and a dozen players on a defensive unit which ranked fourth in the Big 12 in scoring in league play (27.1 points) and third in total defense (395.1 yards). “Obviously I am the most excited in this room to see how the offense and defense does against somebody else,” Holgorsen said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to watch these guys play.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Network. LINE: West Virginia -19.5.
ABOUT GEORGIA SOUTHERN (2014: 9-3): The Eagles’ first full season at FBS level was an unqualified success as they went unbeaten in Sun Belt play (8-0) while leading the nation in rushing (381.1 yards per game) and the conference in scoring (39.1 points) and total offense (488.2 yards). Georgia Southern’s attack is unconventional to say the least as it runs a read triple-option out of the shotgun. The opening two games will be a test, though, with first-time starting quarterback Favian Upshaw filling in for 2014 All-SBC second-team quarterback Kevin Ellison, who will serve an academic suspension.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (2014: 7-6): Among the few players not returning for the Mountaineers is wide receiver Kevin White, who led the Big 12 with 109 receptions for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Jordan Thompson is back, though, after catching 49 passes in nine starts last season and he’ll be one of the prime targets for Howard, who made four appearances and started the final two games last season for injured starter Clint Trickett. Defensively, leading tackler Nick Kwiatkoski returns and is moving from weak-side to strong-side linebacker, while safety Karl Joseph anchors an experienced and talented secondary and joins Kwiatkoski on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
EXTRA POINTS
1. West Virginia is 30-4-1 in season openers at Milan Puskar Stadium and has won 11 straight home openers overall.
2. Mountaineers K Josh Lambert, a Groza Award finalist last season, led the nation with 2.31 field goals made per game and set an NCAA record for most 40-yard-plus field goals (16) made in a season.
3. Georgia Southern last year became the third program to win a conference title in its first season at the FBS level.
PREDICTION: West Virginia 38, Georgia Southern 18