WVU Seeking Upset

Undefeated Baylor welcomes Mountaineers

MORGANTOWN -- Upsets are in vogue in the Big 12.

This past Saturday saw Kansas State stun Oklahoma, TCU down Texas and Oklahoma State turn the trick on the road against Iowa State.

West Virginia has a chance to totally shake up the Big 12 title chase apple cart when the Mountaineers visit Baylor on Thursday. The Bears are 7-0 and sitting alone atop the conference standings.

Matt Ruhle is in his third year at the Baylor helm. The former Temple head coach took over a scandal-riddled program and struggled through a 1-11 opening season. His rebuilding efforts have taken root in amazing rapid fashion.

Baylor, rated No. 11 nationally, is a 17-point favorite against Neal Brown's young and banged-up charges.

WVU enters the contest losers of three straight. Those losses have come at the hands of Saturday's three upset victims -- Texas, Iowa State and Oklahoma.

Consequently, the Mountaineers are 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

"We are excited for Thursday night. Baylor is playing with a lot of confidence and at a high level," Brown said during his Monday press conference. "They have great team speed at the skill positions and maybe the most speed at wide receiver in our conference.

"They are just a well-rounded offense. They have a veteran group defensively. They are relentless up front. Matt has done a tremendous job with the program. (Baylor) is a tremendous challenge but our guys are looking forward to it. It is a tremendous challenge but great opportunity."

Charlie Brewer is Baylor's offensive catalyst. The junior quarterback has completed 130 of 196 passes for 1,866 yards. He has tossed for 12 TDs while being picked three times.

John Lovett is the Bears' leading rusher with 457 yards and four TDs. Denzel Mims is Brewer's favorite target, hauling in 33 passes for 519 yards and five TDs.

"We are excited to play West Virginia. I think Coach Brown is one of the great coaches in college football. The job he did at Troy was absolutely fantastic. He's a good man to get to know and he and his staff are doing a great job right now with building that team. That is a young football team," Ruhle said during his press conference Monday. "They've got some tremendous players on their defensive front. It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us. I think their interior pressure and their edge pressure are really going to be one of the match-ups of the game.

"Their offensive line has done a tremendous job of protecting their quarterback. (Austin) Kendall is a veteran. He's played a lot. We know that they have some other guys who can go in there and play. They have a dynamic young receiver that's going to be one of the best players in the Big 12 in the next couple years in (Sam) James, and they do a great job of keeping you off balance with screens and all kinds of swings and verticals."

Kendall will be under center for WVU. The Oklahoma transfer has completed 141 of 222 attempts for 1,429 yards and 11 TDs. He has been intercepted seven times.

James has been his top target, hauling in 41 passes for 388 yards and two TDs. T.J. Simmons is next with 31 catches for 409 yards and four TDs.

WVU's ground game has been a major disappointment after seven games. The Mountaineers are averaging 88 yards a game. Kennedy McKoy leads the way with 220 yards and three TDS. Leddie Brown has collected 209 yards with one TD.

The Mountaineers youth movement is in high gear.

Offensively, 10 freshmen are listed on the two-deep depth chart while the number of first-year players continues to grow on the defensive side as well. Brown, however, refuses to use inexperience as an excuse for the current three-game slide.

"I think it's a built-in excuse for those kids. I think it's a built-in excuse for our staff. I think it's a built-in excuse for maybe myself, and listen, we're a no-excuse operation," Brown said. "It is what it is. We play a lot of young people. Here's the deal. We've played seven games now, and we're not using that word anymore.

"Here is what I want with our football team. I want to get better. Period."

BUBBA'S BAYLOR BITS

∫ Baylor is just one of nine undefeated teams in FBS and only one of seven among Power 5 programs.

∫ The Bears' current nine-game winning streak is the third longest in program history.

∫ Baylor has blocked eight kicks in its last 12 games.

∫ WVU's home game with Texas Tech on Saturday, Nov. 9 will kick off at noon. It is Military Appreciation Day and True Blue. All Mountaineers fans are asked to wear blue to the game.

∫ James and Tykee Smith have been named to the Football Writers Association of America Mid-Season Freshman All-America Watch List.

∫ James ranks fourth in receptions in the Big 12.

∫ WVU leads the all-time series with Baylor, 5-2.

∫ The Mountaineers blasted the Bears, 58-14, last season in Morgantown.

∫ WVU is 7-8 all-time in games played on Halloween.

∫ The Mountaineers have recorded 18 QB sacks, third best in the Big 12.

∫ Baylor was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 preseason poll.

∫ The Bears return to action Saturday, Nov. 9 at TCU.