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Countdown to Kickoff
November 07, 2014 10:34 AM | General
- GAMEDAY CENTRAL
AUSTIN, Texas – West Virginia looks to get back on the winning side of things today when the Mountaineers take on 4-5 Texas at Darrell K. Royal Stadium.
Today’s game will be the fourth meeting between these two schools with the prior three meetings going right down to the wire: a 7-6 West Virginia victory in Austin in 1956, a 48-45 Mountaineer win in Austin in 2012 and Texas’ 47-40 overtime victory in Morgantown last year.
The Longhorns have won two of their last games this season under first-year coach Charlie Strong and have been playing much better of late - Texas needing two more victories to become bowl eligible.
West Virginia has already reached that status and is seeking additional wins to improve its bowl standing.
Today’s game will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1 and will also be carried on Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG affiliates throughout West Virginia as well as on the Internet through leanStream and TuneIn.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
Here is today’s Countdown to Kickoff, presented by the Friends of Coal:
10 – The Mountaineers have lost only TEN times in their last 80 games since 2002 when winning the turnover battle. Unfortunately, last weekend the Mountaineers didn’t win the turnover battle and lost to sixth-ranked TCU 31-30.
9 – Through NINE games, the West Virginia defense has allowed their opponents just 22 trips into the red zone – the third fewest in the Big 12 so far this season.
8 – West Virginia has already established a school record by scoring 30 points or more EIGHT times so far this season. Last week, WVU scored 30 in its 31-30 loss to TCU.
7 – Wide receiver Kevin White had his school-record SEVEN-game streak of 100-yard receiving games stopped two weeks ago at Oklahoma State. Since then, White has managed to catch just six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown in his last two games.
6 – West Virginia’s offense has produced SIX plays of 50 yards or longer from scrimmage so far this season. By comparison, the Texas offense has managed only four plays of 40 yards or longer through nine games this year.
5 – West Virginia could be facing a FIFTH top-10-ranked opponent on Thursday, November 20, when the Mountaineers play host to Kansas State. This year’s schedule is easily the most difficult in school history with six opponents currently boasting .500 or better records right now.
4 – Quarterback Clint Trickett enters this week ranked FOURTH nationally with 2,925 yards passing.
3 – West Virginia’s THREE prior meetings against Texas have all been decided by seven points or less, including last year’s 47-40 Longhorn overtime victory in Morgantown.
2 – Kicker Josh Lambert enters this week ranked SECOND in the country in field goals made per game (2.33).
1 – The Mountaineer defense has allowed just ONE touchdown on the game’s opening drive and has permitted just two teams to score on opening drives so far this season.
Enjoy today’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
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