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WEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL PREVIEW – West Virginia Mountaineers vs Oklahoma State Cowboys

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WEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL PREVIEW – West Virginia Mountaineers vs Oklahoma State Cowboys


OPENING THOUGHTS

Are we still trusting it, gang? To be very clear and up front – I am. The result was obviously very disappointing and painful, but we couldn’t have played much worse, we took their absolute best shot, and it still took a series of fluke plays for us to lose. It doesn’t erase the blemish in the loss column, but there’s something about the way our guys dug themselves out of that two-score hole and retook the lead that makes me think the wound won’t fester.

WHEN/WHERE

Date: October 21st, 2023

Kickoff: 3:30PM EST

Where: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium

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WATCH/LISTEN

Live: ESPN

Streaming: Only available on Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates) | WVU Gameday App (Apple | Android)

Radio Announcers: Tony Caridi (PBP), Dwight Wallace (analyst), and Jed Drenning (sideline)

Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

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DEGENERATION STATION

Spread: West Virginia -3

ML: WVU -164

Over/Under: 49.5

Props: I haven’t seen any props on FanDuel yet, but I’m definitely taking a good hard look at Greene’s passing and rushing numbers. The cat’s outta the bag there and I don’t think it’s going back in – kid is on his way to becoming one of the premier playmakers in the B12.

WEATHER FORECAST

Rainy – high 55/44 low – Wind 8 mph

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Shitty and getting shittier as we approach kickoff. We’re approaching 45,000 sickos territory. I don’t hate it.

THE ENEMY

Where are they from: Stillwater, OK. Somehow one of our more proximate conference foes.

All-time Series: 5-9. Seven losses in a row has a way of putting you behind the 8-ball. Here’s to starting a streak of our own.

The Last Time We Played: West Virginia 24-19 Oklahoma State. We caught the Pokes in a monsoon at the tail end of their tail spin last year and were able to walk out of there with a win. Not a particularly fun game to watch, but a fun game to win.

Head coach: Mike Gundy (19th season, 160-77). The world of NIL may eventually cause the game to pass him by, but there are very few in the sport who are a synonymous with a brand as Gundy is with Oklahoma State.

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2023 record: 4-2 (2-1). The South Alabama result remains the worst and most confusing of any Big 12 team this year, but the Pokes have looked more like themselves over the past two weeks.

WOMEN LIE, MEN LIE, NUMBERS DON’T

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7 – Havoc plays generated by the Mountaineer defense against Houston after averaging 13.6 for the first 5 games.

9 – We blitzed on just 9 of 31 dropbacks against the Cougs after blitzing on 43/88 against Texas Tech and TCU. If it felt like Donovan Smith was way too comfortable last Thursday, it’s because he was. We can’t afford Alan Bowman the same luxury.

32 – Pressures allowed by the tackle rotation of Cooper, Birmingham, and Springfield, all of whom rank in the top 15 among Big 12 tackles.

80 – Opportunities (carries + targets) for Ollie Gordon since taking over the starting job against Iowa State. 26.7 per game.

6.2 – Yards per carry for Oklahoma State on 1st down this year, the 6th best mark in FBS. Early downs are especially crucial this week.

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9.1% – Percentage of Bowman’s passes that have travelled further than 20 yards in the air the year, by far the lowest number in the Big 12 and 3rd lowest in P5. Dude is a noodle arm, we can’t be scared to play up on these receivers.

98 – QB pressures generated by the Pokes, good for 9th best in the B12. Only the 4 newbies and Baylor have produced fewer.

11 – 20+ yards pass plays allowed by the Pokes in 2 games in October. They’re getable down the field.

WHEN WE HAVE THE BALL – LET GARRETT COOK

Mountaineers to Watch: QB6 Garrett Greene, RB4 CJ Donaldson, RB22 Jaheim White, WR5 Devin Carter, TE87 Kole Taylor

Pokes to Watch: DE94 Anthony Goodlow, LB31 Collin Oliver, CB8 DJ McKinney, CB2 Korie Black, S7 Cameron Epps

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While I buy the idea that the Pokes have found something offensively, I’m not as convinced about the defense. Two of their last four opponents ran for over 200 yards, while the other two threw for 348 and 410. The only real difference the last two weeks has been the 5 takeaways, and as someone who watched most of both games I can’t help but be dubious. 3 of those 5 came courtesy of Will Howard making three of the worst decisions I’ve seen from a quarterback this year this side of Phil Jurkovec, and the other 2 were an underthrow to a guy coming open in the end zone and a tip drill to a guy who wasn’t open in the first place. Good for them I guess, but go watch the highlights and tell me how many were actually forced. Maybe one?

All signs point to this being a team that, if it’s not falling ass-backwards into turnovers, we can gain yards and put up points on. They struggle against mobile quarterbacks, and they struggle to defend the pass down the field. *Looks around* I know a guy. Simply put, Garrett Greene is capable of taking this game by the scruff of the neck and winning it for us. Neal Brown has to let him.

WHEN THEY HAVE THE BALL – OLLIE OLLIE CAN’T GET FREE

Pokes to Watch: QB7 Alan Bowman, RB0 Ollie Gordon, WR80 Brennan Pressley, WR10 Rashod Owens, WR5 Jaden Bray

Mountaineers to Watch: DE91 Sean Martin, DE3 Tomi Durojaiye, LB1 Lee Kpogba, CB11 Beanie Bishop

Noodle Arm Bowman and the Cowboy receivers are Big 12 standard issue, but the main difference between the offense that averaged 322 yards and 20 points per game and 4.7 yards per play out of conference and the group who’s averaging 458, 32, and 6.1 in conference play is the emergence of running back Ollie Gordon, who ranks 2nd nationally with 186.7 total yards per game during that span. This both simplifies and complicates things for our defense, as it’s clear that our primary focus needs to be slowing him down but it’s also a task easier said than done. Really it’s just going to come down to winning at the line of scrimmage and rallying to the ball to get him down. Prior to last Thursday we’d done a pretty good job at that this year, and returning home for homecoming makes me think a return to form is likely. If we’re able to keep him in check I don’t think this is an offense that can run away from us.

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X-FACTOR – TURNOVERS

We haven’t generated a takeaway since Pitt; Oklahoma State has 5 in their last two games. Overall, they’re +1.5 per game in their 4 wins and -2 per game in their 2 losses. May be a bit of a cop-out, but it feels like something has to give there.

FEAR FACTOR

6.5 out of 10. Non-committal fear factor here as it’s just hard to know exactly what to make of Oklahoma State. Are we playing the October Pokes or September Pokes? Are the October Pokes really that much improved, or were they the benefactors of consecutive terrible performances from Will Howard and the Kansas red zone offense?

PREDICTION

On paper it looks like a relatively close matchup on boths sides of the ball. We’re both finding ourselves on offense and hoping that the defense can cause enough havoc to make it tough on the other side. In situations like that I like to look at the quarterbacks and coaching. I don’t think that anybody would argue that the Pokes have the advantage in the latter, but for the first time in a while I feel like we have a decided advantage in the former, as Greene’s playmaking exceeds anything that Alan Bowman is capable of. That’s the difference in the game IMO, especially if the defense is able to slow Gordon down.

West Virginia 31-23 Oklahoma State



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VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game

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VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game


With the game of year looming this weekend, members of the Virginia football team were made available to to the media after practice on Tuesday morning to talk about the regular season finale against Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday night in Blacksburg. Watch the video below to hear what UVA senior safety Jonas Sanker, graduate tight ends Tyler Neville and Sackett Wood Jr., and graduate defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter had to say ahead of the Virginia Tech game:

Sanker is the team’s leader in tackles with 89 total tackles and also leads the ACC in solo stops with 60 unassisted tackles. He has racked up 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and an interception as part of a strong senior campaign that should earn Sanker some serious consideration for a First-Team All-ACC selection.

A transfer from Harvard, Tyler Neville is Virginia’s second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Sackett Wood Jr., meanwhile, has recorded three receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown this season. Between the two of them, Neville and Wood have combined to appear in 83 college football games and make 48 starts.

Saturday will be the 55th game in the five-year career of Jahmeer Carter, who has started nearly every game for the last four seasons at Virginia. This season, Carter has 30 total tackles, including nine solo stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass defender. For his career, Carter is up to 131 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss.

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Saturday night will be the first time Virginia plays at Lane Stadium in front of fans since the 2018 season, as the 2020 edition of the Commonwealth Clash was played in front of only 250 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions and then the 2022 Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game was canceled due to the shooting tragedy at UVA.

Virginia is seeking its first road victory at Virginia Tech since 1998, as the Hokies have won the last 11 Commonwealth Clash games played at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech has won 17 of the last 18 overall games against Virginia and leads UVA 61-38-5 in the all-time series that dates back to 1895.

Both Virginia and Virginia Tech bring a 5-6 overall record into the regular season finale and both need to win the game in order to reach the six-win threshold required for bowl eligibility. There is only one other game this weekend between FBS teams who are battling for bowl eligibility (Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan). Virginia and Virginia Tech played each other for bowl eligibility at the end of the 2014 season.

UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

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Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Virginia Tech | Takeaways, Analysis

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Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for Nov. 26, 2024

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Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for Nov. 26, 2024


The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 26, 2024, results for each game:

Mega Millions

Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

05-22-24-39-42, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Pick 3

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 7-3-0, FB: 2

Day: 7-2-1, FB: 5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

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Night: 1-6-6-8, FB: 5

Day: 7-4-5-8, FB: 4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 0-5-4-9-9, FB: 2

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Day: 6-9-5-3-2, FB: 0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash4Life

Drawing everyday at 9 p.m.

04-11-13-30-39, Cash Ball: 02

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Cash Pop

Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.

Coffee Break: 04

After Hours: 05

Prime Time: 06

Rush Hour: 09

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Lunch Break: 12

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash 5

Drawing every day at 11 p.m.

12-22-31-38-44

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Virginia Basketball Holds Off Manhattan 74-65 | Key Takeaways

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Virginia Basketball Holds Off Manhattan 74-65 | Key Takeaways


Virginia (4-2) got back in the win column with a 74-65 victory over Manhattan (3-3) on Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Here are our five quick takeaways from the Cavaliers’ win over the Jaspers.

Virginia was in serious need of a win after suffering those two humbling losses to Tennessee and St. John’s in The Bahamas. But a convincing and comfortable victory would have been even better and for a while, it seemed like the Cavaliers were on their way to doing just that. UVA led by as many as 15 points in the first half and opened up a 16-point advantage midway through the second half. But rather than putting the game away, Virginia let Manhattan hang around and the visiting Jaspers were in a situation where they were fouling to stop the clock in the final minutes, narrowing the deficit to as little as six points. A win is a win, but this was far from a confidence-boosting performance.

Virginia went with a new starting lineup on Tuesday night, as Andrew Rohde replaced TJ Power. Rohde has been playing very well recently, particularly with his resurgent outside shot, while Power came into this game shooting 25% from beyond the arc this season.

Power initially responded well to the benching, swishing a corner three shortly after he first entered the game, hitting the deck for a loose ball, and coming up with a steal to stop a Manhattan fastbreak. But he wound up playing only six minutes, fewest among Cavaliers who saw the floor in the game. That does not bode well for the Duke transfer.

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Read Val’s Plus/Minus breakdown of the game here.

Rohde, on the other hand, had another solid game and was perhaps the top performer for the Hoos on Tuesday night. Though he missed his only three-pointer, which was a desperation off-balanced heave at the end of the shot clock, Rohde finished with a season-high 14 points, two assists (with one turnover), two rebounds, and four steals. Rohde showed excellent feel for the game, getting exactly where he wanted to go and exhibiting some nice touch on a couple of floaters plus a short jumper off the glass. If Rohde is playing like this and his three-point shot continues to be there, this could be a big season for the former St. Thomas transfer.

The main reason why this game continued to be close deep into the second half is because UVA’s defense frequently broke down and gave up open shots to Manhattan, particularly from the perimeter. The Jaspers shot 11/26 (42.3%) from beyond the arc and and seven different players knocked down a three. A couple of those Manhattan triples were well-contested, but the vast majority of them were wide-open. That’s very concerning and shows that this Virginia defense, with its many new faces, is still very much a work in progress.

Virginia’s offense was pretty well neutralized by Tennessee and St. John’s in The Bahamas. Tuesday night against Manhattan was a small step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

Let’s start with the good. Five different Cavaliers scored in double figures, including a game-high 18 points from Isaac McKneely, who hit three of his four three-point attempts and went 5/6 from the free throw line. We still think McKneely needs to shoot way more, but we’ll leave that alone for now. Dai Dai Ames scored 10 points and dished out five assists, but fouled out of the game. Blake Buchanan made his first four shots and finished with 11 points and five boards. Cofie made five of his seven shots and finished with 10 points and five boards. The best part of the game was that Virginia had 15 assists on 29 made baskets and turned the ball over only eight times, a vast improvement over the team’s turnover issues in The Bahamas.

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Virginia outscored Manhattan 42-22 in the paint. That looks like a good stat, but it’s also an inevitable stat because of UVA’s size advantage over the Jaspers, whose tallest player in the rotation is 6’8″. Still, Manhattan snared 10 offensive rebounds and scored 11 second-chance points. In The Bahamas, UVA was dominated on the glass and was simply outmatched from a physicality and athleticism standpoint. Nothing we saw from the Cavaliers on Tuesday night did anything to alleviate those concerns.

Up next, Virginia remains at home for another (supposed) tune-up game against Holy Cross on Friday at 4pm at John Paul Jones Arena.

Virginia vs. Manhattan Live Updates | NCAA Men’s Basketball

UVA Basketball: Ten Things We Learned About Virginia in The Bahamas

Virginia Basketball Falls to St. John’s 80-55 | Key Takeaways

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