Up next for WVU is a road trip to Houston to take on the Cougars. The Mountaineers will try to claim their first conference win of the season against a 7-1 team that’s riding a three-game win streak.

Announced on Sunday after the Big 12 initially decided to delay deciding on the details for the matchup, the game will kickoff at noon and air nationally on FS1.

While WVU is in the midst of enduring one of the worst seasons in program history, Houston has managed to become a surprise contender. The Cougars are coming off a 24-16 win over Arizona State and have only lost once all season, a 35-11 defeat to Texas Tech.

West Virginia is on the heels of their fifth-straight loss. On Saturday, WVU lost 23-17 to TCU in their closest loss of their losing skid. The Mountaineers last win came on Sept. 13 in a comeback victory over the rival Pitt Panthers in the Backyard Brawl.

Josh Hoover threw a touchdown pass, Nate McCashland kicked three field goals and TCU outlasted West Virginia 23-17 on Saturday night.

TCU (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) barely outgained West Virginia 343-342 but made the most of its opportunities.

TCU started its first three possessions past midfield and led 10-0 before West Virginia had mustered a first down. Each team scored its initial touchdown on a short field following a poor punt.

After Trent Battle opened the scoring on a 1-yard run for the Horned Frogs, Hoover fooled West Virginia’s defense with a fake handoff, then found Eric McAlister on a 4-yard scoring toss midway through the second quarter for a 17-7 lead.

McAlister, who was targeted 18 times, caught nine passes for 124 yards. Hoover, tied with two others for the most TD passes (21) in the country entering play Saturday, finished 24 of 39 for 247 yards.

McCashland kicked field goals of 35, 22 and 41 yards.

West Virginia (2-6, 0-5) has lost five straight. The Mountaineers have been held to 17 or fewer points five times this season.

West Virginia freshman Scotty Fox Jr. threw two touchdown passes, including a 28-yarder to Jeff Weimer with 3:15 remaining in the game.

TCU recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock. McAlister gave his team a scare, though. He caught a 21-yard pass on third down but fumbled and teammate Major Everhart recovered it at the West Virginia 19 with 2 minutes left.

Fox, the fourth quarterback used by the Mountaineers this season due to injuries, went 28 of 41 for 301 yards in his second straight start. It marked the first time in over a month that West Virginia surpassed 150 passing yards.

The takeaway 

TCU: The Horned Frogs were held to their fewest points this season but got tested by a determined West Virginia team playing in its annual Coal Rush game.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers, with 80-some new players on the roster, are heading for their worst season since 2001, when they went 3-8 in Rich Rodriguez’s inaugural season of his first stint at the school. They must win all four remaining games to become bowl eligible.

Up next

TCU has next Saturday off before hosting Iowa State on Nov. 8.

West Virginia plays at Houston on Saturday.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — No. 24 West Virginia was the superior side for a good portion of Thursday night’s matchup with Iowa State.

The Mountaineers applied pressure far more consistently and registered seven of 10 shots on goal and 10 of 13 corner kicks between the two teams, though the Cyclones were within one play of pulling even for the final 68 minutes and change.

“That’s soccer. I’ve been here 30 years. That’s going to happen,” WVU head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said.

Ultimately, Anna Hauer’s goal just before the midway point in the opening half made all the difference and the Mountaineers earned a 1-0 victory to remain unbeaten within the Big 12 Conference.

Hauer’s goal came off a crossing feed from teammate Taylor White, who put the Memphis transfer in position to get her left foot on the ball and beat ISU goalkeeper Kasey Cannistraro, allowing the home team to strike first.

“I don’t know if there’s ever a goal that I didn’t like,” Izzo-Brown said. “Anna got a piece of it and we’ll take it. I’ll win ugly.”

right place. right time. 🤝#HailWV | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Xzgb0lLhic

— WVU Women’s Soccer (@wvuwomenssoccer) October 23, 2025

The Mountaineers (11-2-3, 6-0-3) managed four other shots on goal in the opening half, but Cannistraro was up to the task each time.

Iowa State, meanwhile, went to the break with two shots on goal, both of which WVU keeper Bailey Herfurth stopped en route to the Mountaineers’ ninth clean sheet this season. 

For all its success of late, West Virginia had allowed six goals over the previous three matches and finished 2-0-1 in that stretch.

“We had to get back to a shutout and that’s really important to the whole team collectively,” Izzo-Brown said.

Herfurth stopped one shot in the second half, and the Mountaineers nearly added to their lead on separate occasion in the late stages, but Cannistraro made a high-level save on a Maya Leoni shot in the 74th minute, before Alicia Riggins shot deflected off the crossbar in the 84th minute.

Still, WVU remained in the thick of the race for a Big 12 regular season championship and improved to 13-0 all-time against the Cyclones.

Iowa State fell to 4-8-3 overall and 1-7-1 in the Big 12.

“We hit everything but net in the second half,” Izzo-Brown said. “But I thought Iowa was way better than their record, so I don’t want to not speak to that. The second half, we have to finish one those chances, especially with how many corner kicks we had. But that’s soccer, we walked away with three points and I’m thrilled.”

West Virginia was momentarily in sole possession of first place in the Big 12 late Thursday until TCU secured a 1-0 win at Arizona to move atop the league standings.

The Horned Frogs are 7-1-1 in Big 12 play and have 22 points to WVU’s 21 points. Colorado, which defeated Texas Tech on Thursday, pulled into a tie for third place with the Red Raiders at 20 points each.

The Mountaineers return to action at noon Sunday when they welcome Oklahoma State. The regular season finale is next Thursday at home against Cincinnati. 

“Sunday will a bear,” Izzo-Brown said. “What we have to deal with Sunday, it’s always going to be at tough day to turnaround and match the effort from Thursday.”