PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Will Grier, the fifth-year senior and Heisman Trophy contender has thrown for 3,035 yards and 33 touchdowns, including 364 yards and two scores and while rushing for another in the loss to Oklahoma State last week. He has found 12 different receivers and recorded 17 300-yard passing performances and 18 multiple-touchdown games during his WVU career. Grier leads the nation in touchdowns per game (3.3). He ranks No. 3 nationally in passing touchdowns (33), No. 3 in passing efficiency (174.2), third in yards per pass attempt (9.6), and No. 6 in points responsible for per game (21.2).
–RB Kennedy McKoy carried a season-high 21 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns and had three catches for 54 yards in the loss to Oklahoma State, in which the Mountaineers rolled to 189 yards on the ground. McKoy has had his share of carries over his first two years, and now has 112 totes for 648 yards and six touchdowns, and 14 catches for 197 more and a TD over West Virginia’s first 10 games.
–WR Marcus Simms flashed his brilliance last season despite being the Mountaineers’ third receiving option and with an improved role is really flourishing in 2018. Simms hauled in seven passes for 47 yards against Oklahoma State and now has 45 catches for 682 yards and two touchdowns in the first 10 games.
–S Kenny had a team-high nine stops in the loss to Oklahoma State and now has 68 tackles on the season. Stats aren’t the best measure for a college defensive back, but Robinson shows up when you watch the tape, too routinely making decisive tackles with textbook technique. Robinson sets himself apart with his ability to make plays and is not afraid to mix it up in the run game as well.
SERIES HISTORY: Oklahoma leads West Virginia, 6-2. Oklahoma is the only program West Virginia has not defeated since joining the Big 12 prior to the 2012 season. The Sooners are 6-0 against the Mountaineers during that span and have scored at least 44 points in five of those contests (average score of 45-29).
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I have all my buddies in Oklahoma coming up to visit for the game on Friday. I’ll probably have OU coach Lincoln (Riley) and his wife, Caitlin, and (Bill) Bedenbaugh and Ruffin (McNeill) and Dennis (Simmons) and all those guys that I’m very familiar with and was with at Texas Tech for years and years and years, I’ll probably have them over for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday night, and we’ll hang out, watch some NFL games together and talk about the good old days. So, it’ll be a fun week, it should be a fun week for everybody. I know they’re excited about it as well.” — West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen.