Saturday figures to be a rough day to be a Mountaineer, whether of the West Virginia University or Appalachian State football variety. WVU (2-2) visits Oklahoma State (3-2), while Marshall (2-2) hosts Appalachian State (2-2).
Oklahoma State owns a 10-5 series lead over West Virginia and has won eight of the last 10 meetings. The Cowboys won 48-34 last season and are 2 1/2-point favorites Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Mountaineers lost to Penn State 34-12 and Pittsburgh 38-34, and defeated Albany 49-14 and Kansas 32-28. The Cowboys have beaten San Diego State 44-20, Arkansas 39-31 and Tulsa 45-10, but since have fallen 22-19 to Utah and 42-20 to Kansas State.
Both defenses are bad and each running game has been a disappointment. Oklahoma State, though, owns an edge in the air.
The Cowboys desperately need a win and running back Ollie Gordon breaks out of his slump in Stillwater. Take Oklahoma State, 35-30.
The Thundering Herd and Appalachian State, who meet at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, are longtime foes dating to their Southern Conference days from 1976 through 1996 and have renewed their rivalry in the Sun Belt Conference.
MU enters off a 27-20 triumph over Western Michigan. Appalachian State comes in following an off week. The Mountaineers’ last game was a 48-14 home loss to South Alabama Sept. 19.
Marshall, facing a team coming off an open date for the third consecutive week, has beaten Stony Brook 35-3 and Western Michigan, and lost to Virginia Tech 31-14 and Ohio State 49-14.
Appalachian State has beaten East Tennessee State 38-10 and East Carolina 21-19, and lost to Clemson 66-20 and South Alabama.
Appalachian State leads the series 16-10 and won 31-9 last year in Boone, North Carolina.
Ah, Boone. The picturesque town in the mountains was devastated by flooding from Hurricane Helene. Football pales in importance by comparison, and Herd fans have been urged by the community to give the Mountaineers a warm welcome when the team takes the field.
For three hours or so, though, Appalachian State’s focus will be on beating Marshall, a 3-point favorite according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Look for the Herd to use its running game and an advantage on defense to prevail, 31-28.
A bonus prediction: No. 3 Ohio State (4-0) over Iowa (3-1) by a comfortable 35-10 score at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
