3 Guys Before The Game

There's busy. There's hectic. And then there's the Mountaineers' November sports calendar.

With football, basketball and soccer all competing for attention, West Virginia athletics has reached one of those rare stretches when the action seems almost nonstop.

The centerpiece is Saturday's football showdown in Lubbock, where the Mountaineers face No. 15 Texas Tech in a matchup that presents both a formidable challenge and an intriguing opportunity.

The Red Raiders have the ranking and the home-field advantage. West Virginia has the chance to disrupt expectations and deliver one of the season's most significant victories.

Meanwhile, the men's basketball team returns to Hope Coliseum on Friday to face Stetson. After an emphatic season-opening victory over Niagara, the Mountaineers look to build on an encouraging debut in year two under Ross Hodge.

Add games involving WVU women's basketball and both soccer programs, and the result is a packed schedule that offers Mountaineer fans something to follow at nearly every turn.

In this episode, the "Guys" break down the football matchup with Texas Tech, examine what it will take to pull off the upset and preview the basketball encounter with Stetson.

Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations, while Brad Howe identifies a statistical path to victory for the Mountaineers in Lubbock.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

One game. One overwhelming performance. And an impressive first impression.

Year two of the Ross Hodge era began with a commanding 91-46 victory over Niagara, but the final score tells only part of the story.

West Virginia didn't allow the Purple Eagles a single offensive rebound. Niagara committed more turnovers than it made field goals. And six Mountaineers scored in double figures in a performance that showcased both balance and defensive intensity.

Among the most encouraging developments was the debut of freshman point guard Miles Sadler, who led WVU in scoring and flirted with a double-double in his first collegiate appearance.

It's only one game, but the early evidence suggests the Mountaineers have plenty to build upon.

In this episode, the "Guys" dissect the season opener, examine the numbers behind the lopsided victory and discuss what the performance reveals about Hodge's second team.

Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations, while Brad Howe goes inside the numbers with Spreads on Stats.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

The crew returns Thursday with a preview of Saturday's football game at Texas Tech and Friday's basketball matchup against Stetson.

For one Mountaineer team, it's time to catch its breath. For another, it's time to get started.

After eight consecutive weeks of football, West Virginia has reached a much-needed bye week. The Mountaineers can finally rest, regroup and prepare for the final stretch of the regular season.

They'll also have an opportunity to scout their next opponent. Texas Tech hosts Arizona on Saturday before welcoming WVU to Lubbock the following weekend.

But while the football schedule pauses, the conversation about the program's future continues. Player retention has emerged as a significant topic during the break, underscoring the challenges of building and maintaining a roster in today's rapidly changing college football landscape.

Meanwhile, a new season is about to begin on the hardwood.

West Virginia opens its campaign Monday night against Niagara at Hope Coliseum, bringing fresh expectations and the excitement of a new beginning.

In this episode, the "Guys" examine the final stretch of the football season, discuss the growing importance of player retention and preview the basketball opener against the Purple Eagles.

Brad Howe digs into the numbers with Spreads on Stats, while Hoppy Kercheval delivers his thought-provoking Obvious Observations.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

What a difference two weeks can make.

West Virginia was searching for answers after three consecutive losses. Now, the Mountaineers are riding a two-game winning streak into their bye week with renewed confidence and four games remaining in the regular season.

The turnaround continued Saturday in Fort Worth, where WVU stunned 10-point favorite TCU with just enough offense and one final, decisive defensive play.

Against the Big 12's top-rated defense, the Mountaineers found a way to score when necessary. And when TCU threatened to steal the victory, linebacker Ben Cutter delivered.

For the second consecutive week, Cutter made the play that mattered most — recovering a fumble that ended the Horned Frogs' hopes of a game-winning drive.

Two weeks. Two victories. And suddenly, a season that appeared to be slipping away has found new life.

In this episode, the "Guys" dissect the victory, dig into the numbers and reveal how several critical penalties helped shape the outcome.

Brad Howe delivers Spreads on Stats, while Hoppy Kercheval offers his Obvious Observations.
Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

The Big 12's most productive rushing offense is about to meet its toughest run defense.

Something has to give.West Virginia leads the conference in rushing. TCU leads the league in stopping it. Saturday's collision in Fort Worth will test the strength of both units — and could go a long way toward determining the direction of each team's season.

For the Mountaineers, another victory would keep their pursuit of bowl eligibility on track. The Horned Frogs, meanwhile, are searching for consecutive wins for the first time in more than a month.

But for one Mountaineer, the matchup carries a more personal significance.Cam Cook, the nation's fifth-leading rusher, returns to the school where he spent two seasons before emerging as one of college football's most productive running backs.

It's a homecoming filled with emotion — and an opportunity to show his former team just how far he's come.

In this episode, the "Guys" examine the battle in the trenches, the significance of Cook's return and the matchups that could decide Saturday's game.

Brad Howe digs into the numbers with Spreads on Stats, while Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

Irish eyes were smiling on the West Virginia football team Saturday.

Jack Cassidy, a kicker from Derry, Ireland, who admits he didn't know the rules of American football when he arrived, became the unlikely hero of the Mountaineers' thrilling 45-42 victory over Cincinnati.

In a game filled with offensive fireworks and defensive frustration, it was a single stop that ultimately made the difference.

After surrendering points throughout much of the afternoon, the WVU defense delivered when it mattered most, setting the stage for Cassidy to write the final chapter.

And what a chapter it was.

More than 1,000 yards of total offense. Eighty-seven combined points. And a young man from Ireland providing the winning kick in a game Mountaineer Nation won't soon forget.

In this episode, the "Guys" dissect the victory, examine the numbers behind the offensive explosion and discuss what the result means for West Virginia moving forward.

The crew also shifts to basketball for a recap of the Mountaineers' exhibition debut at Maryland.

Brad Howe goes inside the numbers with Spreads on Stats, Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations, and listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

Cincinnati is rested. West Virginia is restless.

The Bearcats and Mountaineers enter Saturday's matchup in Morgantown from very different places, but both have something to prove.

WVU is desperate to end a three-game losing streak fueled by historically poor defensive performances. Cincinnati, meanwhile, returns from a week off looking to rebound from its first loss of the season at Arizona.

Both teams are built to run the football. Both want to control the tempo. And both know that the ability to stop the opposing ground game could determine Saturday's outcome.

For West Virginia, the stakes extend beyond another conference victory. The Mountaineers must demonstrate they can correct the defensive problems that have derailed a once-promising start.

Can they find the answers before another opportunity slips away?

In this episode, the "Guys" examine the significance of Saturday's matchup, break down the keys to victory and explore what the outcome could mean for the remainder of WVU's season.

Brad Howe digs into the numbers with Spreads on Stats, while Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.

The crew returns Monday with a recap of the Cincinnati game and West Virginia basketball's exhibition matchup at Maryland.

The frustration is growing. The answers remain elusive. And the numbers are becoming impossible to ignore.

West Virginia's 52-31 loss to Arizona on Saturday was another painful chapter in a season increasingly defined by defensive struggles.

The Mountaineers have now surrendered a staggering 138 points in their last three games. Three consecutive Big 12 losses have transformed early-season optimism into mounting concern throughout Mountaineer Nation.

So, where does WVU go from here?

Coach Rich Rodriguez isn't hiding his frustration. He acknowledges the problems and vows to continue searching for solutions. But with the conference schedule moving forward, the time for finding answers is growing shorter.

In this episode, the "Guys" examine the latest setback, dissect the defensive breakdowns and dig into the troubling numbers with Brad Howe's Spreads on Stats.

Listener questions, frustrations and observations take center stage in another edition of Textual Healing.

The crew returns Thursday with a complete preview of Saturday's Homecoming matchup against Cincinnati.

Opportunity and urgency will collide Saturday in Morgantown.

After consecutive Big 12 losses, West Virginia returns home needing a response. Waiting for the Mountaineers is Arizona — and one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football.

Noah Fifita is already the Wildcats’ all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. He now gets his opportunity against a WVU defense that has surrendered 86 points over the last two games.
It’s a matchup that could define where West Virginia’s season goes next.

But the challenge works both ways.

Arizona’s ultra-aggressive defense must contend with a Mountaineer offense powered by Michael Hawkins and Cam Cook. The duo has combined to produce 23 touchdowns through just five games and presents a very different problem for the Wildcats.

Something has to give.

In this episode, the “Guys” break down the matchups that will determine Saturday’s game and examine what West Virginia must do to end its two-game slide.

Hoppy Kercheval delivers his Obvious Observations, while Brad Howe tells the analytical story with Spreads on Stats.

Listener questions and comments complete the episode with Textual Healing.