MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A resurgent West Virginia team welcomes No. 11 Oklahoma State to Milan Puskar Stadium for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. matchup as the Mountaineers try to climb above the .500 mark and reach it in Big 12 Conference play.
WVU (4-4, 2-3) is also out to snap a six-game losing streak to the Cowboys (7-1, 4-1), who have aspirations of playing in the Big 12 title game and can keep hope alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff by continuing to win.
“A lot of reasons to be excited about this one,” third-year WVU head coach Neal Brown said. “The hope is that we’ll have a big crowd. We need them. This is a team that’s had our number a little bit, so we’re looking forward to getting out there and competing.”
Oklahoma State won its three non-conference games by a total of 13 points, and until last week’s 55-3 victory at Kansas, its six wins were by 42 points, none of which were by more than 11.
Under veteran head coach Mike Gundy and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, OSU has been able to limit opposing offenses and then some. The Cowboys have yet to allow more than 24 points in a game.
“The job that Mike Gundy has done at Oklahoma State, you go back to 2008 and beyond, I saw a stat of how many times they’ve been ranked in the top 10 during that time, just a tremendous job and he’s stood the test of time,” Brown said. “Several of those guys have been with him for a long time, so credit to his staff for the longevity that they’ve been able to hold that up.”
Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez has 77 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss, while defensive end Collin Oliver has matched Rodriguez in TFLs and leads the unit with 4.5 sacks.
“Malcolm Rodriguez is playing the linebacker position as well as anybody in our league,” Brown said.
Linebacker Devin Harper (50 tackles, 4.5 TFLs) and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel (42 tackles, 3 interceptions) have also been pivotal in the success Knowles’ unit has seen through eight games.
The Mountaineers expect to see a lot of physical, man-to-man coverage from OSU, which could enable opportunities for their wide receivers to win 1-on-1 matchups.
WVU quarterback Jarret Doege is coming off perhaps his best start in a Mountaineer uniform, having thrown for 370 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 38-31 victory over then-No. 22 Iowa State. Doege was not sacked against the Cyclones and West Virginia’s improving offensive line paved the way for the Mountaineers to rush for 351 yards in victories at TCU and against ISU since they entered an open week 2-4.
“I’m trying to stand in the pocket with all my trust,” Doege said. “When I have doubts or try to get out of the pocket is when some bad things have happened this season.”
Senior tailback Leddie Brown has 642 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and has surpassed 100 yards on the ground in each of the last two games.
Five Mountaineer wideouts have at least 253 receiving yards to this point. Winston Wright Jr. leads the way with 42 grabs for 523 yards, while fellow wideout Bryce Ford-Wheaton has 31 grabs for 435 yards and hauled in two of his three touchdowns against the Cyclones.
Neal Brown expects the Cowboys to pose a difficult challenge for his team’s offense, which has had its two best performances of the season against FBS competition the last two weeks.
“They’ve been lights out,” he said. “They’re one of the top teams in the entire country defensively. They have nine seniors and two juniors that start. those guys have played a ton of football. Jim Knowles has been there four years and does a really good job. Those guys understand the system. They make it difficult.”
The Cowboys don’t have a wealth of eye-opening offensive statistics to this point, but the unit has been effective and run-reliant.
Tailback Jaylen Warren, a Utah State transfer, poses another tough challenge to a Mountaineer run defense that’s by and large held its own, but been significantly challenged over the last month of the season.
Warren has 850 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 175 carries.
Quarterback Spencer Sanders is a dual threat, and despite being a three-year starter behind center, this will be his first time facing the Mountaineers.
Wideouts Tay Martin (36 catches, 529 yards, 4 TDs) and Brennan Presley (23/308/5) are Sanders’ favorite targets.
“They don’t ask them to do a whole lot, but they’re extremely fast,” WVU defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley said. “They can get them the ball a number of different ways and very simple how they get it to them. “Really kind of based on what you’re presenting to them, but they can hit home runs at any time with those guys.”
The Mountaineers came up with a pair of late stops to preserve the win over Iowa State, including a fumble recovery on the goal line that prevented a tying touchdown.
WVU displayed an even front with four down linemen throughout the matchup with the Cyclones and could employ a similar tactic Saturday to try and slow OSU’s productive ground game.
Linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo has a team-high 72 tackles, including 3.5 TFLs and one sack.
Defensive lineman Dante Stills’ 10.5 TFLs and six sacks lead the defense, while Akheem Mesidor has played at a high level through eight games and has five TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
“If I don’t do my job, that causes everybody else to be out of their gaps and be out of the play,” Stills said. “Doing my job puts everybody in place really.”
On the back end, safeties Sean Mahone and Alonzo Addae are directly behind Chandler-Semedo as the top tacklers with 55 and 45, respectively.
Defensive backs Daryl Porter Jr., Jackie Matthews and Charles Woods have three of the team’s four interceptions, with Mahone recording the other.
The Mountaineers also have a weapon in the kicking game as Casey Legg has connected on 14-of-15 field goals.
Former West Virginia legend Major Harris will have his No. 9 jersey retired in a ceremony at the end of the first quarter.
Harris was a two-time Heisman finalist and directed the Mountaineers to an unbeaten regular season in 1988, which led to appearance against Notre Dame in the national championship.
Harris surpassed 5,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in three seasons at West Virginia.
“That was my introduction to West Virginia football,” Neal Brown said. “Being a young fan, watching Major Harris, at the time, he was so unique. I really enjoyed getting to spend some time with him and what a great honor for one of West Virginia’s all-time greatest players. So that’s going to be fun and it’s well earned. What a player.”
Saturday’s contest will air on ESPN.