Score Predictions for West Virginia at Houston

Our staff picks this week's game between the Mountaineers and Cougars.

The West Virginia Mountaineers (4-1, 2-0) are back on the road to take on the Houston Cougars (2-3, 0-2) Thursday night, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 27, Houston 24

On paper, this looks like a guaranteed win for the Mountaineers. Houston's defense has been atrocious all season long and has had issues tackling. Offensively, they sling the ball around the yard pretty good but don't run the ball near well enough to have a true balanced attack. 

But this is life in the Big 12. Just when you think it should be a walk in the park, it's the opposite of that. Expect another dogfight. The Cougs are on the ropes and can't afford to fall to 2-4 on the season and 0-3 in Big 12 play. They're going to come out swinging and ready to prove a point in front of what should be a packed TDECU Stadium for Thursday night football.

I do believe West Virginia is the better team and will find a way to win, but it's not going to be easy. Dana Holgorsen, Sam Brown, Tony Mathis and others have been waiting on this one.

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 34, Houston 27

West Virginia and Houston faced Texas Tech and TCU in their first two league games. The Cougars were shutout in the second of their first two Big 12 Conference contests, lacking consistency has been one area Houston has struggled, while the Mountaineers kept TCU off the board in the second half in their last outing to improve to 2-0, and a timely touchdown against Tech in the fourth quarter for a two-possession lead was enough to hold off the Red Raiders. 

Houston could potentially be the most talented offense the Mountaineer have faced thus far and one of the top offensive lines in the conference. TCU and Tech handled the Cougars, but the bye week may have given them enough time to find some consistency within the offense, despite ranking third in the Big 12 in passing yards, averaging 281.2 yards per game.

However, the Cougars field one of the worst defenses in the conference and that might bode well for a Mountaineer offense searching to find answers in the passing game, and some explosive plays in the rushing attack.  

West Virginia will likely have to overcome Houston's scoring spurt in the first half, but patience in the running game will pay off and the Mountaineers win another tightly contested matchup, 34-27.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.