Score Predictions for West Virginia vs. Baylor

Picking this week's game between the Mountaineers and Bears.

West Virginia University football at Cincinnati / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

This Saturday, the West Virginia Mountaineers (5-4, 4-2) will host the Baylor Bears (5-4, 3-3) in what can be considered an elimination game as far as the Big 12 title race is concerned.

Here are our picks for this week's action.

Schuyler Callihan: Baylor 34, West Virginia 28.

Although I believe West Virginia is the slightly better team, I just can't trust Neal Brown to deliver and keep this team in the hunt for Dallas. Arizona is one of the worst teams in the Big 12, and Cincinnati is nowhere near as good as their record indicates. Baylor, on the other hand, is one of the hottest teams in the league, and three of their four losses have come against contenders - Colorado, BYU, and Iowa State.

I don't believe the quarterback situation will matter much for West Virginia. Both Garrett Greene and Nicco Marchiol are capable of moving the offense and scoring points, and Baylor is allowing over 35 points per game in conference play.

Defensively, though, is where the trouble lies. Baylor has a deep receiving corps, with all four of their top receivers having home run ability. To make the offense even more challenging to defend, OC Jake Spavital has a pair of running backs in Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass, who can really gash you on the ground. Both of them are averaging over six yards per carry.

Not only am I picking West Virginia to lose, but it feels like one of those games where the Mountaineers led for much of the game, only to fall apart late in the fourth quarter.

Prediction record: 5-4.

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 38, Baylor 31

The Mountaineers are seeking its first winning streak of the season while the Bears look to extend theirs to four.

West Virginia and Baylor suffered early conference losses to title contenders, both losing to Iowa State, but have since separated themselves from the bottom of the league and remain in contention for a Big 12 title.

Baylor ranks third in the league in rushing, averaging 193.8 yards per game and is second in the league with 5.7 yards per carry.

The Bears have been led by the stellar play of quarterback Sawyer Robertson. The junior took the reins of the offense in game two and now ranks sixth nationally and first in the Big 12 in QB rating (84.2), propelling the Baylor offense to second in the league in scoring during conference play with an average of 35.7 ppg. Robertson combined threw eight touchdowns and rushed for another in the first two games of the winning streak, including five touchdown passes at Texas Tech, but did not find the endzone in the Bears’ win last week versus TCU.

In league action, the Baylor defense ranks near the bottom in scoring (35.3 ppg) and pass defense (306.7 ypg).

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene threw for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the 29-yard game winning touchdown pass to Jahiem White with 23 seconds left to play in the season finale last year at Baylor. White racked up 133 yards on the ground and Greene scampered for an additional 103 yards, both averaging over seven yards per carry.

There is uncertainty at quarterback heading into the week with Greene preparing to return to his starting role, Nicco Marchiol is 2-0 as the starter the last two weeks and I expect either quarterback will have success against the Baylor defense.

The Mountaineer defense found success last week forcing three turnovers in the win at Cincinnati under newly promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Koonz and I suspect the unit will build off the success of last week.

With maybe a newfound spark within the defense, the success of the offense despite quarterbacks, and with Baylor going winless in Morgantown in six attempts, West Virginia will win a thriller 38-31.

Prediction record: 6-3.