Score Predictions for West Virginia vs. Iowa State

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

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Saturday night, No. 11 Iowa State (5-0, 2-0) rolls into Morgantown for a primetime matchup with West Virginia (3-2, 2-0) kicking things off at 8 p.m. EST on FOX. This game pits the Big 12's two most successful teams in conference play since the start of last season.

Can the Mountaineers secure a huge win and move to 3-0 in Big 12 play for the first time since 2018? Here are our picks.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 27, Iowa State 24

The Mountaineers are overdue for a big-time win at home and this feels like a great spot for it. WVU is coming off their most complete game in the Neal Brown era, dismantling Oklahoma State 38-14 and now returns to Mountaineer Field for the Coal Rush.

Night games in Morgantown are special and used to be incredibly difficult for opponents. It hasn't been that way in recent years, but this could mark the start of WVU returning to being a tough place to play.

As great as Iowa State has played this year, I question how strong their 5-0 record really is. Don't get me wrong, they are a good and fundamentally sound football team. That being said, they haven't been tested all that much.

The Cyclones picked up an impressive win over Iowa on the road, but aside from that, they've played North Dakota, Arkansas State, and two of the weaker teams in the Big 12 in Houston and Baylor. The defense looks stingy on paper, but there will be opportunities for the Mountaineer offense to create explosive plays.

The four FBS opponents they've played thus far have been some of the nation's worst offensive units - Baylor (90th), Iowa (96th), Arkansas State (101st), and Houston (116th). West Virginia ranks 49th. This will be their toughest task on defense.

I'm well aware Neal Brown is 2-14 against top-25 teams, but I really like this matchup for some reason. Maybe it's the Coal Rush, maybe it's the night game atmosphere, or perhaps it's the fact that West Virginia rushed for 389 last week, and looks like its hitting on all cylinders.

Call me crazy, but I'm calling for the upset.

Prediction record: 3-2.

Christopher Hall: Iowa State 27, West Virginia 24

Recent history does not bode well for WVU as the Mountaineers host No. 11 Iowa State Saturday night.

West Virginia has not hosted a ranked opponent in a primetime kickoff since 2018, and it was the season finale against No. 6 Oklahoma in the infamous “excessive blocking” game where the Mountaineers fell 59-56, marking the seventh consecutive loss against a ranked opponent at home in the primetime slot.

The Mountaineers last home win against a ranked opponent at home in a night game came against Pitt in 2009.

While West Virginia may have the tools to beat the Cyclones, the Mountaineers have struggled with hype surrounding these types of games, with the latest example coming in the season opener against Penn State. Although, it may not be the best example because clearly WVU was overmatched. However, the late game collapse against Pitt may be a better illustration, despite the Panthers not being ranked at the time. Neither of the matchups were night games.

This will be the first game under head coach Neal Brown the Mountaineers will kickoff under the lights against a ranked opponent. The Mountaineers will don all black uniforms and, again, the buzz around Morgantown is palpable and its an uneasy feeling knowing the Mountaineers have a chance to take control of the Big 12 with a nationally ranked Kansas State team coming to Morgantown next week in another primetime matchup. In addition, the two Big 12 opponents started the conference schedule (Kansas, Oklahoma State) have yet to win a league game.

Meanwhile, Iowa State is 5-0 and although the schedule has not been daunting, and the first two Big 12 opponents (Houston, Baylor) rest at the bottom of the standings. The Cyclones won its rivalry game and coincidently marked biggest win thus far, noting a road win against Iowa, which was ranked No. 21 at the time.

History tends to repeat itself and I cannot shake the feeling WVU will squander another opportunity to notch a meaningful win.

I suspect Iowa State will control the contest with its running game that averages 183.4 ypg against a WVU defense that gave up over 200 yards against Penn State and Kansas. Furthermore, Rocco Becht, who has been up and down, may find success in the latter stages of the game on a night his father, Anthony Becht, will be recognized in his enshrinement into the WVU Hall of Fame.

West Virginia is 2-1 against nationally ranked Iowa State teams and the last time the Mountaineers beat a ranked opponent came against Iowa State. Nonetheless, the Cyclones find a way in the end, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s Becht that delivers the blow, Iowa State escapes Morgantown unscathed 27-24.

Prediction record: 2-3.