West Virginia -3.5 over Texas Tech
Led by Florida transfer Will Grier at quarterback, the West Virginia Mountaneers might appear to be nothing more than run-of-the-mill middle feeders with a 3-2 record through five games. A closer examination, however, reveals that Dana Holgorsen’s Mountaineers could easily be 5-0 or 4-1.
West Virginia lost its season opener at a neutral site to Virginia Tech and then again last week at TCU (5-0 and ranked No. 6 in this week’s AP poll), falling in both contests by seven points, 31-24. In both defeats, the Mountaineers amassed more than 500 total yards in offense, out-gaining their opponent by more than 100 yards despite ultimately ending up on the short end of the final score.
Texas Tech (4-1 on the season) has been a mild surprise this season after quarterback Patrick Mahomes departed early and was the 10th selection in this past April’s NFL Draft. The Red Raiders, however, are playing on the Big XII road for the second straight week, traveling to Morgantown, W.V. after dismantling Kansas, 65-19, last week in Lawrence, KS.
Look for Grier and West Virginia to come up with a big effort with their backs planted.
Paul Stone has over two decades of experience as a bettor and handicapper. He is a winner of multiple Las Vegas handicapping contests and his work has appeared in various media outlets including the Las Vegas-Review Journal and ESPN Insider. Follow Paul on Twitter@paulstonesports or e-mail him at Paulstonesports@gmail.com.
Speak Your Mind