Four things to know about TCU’s next opponent, the West Virginia Mountaineers
After avoiding a late-game collapse in the rivalry win over Baylor, TCU football prepares to hit the road to another Big 12 destination that has given the program trouble historically.
The Horned Frogs (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) will face a reeling West Virginia (2-5, 0-4) that ranks near the bottom of the Big 12 in most categories. However, this game is still dangerous because it is being played in Morgantown.
The Horned Frogs have lost three of their past four games at West Virginia, with the lone win coming during the 2022 College Football Playoff season. Despite having Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston and Steve Avila, even that game was closer than anticipated.
Regardless of West Virginia’s record, TCU can’t overlook the Mountaineers, especially when the final four games of the season appear to be a gauntlet.
Here are four things to know about West Virginia:
Rich Rodriguez reunion gone wrong?
After parting ways Neal Brown last season, West Virginia tabbed a familiar face to rejuvenate the program. The Mountaineers brought Rich Rodriguez back to Morgantown almost 20 years after Rich Rod left the program to take over at Michigan.
The reunion began on a high note, with the Mountaineers starting the season 2-1, including an overtime win over a solid Pittsburgh team in the Backyard Brawl. Nothing has gone right since that signature win, though, as West Virginia has lost four straight games, all in the Big 12, and hasn’t been competitive in most of them.
The Mountaineers have lost by an average of 27.8 points per game during the losing streak and are on pace to challenge Oklahoma State as the worst team in the conference. West Virginia wasn’t expecting to contend this season, but there’s no way the program thought it would be this bad in Rodriguez’s first year back.
Shaky QB situation
One reason the Mountaineers have struggled so much this season is the revolving door they’ve had at quarterback. Starter Nicco Marchiol injured his foot in a blowout loss to Utah on Sept. 27 and has missed the past two games.
He’s not expected to play against TCU or the remainder of the season, leaving West Virginia with less than ideal options.
Marchiol had just average production when he played, but since his injury, the Mountaineers’ passing offense has gone in the tank. West Virginia is averaging just 107 passing yards the past two games as the Mountaineers have gone back and forth between Khalil Wilkins and Scotty Fox Jr., with underwhelming results from both.
After facing some of the nation’s best quarterbacks over the past five games, the Horned Frogs’ defense should finally catch a break against West Virginia.
Injuries at running back, too
Not only are the Mountaineers without their starting quarterback, West Virginia is also without starting running Jahiem White. He will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury and was another blow to an offense that was already lacking playmakers.
White had 133 yards, scored three touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry during the first two games of the season and had a chance to be one of the better backs in the conference. Without White, the Mountaineers have tried seemingly every player on the roster in the backfield after backup running back Tye Edwards was also lost for the season.
Wilkins and quarterback Jaylen Henderson lead the team with 243 and 146 yards, respectively. The Horned Frogs should anticipate seeing plenty of read options and quarterback power against the Mountaineers.
Woeful defense
The Mountaineers have one of the worst defenses in the country. West Virginia ranks 14th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing 30.9 points per game.
West Virginia hasn’t excelled at stopping the run or pass with a secondary that ranks 14th in the Big 12 in passing yards allowed and a front seven that is giving up 169.3 rushing yards per game. Central Florida bullied West Virginia with 255 yards on the ground and averaged a staggering 7.3 yards per carry.
As bad as West Virginia has been down to down, the Mountaineers have excelled at forcing turnovers. West Virginia is fourth in the conference in interceptions and fifth in forced fumbles.
The only way West Virginia will be able to slow down TCU is by forcing turnovers. Ball security must be a major emphasis for the Horned Frogs this week.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM.
