Will the Streak Be Snapped? Score Predictions for West Virginia vs. TCU

Picking this week's game between West Virginia and TCU.

WVU Athletics Communication

Saturday night, the West Virginia Mountaineers (2-5, 0-4) will look to put an end to their four-game losing streak, but will have to play their best game of the year as they welcome in a surging TCU (5-2, 2-2) team.

Can the Mountaineers get the job done? Here are our predictions.

Schuyler Callihan: TCU 38, West Virginia 17

Despite my final score prediction, I actually think this will be a pretty close game for much of the night. Zac Alley's squad is due for a strong performance, and getting Hammond Russell IV back would be a huge boost to their efforts in stopping the ground game.

TCU hasn't had a ton of success on the ground this year, but did find some last week in their win over Baylor. If they get even a hint of a rushing attack going, it's over. Josh Hoover will pick this defense apart through the air as they'll become unpredictable. I don't expect WVU to completely shut down the TCU ground game, but I believe they'll do well enough, forcing Hoover has to put the offense on his shoulders.

On the other side, this is a good opportunity to get some taste of success in the pass game, given all of TCU's issues in the secondary this season, but the Mountaineers aren't necessarily built to take advantage of that lackluster third level.

First game at home in roughly a month, Coal Rush, night game... West Virginia will keep it interesting for a while, but the lack of sustained drives on offense will lead to yet another disappointing 20+ point loss.

Christopher Hall:: TCU 34, West Virginia 23

TCU is hoping to remain in the Big 12 Championship game race while West Virginia is searching for its first league win. The Horned Frogs have relied on the arm of quarterback Josh Hoover. The senior, along with Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson, has thrown a conference-leading 21 touchdowns this season. Eric McAlister’s 21.5 yards per reception leads the Big 12 and sits second with 603 yards and third in receiving touchdowns with seven.

The TCU rushing attack steadily declined since putting up 258 rushing yards in the season-opening win at UNC and hit a brick wall in Big 12 play before hitting the 100-yard mark for the first time in the win against Baylor last week with 196, and should continue against a WVU defense allowing 226.0 in league action.

The number of key injuries among the West Virginia two-deep has largely been the issue with the Mountaineers' 0-4 start in Big 12 play. The offense has taken the biggest hit, especially at quarterback, which has led to just 19 offensive touchdowns this season. Hoover has more passing touchdowns than the entire WVU offense.

West Virginia has played three of the four conference games on the road, but in the last home game, the Mountaineers were never in the game against Utah. I think West Virginia can remain competitive on Saturday, even if it falls behind early, because TCU has led in all Big 12 matchups and allowed teams to come back before outlasting or falling in all but one game (Colorado). Nonetheless, the Mountaineers fall 34-23.

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