WVU's Keys to the Game vs TCU

These three things should help lead West Virginia to a victory.

A lot is going to have to go right for West Virginia to pull off the upset this Saturday of No. 7 TCU. They may need a little luck to be involved too, but if they hone in on a few areas of the game plan, they could get the job done. 

Here are my three keys to this week's game.

Create manageable third downs on defense

West Virginia's defense could not give off the field last week in Lubbock. Texas Tech was 9/20 on third down conversions and on top of that, they went 6/7 on fourth down. There were too many 3rd and 2's, 3rd and 3's, and 3rd and 4's that gave Tech confidence to go for it. TCU watches tape just like everyone else. They saw that and will look to play some four down ball on occasion as well.

Work the clock

It's well known that TCU likes to hold onto the football and in some games, they'll have 35+ minutes of possession. Having your defense on the field for that long is not ideal, especially when you don't have much depth. Prior to the Texas Tech game, WVU had been one of the best third down offenses in the country. Converting those and staying on the field will play a big part in keeping that defense off the field but re-establishing the run game is just as important. The Mountaineers only rushed for 73 yards last week (2.8 yards per carry).

Win the middle eight

The key to beating really talented, well-coached teams is to play smart, efficient football in the end of half, end of game scenarios. However, ending the half strong and clicking right out of the gates in the third quarter is maybe even more key. This sets the tone for the remainder of the game and winning the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half can give a team a whole lot of momentum.

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