West Virginia Mountaineers vs. BYU Cougars Prediction and Picks – Friday, October 3
Use Code SSWC The BYU Cougars will host the West Virginia Mountaineers this Friday night, and we'll preview the lines and odds in our West Virginia vs. BYU prediction in this Big 12 matchup from Provo, Utah. The Cougars enter the week at 4-0 (1-0 Big 12) and No. 23 in the AP Top 25, while the Moutaineers have plummeted to 2-3 (0-2 Big 12) after two straight blowout road losses. Kickoff is set for 10:30 PM ET on Thursday, October 3.
Looking to win big this football season? We have the best College Football Picks to help you out!
Mountaineers playing for answers after Marchiol loss
Three weeks ago, the 2-3 West Virginia Mountaineers struggled to a 31-24 overtime win at home against the longtime rival Pittsburgh Panthers. Senior RB Tye Edwards logged 141 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, mitigating concerns that losing Jahiem White to season-ending surgery would sink the team's offense.
Since then, West Virginia has lost a 41-10 game at Kansas and a 48-14 game at Utah. Edwards was held out of both games with a hip pointer injury. Starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol disclosed a foot injury after the Kansas loss and is expected to take a medical redshirt and miss the remainder of the season. The team sits at the bottom of the 15-team Big 12 standings, and it's hard to find wins on the remaining schedule. Khalil Wilkins and Jaylen Henderson both took snaps at quarterback against Utah, combining to complete less than half of their 13 pass attempts. The team converted 14 first downs to Utah's 33, converted 4/14 third down attempts while allowing Utah to convert 8/13, and didn't score their first points until near the end of the third quarter, when the Utes were already up 35-0.
Sign Up Get $30 Premium Picks Credit + Exclusive Offers
Subscribe Now
Evaluating the quarterbacks on the roster will be a priority for the Mountaineers down the stretch, but it's unclear how they'll handle the position against BYU. Edwards' availability is a key variable ahead of the game, but expect the Mountaineers to run the ball excessively either way after they logged 48 carries for 261 yards in the Utah loss without him.
BYU is on the rise
The BYU Cougars enter the week at 4-0 and No. 23 in the AP Top 25, rising two spots after last week's road comeback win against Colorado. They'll return home to host a West Virginia team that looks substantially more beatable after their 0-2 start in Big 12 conference play.
BYU was down 14-3 at the end of the first quarter against Colorado, giving up touchdowns on each of their first two defensive drives, before rallying back with 14 unanswered points and a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to put them up 24-21. They finished the game with 27 first downs to Colorado's 17, two successful fourth-down conversions, and the lone takeaway of the game when it mattered most. True freshman quarterback Bear Machmeier finished the game having completed 19 of 27 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a 70.3% completion percentage and 6.6 yards per attempt, while simultaneously spearheading the team's ground attack with 98 yards on 15 carries. It was an exceptionally clean game for any college quarterback–certainly for a freshman in his fifth career game, on the road, against a Power 4 opponent.
The Cougars are overwhelmingly favored to win on Friday against the Mountaineers, who they'll be meeting as conference rivals for the second time. They're still looking for their first win over the Mountaineers after suffering a 37-7 loss in 2023 and a narrow 35-32 loss in 2016.
West Virginia vs. BYU Pick
Spread Pick for West Virginia vs. BYU
- BYU -19.0 (-110) (5 Units)
The Mountaineers are coming off consecutive 30-point losses against conference opponents, and they'll face a challenge as great or greater when they travel to play BYU on Friday. The situations under center for these teams couldn't be more different–BYU has a phenomenal long-term outlook under center with Bachmeier playing so well as a true freshman, while West Virginia is scrambling for answers in Marchiol's absence. The Cougars' most recent home game ended in a 27-3 win over the Stanford Cardinal. I'd expect to see a similarly decisive, if not as low-scoring, victory over the Mountaineers.
Over/Under Pick for West Virginia vs. BYU
- Under 47.0 (-110) (4 Units)
The Team Total Under is 3-1 in BYU games and 4-1 in West Virginia games this season. It's unclear who on the Mountaineers can or will score points in this one, and the Cougars' highest-scoring game against an FBS opponent this season is their 34-13 win over East Carolina. I'd lean heavily toward the under here.
Betting on College Football?
- Bet with other College Football fans at the best sportsbooks
- Sign up today and get started with the latest college football sportsbook promos
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
