WVU football, Kansas to meet in crucial Big 12 opener in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The faster that one of these teams gets a win, the faster it gets to close the door on a forgetful nonconference schedule.

West Virginia (1-2) and Kansas (1-2) are not supposed to be here entering conference play. Both programs were picked to finish in the top half of the Big 12 by preseason voters, but not much has gone to plan so far for either team.

“This week, as far as the game goes, two teams that [have have their] backs against the wall, ” WVU head coach Neal Brown said.

After a dominant win against FCS Lindenwood in their season opener, Kansas stalled in the final two games of its nonconference schedule. The Jayhawks carried leads into the fourth quarter against both Illinois and UNLV, but they could not secure a win in either game. In fact, they were outscored 17-3 combined in the fourth quarter of those games.

Kansas, which was picked to finish fourth in the conference in the Big 12 preseason poll, enters conference play with a 1-2 record, just like WVU.

It may seem like forever ago, but Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels entered the 2023 season as the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. A back injury then sidelined him for most of the 2023 season, and in similar fashion to WVU quarterback Garrett Greene, he is struggling to find his footing in 2024 after being named to several preseason watch lists.

The redshirt junior has thrown twice as many interceptions (six) as he has thrown touchdowns (three), and his completion percentage currently sits at 54.9% through three games.

“I know he’s thrown some interceptions, but, I mean, he’s electric with the ball in his hands,” Brown said.

Kansas was one of just two programs in the conference with multiple representatives on the Preseason All-Big 12 Defense. Cornerbacks Cobee Bryant (two-time First-Team All-Big 12) and Mello Dotson (2023 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention) took both of the corner spots on the preseason list.

The Jayhawks are also one of seven Big 12 teams to be allowing fewer than 17 points per game through Week 3. They are sporting the No. 6 rushing defense (111.7 yards allowed per game) and the No. 5 passing defense (135 yards allowed per game) in the Big 12.

“They’re in the top 20 in the country in a lot of statistics,” Brown said.

WVU’s 1-2 record is a disappointment to most fans, but its offense has been one of the best in the Big 12 the last two weeks. In their last two games, the Mountaineers averaged 41.5 points per game and 475.5 yards of total offense, including 246.5 per game on the ground.

Most of the Mountaineers deficiencies are coming on the defensive side of the ball. In terms of most significant defensive statistics, WVU finds itself in the bottom quadrant of the Big 12 standings. Defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley’s group is allowing the fourth-most yards per game (403.3) in the Big 12, the third-most passing yards per game (280.7) in the Big 12 and the second-most points per game (28.7) in the Big 12.

UAlbany quarterback Myles Burkett and Pitt slinger Eli Holstein both threw for over 300 yards against WVU. Daniels has not eclipsed 300 passing yards in a game since the Jayhawks’ bowl game against Arkansas in 2022.

If there is a bright spot on the WVU defense through three games, it is Troy transfer defensive end T.J. Jackson . The senior defensive end leads the Big 12 in tackles for loss (7.5) and has the most sacks (2.5) on the WVU roster this year.

WVU, Kansas and Houston are the only three Big 12 teams without multiple wins this season. If Houston leaves Cincinnati with a win Saturday, the loser of the WVU-Kansas game will be the only one-win team in the conference.

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