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This weekend is loaded with premier BCS-caliber football games and this is another one you better not miss.
Geno Smith is coming off one of the greatest performances in the BCS era, throwing for 8 TD and 656 yards. The Baylor defense is nowhere near as good as the Longhorns, so this matchup will be electric to watch.
Think essentially Clemson-Florida State with perhaps more BCS implications on the line. The Mountaineers offense is the best in the country right now, but you have to chew out some clock since they are so explosive with Geno Smith.
Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are All-American receivers, but J.D. Woods as the third receiver has enabled to reach their fullest potential. The running game is even looked as a part of the offense, but that is just because of how devastating the passing game has been.
Smith has 20 TD and 0 INT, which screams Heisman frontrunner at the moment. Smith looks like the Heisman winner, especially if his Mountaineers play in a BCS bowl.
Baylor and RGIII just missed the BCS last season, but thanks to shining in all of its primetimes games the Bears signal-caller won the Heisman.
While the Heisman is vital in college football, the BCS National Championship is still what the sport is all about.
West Virginia could play for it all if they run the table, but their abysmal defense will have to put it together to slow down a talented Longhorns squad.
Texas played Oklahoma State without Jordan Hicks and they surely missed him allowing Joseph Randle to rush for 200 yards, but the secondary played well against a talented Cowboys squad.
Slowing West Virginia will be the key and while points will be scored, Texas should be able to eat the clock up and score touchdowns at the same time.
The trio of backs that the Longhorns have in Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Grey are fully capable of gashing apart a WV run defense that ranks 106th in the country allowing 474 yards per game.
Ash has a trio of receivers of his own that will give West Virginia some major issues, and the hope is that Smith will not press at all.
Jaxon Shipley, Mike Davis and Marquise Goodwin are all studs and the young secondary was brutal against Baylor’s receivers. While Baylor does have one of the best receiving corps in the country, Texas is still in the top 15-20.
The Mountaineers have struggled to run the ball, which is the weak link of the Texas defense. The strength of their defense is the secondary, which gives us one of the better matchups of the entire season.
Quandre Diggs, Kenny Vaccaro, Adrian Phillips and Carrington Byndom are four studs that will give the Mountaineers the toughest matchup they see all season (perhaps even including their potential BCS bowl).
In a heavyweight Big 12 slugfest that has Big 12 and BCS title implications, this game should live up to the hype and then some.
Network: FOX
Time: 7 p.m. Eastern
Experts Pick: TX by 6.5
Danny V’s Pick: Texas 38, West Virginia 28
