Season Preview: West Virginia

Oklahoma and West Virginia always seem to engage in exciting contests that aren't decided until the fourth quarter, sometimes in the final moments. With the 2016 matchup taking place Nov. 19 in what is likely to be a less-than-balmy Morgantown, few would be shocked if this year's game is another tight one.

About the Mountaineers

Dana Holgorsen enters his sixth season as head coach at West Virginia in 2016 and is looking to build off one of his most successful campaigns. After going 10-3 with an Orange Bowl win in his debut season in Morgantown in 2011, Holgorsen posted seven or fewer wins in each of the next three seasons. But he led the Mountaineers to an 8-5 mark a year ago, the most victories for WVU since joining the Big 12. It capped the season with a 43-42 triumph over Arizona State in the Cactus Bowl.

The strength of West Virginia's offense last season was on the ground as Wendell Smallwood ran for 1,519 yards to help the Mountaineers post the 16th-best rushing attack in the country. Smallwood has since been drafted into the NFL, which puts the focus now on senior Rushel Shell, who ran for more than 700 yards a year ago. Quarterback Skyler Howard is back for his senior season after directing a unit that finished 23rd in total offense, 35th in scoring offense and 42nd in passing yards. Aiding Howard is the fact that five of the seven players who caught at least 15 passes last season return in 2016, including Daikiel Shorts (team-high 45 receptions) and Shelton Gibson (team-high 887 receiving yards and nine touchdowns).

West Virginia's defensive strength a year ago was picking off the opponent. The Mountaineers ranked second nationally with 23 interceptions, but all five players who had multiple picks are no longer on the roster. That means only four of the team's 23 interceptions were made by players who return in 2016. The biggest losses for the WVU defense come in safety Karl Joseph and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, both All-Americans. Dravon Askew-Henry is the team's top returning tackler (59), while Noble Nwachukwu is the biggest pass-rushing threat after leading the team in tackles for loss (13.0) and sacks (8.5) last season.

According to ESPN.com, West Virginia assembled the No. 37 recruiting class in the country. It features six four-star prospects, including ESPN300 members linebacker Brendan Ferns (linebacker) and Steven Smothers (receiver).

Unbeaten vs. WVU in Big 12

West Virginia joined the Big 12 prior to the 2012 season, and since then Oklahoma is a perfect 4-0 against the Mountaineers. OU has won both games in Norman and both games in Morgantown, extending its margin of victory in each subsequent contest.

The teams first met as Big 12 rivals in 2012 as Oklahoma visited Milan Puskar Stadium for the first time ever and came away with a 50-49 victory. Quarterback Landry Jones threw for a school record 554 yards and tied a school mark with six touchdown passes, while wide receiver Kenny Stills matched a program record with four touchdown receptions. OU held a 31-17 lead at the half, but WVU climbed back to take the lead in the fourth quarter before Jones found Stills for the game-winning score with 24 seconds to play on 4th-and-three at the five-yard line. The teams combined for an amazing 1,440 yards. WVU's Tavon Austin racked up 572 all-purpose yards.

After an outpouring of offense in 2012, the defenses flexed their muscles in 2013 in Norman as OU captured a 16-7 win. Brennan Clay had 170 rushing yards and Damien Williams added 95 more to lead a Sooners' ground attack that went for 316 yards. Oklahoma's defense recovered three fumbles and recorded an interception.

The Sooners' return visit to Morgantown in 2014 saw a breakout performance from then-freshman running back Samaje Perine, but more on that later.

A year ago in Norman, the Sooners pulled away late for a 44-24 win in the conference opener for each team. Oklahoma led 24-7 at halftime but West Virginia cut the deficit to 27-24 late in the third quarter. The Sooners answered when Baker Mayfield found Durron Neal for a 71-yard touchdown on the very next play, and in the fourth quarter Eric Striker forced a fumble on a strip-sack and Jordan Evans returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Striker had 13 tackles, including two sacks and three tackles for loss, and Jordan Thomas intercepted two passes. Mayfield was exceptional for OU, passing for 320 yards and three touchdowns.

Last Time in Morgantown

As mentioned above, 2016 will be the third time OU visits Morgantown. After the back-and-forth battle in 2012, the 2014 meeting saw freshman running back Samaje Perine introduce himself to the country. Playing in front of a national TV audience on FOX, Perine rushed for 242 yards and four touchdowns to lead Oklahoma to a 45-33 win over West Virginia in their Big 12 opener.

Perine's performance marked the first time a Sooner had surpassed the 200-yard mark since DeMarco Murray ran for 208 yards vs. Utah State in 2010, and he became the first freshman to score four rushing touchdowns in a game since Blake Bell score four in the 2011 Insight Bowl vs. Iowa. The 242 yards ranked 13th in OU history for one game.

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Tied 24-24 at the half, OU outscored the Mountaineers 21-9 in the second half behind three of Perine's four touchdowns.

Also notable in the win were a 100-yard kickoff return by Alex Ross with just over a minute before halftime and a trick play that saw quarterback Trevor Knight catch a touchdown pass in the second quarter. Additionally, kicker Michael Hunnicutt became OU's all-time leading scorer in the contest.

Switching Up the Look

Each of the last two matchups with the Mountaineers have seen the Sooners take the field not in their traditional crimson or cream, but in the "Rough Rider" alternate uniforms that were unveiled prior to the 2014 season. These additional jersey-pants-helmet combinations were inspired by the rich heritage of the state of Oklahoma and the Sooners' storied football history.

The 2014 game in Morgantown marked the debut of the alternates as OU opted for the crimson wood grain helmets, cream jerseys and crimson pants.

In 2015 back in Norman, Oklahoma kept the crimson wood grain helmets but switched up the uniform with a crimson jersey and cream pants.

About the Mountaineers

Unbeaten vs. WVU in Big 12

Last Time in Morgantown

Switching Up the Look

Players Mentioned

Jordan Evans

Trevor Knight

Baker Mayfield

Durron Neal

Samaje Perine

Alex Ross

Alex Ross

Eric Striker

Jordan Thomas

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics