Game Preview: West Virginia football at Oklahoma

West Virginia will head to Oklahoma for the final time as a Big 12 Conference matchup in a prime time meeting. WVSports.com offers a look at some key elements of the match up to get you ready for kick off.

In this game preview, we dive into numbers and notes, a depth chart, our video preview of the game as well as where to can watch the contest.

Series: Oklahoma 11-3

Last meeting: 2023 WVU 23 OU 20

Television: 7 p.m. ET = FOX - Jeff Levering (PBP), Mark Helfrich (analyst)

COACHES:

Neal Brown:

WEST VIRGINIA RECORD: 28-28, 5th Year

OVERALL RECORD: 63-44, 9th Year

VS. Oklahoma: 1-2

Brent Venables:

OKLAHOMA RECORD: 13-9, 2nd Year

OVERALL RECORD: 13-9, 2nd Year

VS. WEST VIRGINIA: 0-1

Related: A Deep Dive Into The WVU vs. Oklahoma Football Series

NOTES:

--West Virginia head coach Neal Brown is in his fifth season atop the Mountaineers football program and has gone 28-28 in Morgantown during that time. Overall, Brown is 63-44 as a head coach in his ninth season in that role.

--The Mountaineers are the 15th winningest program of all time.

--WVU is 8-8-2 in games played on Nov. 11, including 4-6-2 on the road. The last time WVU played on that date was in 2017 at Kansas State (W/28-23).

--West Virginia is 86-76-3 all-time in games played after 5 p.m., including 44-48-1 on the road, 35-17-2 at home and 7-11 at a neutral site.

--The Mountaineers are 99-15 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.

--West Virginia is ranked No. 29 nationally in fewest penalties per game (46) and No. 37 in fewest penalty yards (412).

--West Virginia is averaging 33:56 per game of possession time, ranking No. 4 nationally.

--This is the 320th nationally televised game for West Virginia. All-time, the Mountaineers are 167-151-1 in nationally televised games.

--In the Neal Brown era, the Mountaineers are 24-7 when rushing for at least 100 yards. The Mountaineers rushed for 334 yards, the most under head coach Neal Brown in their last contest against BYU.

--Since the bye, the West Virginia offense is averaging 37.8 points per game and 509.5 yards with the splits being 250.8 rushing and 258.8 passing per contest.

--West Virginia has three blocked kicks for the season, ranking No. 3 nationally.

--Cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. is ranked No. 1 nationally in passes defended (21 total, 2.3 per game) and pass breakups (17) and No. 8 in interceptions (4).

--On first down, the Mountaineers have run 283 plays and have gained 1,652 yards for a 5.8 average. On second down, the Mountaineers have run 210 plays for 1,278 yards and a 6.1 average. On third down, the Mountaineers have run 124 plays for 726 yards and a 5.9 average gain. West Virginia has run 27 plays on fourth down for 119 yards and a 4.4 average. WVU’s touchdowns have come 16 times on first down (11 rush/5 pass), 10 times on second down (6 rush/4 pass), seven times on third down (5 rush/2 pass) and two times on fourth down (1 rush/1 pass).

--Breaking down the West Virginia offensive numbers for the 2023 season shows that the Mountaineers have run 644 plays, 411 on the ground and 233 through the air.

--The rushing game has totaled 1,962 yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry and 23 touchdowns. The passing attack has totaled 1,813 yards, 12 touchdowns and an average of 14.2 yards per completion. Combine the two and the Mountaineers have turned in 3,775 yards of total offense, 35 touchdowns, an average of 5.9 yards per play and an average of 31.4 points per game.

--Deeper analysis shows that the Mountaineer offense has gained 108 first downs by the run and 73 via the pass. On average, West Virginia has totaled 218.0 yards per game on the ground, 201.4 yards per game passing and 419.4 yards per game of total offense.

--Over the last nine years, West Virginia has produced 162 takeaways, tied for No. 35 among Power 5 schools.

--West Virginia is 79-60 all-time against current members of the Big 12 Conference. WVU is 7-4 vs. Baylor; 2-0 against BYU; 16-3-1 vs. Cincinnati; 0-1 against Houston; 6-5 against Iowa State; 10-2 vs. Kansas; 6-7 against Kansas State; 3-11 vs. Oklahoma; 5-10 against Oklahoma State; 8-5 vs. TCU; 6-6 against Texas; 7-6 vs. Texas Tech and 3-0 against UCF.

--Dating back to the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl, played in Charlotte, North Carolina, West Virginia has made 18 bowl appearances in the last 21 years, missing only the 2013, 2019 and 2022 seasons. The Mountaineers are one of 16 Power 5 schools to accomplish that feat: Georgia (21), Oklahoma (21), Wisconsin (21), Clemson (20), Florida (20), LSU (20), Ohio State (20), Oklahoma State (20), Virginia Tech (19), Alabama (19), Auburn (19), Florida State (18), Iowa (18), Oregon (18), Texas (18) and West Virginia (18).

--In 2023, the Mountaineers have 44 players with at least one game of starting experience.

--Fifteen true freshmen have played for the Mountaineers in 2023: DJ Cotton (DL), Ben Cutter (LB), Oreyend Fisher (DL), Rodney Gallagher III (WR), James Heard Jr. (BAN), Jordan Jackson (CB), Josiah Jackson (CB), Nick Krahe (OL), Corey McIntyre Jr. (DL), DJ Oliver (RB), Aden Tagaloa-Nelson (S), Traylon Ray (WR), Jahiem White (RB), Johnny Williams IV (OL) and Cooper Young (OL).

--Coaching assignments: AHC-OL Matt Moore (Field), OC-RB Chad Scott (Field), DC-OLB Jordan Lesley (Field), Co-DC-DBs ShaDon Brown (Press Box), ST Coordinator-ILB Jeff Koonz (Press Box), PGC-QB Sean Reagan (Press Box), DL Andrew Jackson (Field), WR Bilal Marshall (Field), TE Blaine Stewart (Field) and S Dontae Wright (Field).

--The 2023 roster currently consists of 113 players from 24 different states and four foreign countries: Australia (1), Finland (1), Sweden (1) and The Netherlands (1). Leading the way is West Virginia (19), Florida (13), Pennsylvania (13), Ohio (12), Georgia (8), Kentucky (6), Maryland (5), North Carolina (5), South Carolina (3), New Jersey (3), New York (3), Virginia (3), Alabama (2), Delaware (2), Michigan (2), Texas (2), Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington.

DEPTH CHART:

No depth chart has been released for this contest but this is our projection.

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