Game Preview: West Virginia football at Texas Tech

West Virginia (3-1) will hit the road for the second time this season to take on Texas Tech (1-3) in a critical Big 12 Conference contest. 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: WVU 6-3

Last meeting: 2019: WVU 17 TTU 38

Television: 5:30 p.m., ESPN2, Anish Shroff (PBP), Tom Luginbill (analyst) Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline)

NUMBERS AND NOTES:

--Neal Brown is in his second season atop the West Virginia football program after a 5-7 campaign in his first year. Overall, Brown has a 43-24 record as a head coach.

--West Virginia is 15th all-time in wins.

--The Mountaineers are 11-6 in games played on Oct. 24, including 5-4 on the road. The last time WVU played on Oct. 24 was in 2009 against Connecticut, a 28-24 win. The last time the Mountaineers played on the road on Oct. 24 was a 37-16 win over Boston College during the 1987 season.

--West Virginia is 278-216-21 all-time in the month of October.

--This is the 279th nationally broadcast game for the program. The Mountaineers are 146-131-1 in those previous contests.

--West Virginia leads the nation in total defense at 240.3 yards allowed per contest and is tied for first in defensive yards allowed per play at 4.05.

--The Mountaineers are the only school in the nation ranked in the Top 10 in 10 different defensive categories, including five in the Top 5. The defense is ranked is ranked No. 3 nationally in pass defense (148.5), tied for No. 3 in red zone defense (.600), tied for No. 4 in sacks (4.00), No. 5 in third down defense (.259), tied for No. 7 in interceptions (6), No. 8 in tackles for loss (9.3), No. 9 in rushing defense (91.8), No. 10 in first down defense (51) and No. 11 in scoring defense (18.8)

--The offense is offense is ranked No. 12 nationally in red zone offense (.944) and No. 17 in total offense with 466.5 yards per game.

--Coaching staff assignments: Matt Moore (AHC-OL/Field), Gerad Parker (OC-WR/Press Box), Chad Scott (Co-OC-RB/Field), Jordan Lesley (Defensive Lead-DL/Field), Jahmile Addae (Defensive Lead-CB/Field), Jeff Koonz (ST Coordinator-ILB/Field), Jeff Casteel (OLB/Press Box), Sean Reagan (QB/Press Box), Travis Trickett (TE-IR/Field), Dontae Wright (S/Press Box)

--West Virginia is 38-37 in Big 12 Conference games but 47-41 all-time against teams from the Big 12 Conference.

--West Virginia is 91-14 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.

--The Mountaineers have gone to a bowl game in 16 of the last 18 years.

--West Virginia has 109 players from 20 different states.

--West Virginia has 19 fifth-year seniors and 18 players that have already graduated.

--In 2020 the makeup of the offensive roster includes offensive roster includes 12 true freshmen, 10 redshirt freshmen, three sophomores, 11 redshirt sophomores, five juniors, five redshirt juniors and seven redshirt seniors. The total offensive personnel includes five quarterbacks, eight running backs, 17 wide receivers, four tight ends/fullbacks and 19 offensive linemen.

--In 2020 the makeup of the defensive roster includes 10 freshmen, 11 redshirt freshmen, four sophomores, three redshirt sophomores, four juniors, eight redshirt juniors, two seniors and nine redshirt seniors. The total defensive personnel for 2020 includes 14 defensive linemen, nine linebackers, 11 cornerbacks, two spears, five bandits and 10 safeties.

--Since 1980, West Virginia is 204-22-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Since 2000, the Mountaineers are 65-6 when hitting the 40-point plateau, and WVU is 195-6 all-time when scoring at least 40 or more points in a game.

--West Virginia has improved drastically in the red zone. The Mountaineers are No. 3 nationally in red zone defense allowing only 60-percent of those opportunities to result in points. Offensively, the offense is ranked No. 12 scoring 94.4-percent of the time.

--A total of 14 true freshmen have played for West Virginia during the 2020 season: Sam Brown (WR), Lanell Carr (DL), Jairo Faverus (SP), Garrett Greene (QB), Charles Finley (TE), Zach Frazier (OL), Chris Mayo (OL), Akheem Mesidor (DL), Daryl Porter Jr. (CB), Taurus Simmons (BAN), Reese Smith (WR), A'Varius Sparrow (RB), James Thomas (LB) and Jordan White (OL).

-- Over the last five years, West Virginia has produced 119 takeaways, good for No. 18 nationally and tied for No. 10 among Power 5 schools.

--West Virginia has run a total of 328 plays in 2020, 170 on the ground and 158 through the air. The rushing game has totaled 757 yards, an average of 4.5 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns, while the passing game has totaled 1,109 yards and eight touchdowns for an average of 11.0 yards per completion. Combine the two and the Mountaineers have turned in 1,866 yards of total offense with 18 touchdowns for an average of 5.7 yards per play and 33.5 points per game.

--The Mountaineers offense has gained 41 first downs by the run and 48 via the pass. West Virginia averaged 189.2 yards per game on the ground and 277.2 yards per game passing.

--West Virginia will be without redshirt junior defensive end Taijh Alston due to injury.

OFFENSE:
QB: 2 Jarret Doege, 6-2, 208, r-Jr.
12 Austin Kendall, 6-2, 214, r-Sr.

RB: 4 Leddie Brown, 5-11, 214, Jr.
20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 184, r-Jr.

TE: 87 Mike O'Laughlin, 6-5, 255, r-So.
85 T.J. Banks, 6-5, 248, r-So.

WR (X): 0 Bryce Wheaton, 6-3, 218, r-So.
10 Sean Ryan, 6-3, 204, Jr.

WR (H): 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 174, So.
9 Isaiah Esdale, 6-0, 203, r-Jr.

SLOT: 1 T.J. Simmons, 6-2, 201, r-Sr.
15 Reese Smith, 5-10, 186, Fr.

WR (Z): 13 Sam James, 6-0, 184, r-So.
17 Sam Brown, 6-2, 197, Fr. -or-
19 Ali Jennings, 6-1, 195, So.

LT: 50 Brandon Yates, 6-4, 306, r-Fr.
71 Junior Uzebu, 6-6, 298, r-So.

LG: 54 Zach Frazier, 6-2, 308, Fr.
74 James Gmiter, 6-3, 301, r-So.
69 Blaine Scott, 6-3, 315, r-So.

C: 76 Chase Behrndt, 6-4, 315, r-Sr.
54 Zach Frazier, 6-2, 308, Fr.

RG: 57 Michael Brown, 6-3, 345, r-Sr.
53 Jordan White, 6-3, 300, Fr.

RT: 79 John Hughes, 6-5, 298, Jr.
68 Briason Mays, 6-3, 308, r-So.

DEFENSE:
DT: 55 Dante Stills, 6-3, 275, Jr.
90 Akheem Mesidor, 6-2, 268, Fr.

NT: 56 Darius Stills, 6-1, 282, Sr.
99 Quay Mays, 6-1, 302, r-Jr. -or-
95 Jordan Jefferson, 6-2, 295, So.

DE: 9 Jeffery Pooler, 6-2, 258, r-Sr.
52 Jalen Thornton, 6-2, 265, r-Fr.

BANDIT: 10 Dylan Tonkery, 6-0, 228, r-Sr.
50 Jared Bartlett, 6-2, 233, r-Fr.
8 Vandarius Cowan, 6-4, 241, r-Jr.

WLB: 7 Josh Chandler-Semedo, 5-11, 228, Jr.
17 Exree Loe, 6-0, 212, r-Jr.

MLB: 1 Tony Fields, 6-1, 220, Sr.
10 Dylan Tonkery, 6-0, 228, r-Sr.

SPEAR: 23 Tykee Smith, 5-10, 202, So.
24 Jairo Faverus, 6-0, 198, Fr.

CS: 29 Sean Mahone, 5-11, 204, r-Sr.
2 Noah Guzman, 5-11, 202, Jr.

FS: 4 Alonzo Addae, 5-11, 192, r-Sr.
22 Jake Long, 5-11, 198, r-Sr. -or-
20 Tae Mayo, 5-10, 181, r-Fr.

LCB: 5 Dreshun Miller, 6-1, 190, r-Jr.
3 Jackie Matthews, 5-10, 189, Jr.

RCB: 11 Nicktroy Fortune, 6-0, 196, So.
28 Daryl Porter, 5-11, 179, Fr.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: 30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 196, r-Sr.
48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 210, r-So.

H: 89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 177, r-Fr.

P: 40 Kolton McGhee, 6-0, 188, r-Fr.
35 Tyler Sumpter, 5-10, 220, r-Sr.

KO: 48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 210, r-So.
30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 196, r-Sr.

LS: 51 Kyle Poland, 6-2, 234, r-Sr.
52 JP Hadley, 6-2, 239, r-So.

KOR: 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 174, So.
13 Sam James, 6-0, 184, r-So.

PR: 20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 184, r-Jr.
89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 177, r-Fr.

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