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Published Oct 31, 2019
Game Preview: West Virginia football vs. Baylor
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Keenan Cummings  •  WVSports
Managing Editor
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@rivalskeenan

West Virginia will hit the road to take on No. 12 Baylor and 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 5-2

Last meeting: 2018: WVU 58 BU 14

Television: 8 p.m., ESPN, Adam Amin (play-by-play), Matt Hasselbeck (analyst), Pat McAfee (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline)

Steaming: Watch ESPN


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NUMBERS AND NOTES:

--West Virginia is 202-22-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game.

--West Virginia is 7-8 in games played Oct. 31, including 3-6 away from home. The was time West Virginia played on Oct. 31 was 1998 in 27-13 loss at Virginia Tech.

--West Virginia is 276-217-21 all-time in October. The program is 17-17 since 2010 and 6-10 on the road.

--West Virginia is 104th nationally in scoring offense at 22.7 points per game. The Mountaineers are 119th in total offense at 314.1 yards per game.

--The Mountaineers have 18 sacks on the year, good for third in the Big 12 and No. 38 nationally.

--When West Virginia wins the turnover battle the Mountaineers are 88-13 since 2002.

--Since 1999, West Virginia has 23 wins over ranked teams.

--West Virginia has 14 fifth-year seniors and 13 players that have already graduated tied for sixth out of all power five programs.

--Coaching alignments are: Co-OC/OL Matt Moore (field), Co-OC/RB Chad Scott (field), QB Sean Reagan (box), WR Xavier Dye (field), TE Travis Trickett (box), DC Vic Koenning (field), DL Jordan Lesley (field), ILB-ST Blake Seiler (box), OLB Al Pogue (field), DB Jahmile Addae (box).

--There are 21 Mountaineers who have seen their first WVU action during the 2019 season: Taijh Alston (DL), George Campbell (WR), Randy Fields Jr. (WR), Nicktroy Fortune (CB), James Gmiter (OL), Noah Guzman (S), Josh Growden (P), John Hughes (OL), Jordan Jefferson (DL), Ali Jennings (WR), Reuben Jones (DL), Austin Kendall (QB), Kerry Martin Jr. (S), Briason Mays (OL), Tae Mayo (CB), Mike O’Laughlin (TE), Sean Ryan (WR), Blaine Scott (OL), Tykee Smith (S), Junior Uzebu (OL), and Winston Wright (WR). A total of seven of those were true freshmen.

--On first down, the Mountaineers have run 195 plays and gained 839 yards for a 4.3 average. On second down, the Mountaineers have run 153 plays for 789 yards and a 5.2 average. On third down, the Mountaineers have run 108 plays for 484 yards and a 4.5 average gain. West Virginia has run 8 plays on fourth down in 2019 for 87 yards and an average gain of 10.9 per play.

-- Breaking down the West Virginia offensive numbers for the 2019 season shows that the Mountaineers have run a total of 464 plays, 213 coming on the ground and 251 through the air. The rushing game has totaled 617 yards for an average of 2.9 yards per carry and 7 touchdowns. The passing attack has totaled 1,582 yards, 12 touchdowns and an average of 9.7 yards per completion. Combine the two and the Mountaineers have turned in 2,199 yards of total offense, 19 touchdowns, an average of 4.7 yards per play and an average of 22.7 points per game.

--Deeper analysis shows that the Mountaineer offense has gained 41 first downs by the run and 72 via the pass. On average, West Virginia has totaled 88.1 yards per game on the ground, 226.0 yards per game passing and 314.1 yards per game of total offense.

--West Virginia has 14 players serving on the leadership council with QB Austin Kendall, QB Jack Allison, RB Kennedy McKoy, RB Martell Pettaway, WR T.J. Simmons, OL Josh Sills, OL Colton McKivitz, DL Reese Donahue, LB Dylan Tonkery, LB Josh Chandler, S Sean Mahone, CB Keith Washington, S Dante Bonamico and K Evan Staley making up the list.

--West Virginia will be without redshirt junior guard Josh Sills, sophomore defensive end Taijh Alston and wide receiver Sean Ryan as each have undergone surgery. Linebacker Josh Chandler also is expected to miss a month. In the case of Sills and Alston that was the season ending variety.

--Senior running back Martell Pettaway is expected to redshirt after appearing in four games at the start of the season.

DEPTH CHART:

West Virginia Offense:

QB: 12 Austin Kendall, 6-2, 222, r-Jr.
11 Jack Allison, 6-6, 210, r-Jr.
10 Trey Lowe, 6-2, 218, r-Fr.

RB:
6 Kennedy McKoy, 6-0, 204, Sr. -or-
4 Leddie Brown, 5-11, 212, So. -or-
20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 188, r-So.

FB:
42 Logan Thimons, 6-0, 231, r-Jr.
43 Jackson Knipper, 6-2, 245, Jr.

WR (X):
83 Bryce Wheaton, 6-3, 215, r-Fr.
19 Ali Jennings, 6-1, 181, Fr. -or-
36 Ricky Johns, 6-3 194, r-So.

TE (Y):
87 Mike O'Laughlin, 6-5, 250, r-Fr.
84 Jovani Haskins, 6-4, 245, r-Jr. -or-
85 T.J. Banks, 6-5, 253, r-Fr.

WR (H):
16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 167, Fr.

SLOT:
1 T.J. Simmons, 6-2, 199, r-Jr.
88 Isaiah Esdale, 6-0, 201, r-So.

WR (Z):
13 Sam James, 6-0, 182, r-Fr.
15 George Campbell, 6-4, 183, r-Sr.

LT:
53 Colton McKivitz, 6-7, 312, r-Sr.
71 Junior Uzebu, 6-5, 302, r-Fr.

LG:
74 James Gmiter, 6-3, 300, r-Fr.
57 Michael Brown, 6-3, 345, r-Jr.

C:
68 Briason Mays, 6-3, 300, r-Fr.
66 Adam Stilley, 6-0, 290, r-So.

RG:
76 Chase Behrndt, 6-4, 305, r-Jr.
79 John Hughes, 6-5, 298, So.

RT:
72 Kelby Wickline, 6-4, 308, r-Sr.
79 John Hughes, 6-5, 298, So.


West Virginia Defense:

DT: 46 Reese Donahue, 6-4, 285, Sr.
55 Dante Stills, 6-3, 295, So.
87 Stone Wolfley, 6-4, 255, r-Sr.

NT:
56 Darius Stills, 6-1, 292, Jr.
95 Jordan Jefferson, 6-2, 295, Fr.
90 Brenon Thrift, 6-1, 290, r-Sr.

DE:
13 Jeffery Pooler, 6-2, 255, r-Jr.
91 Reuben Jones, 6-4, 250, r-Sr.

BANDIT:
33 Quondarius Qualls, 6-1, 240, r-Sr.
31 Zach Sandwisch, 6-2, 231, r-Jr.

MIKE:
10 Dylan Tonkery, 6-0, 228, r-Jr.
34 Shea Campbell, 6-0, 232, r-Sr.
51 Jake Abbott, 6-0, 224, r-So.

WILL:
17 Exree Loe, 6-0, 210, r-So.
8 Kwantel Raines, 6-2, 212, r-Fr.

SPEAR:
23 Tykee Smith 5-10, 184, Fr.
8 Kwantel Raines, 6-2, 212, r-Fr.
39 Dante Bonamico, 5-8, 188, r-Jr.

CS:
29 Sean Mahone, 5-11, 200, r-Jr.
19 Noah Guzman, 6-1, 205, So.

FS
: 4 Josh Norwood, 5-10, 179, Sr.
15 Kerry Martin, 6-0, 194, Fr.

LCB:
24 Hakeem Bailey, 6-0, 190, r-Sr.
20 Tae Mayo, 5-10, 161, Fr.

RCB
: 28 Keith Washington, 6-1, 180, r-Sr.
11 Nicktroy Fortune, 6-0, 187, Fr.


West Virginia Special Teams:

K: 30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 190, r-Jr.
48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 215, r-Fr.

H:
96 Josh Growden, 6-2, 199, r-Sr.
10 Trey Lowe, 6-2, 218, r-Fr.

P:
96 Josh Growden, 6-2, 199, r-Sr.
40 Kolton McGhee, 6-0, 174, Fr.

KO:
30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 190, r-Jr.
48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 215, r-Fr.

LS:
64 Rex Sunahara, 6-6, 242, r-Sr.
51 Kyle Poland, 6-2, 232, r-Jr.

KOR:
13 Sam James, 6-0, 182, r-Fr.
28 Keith Washington, 6-1, 180, r-Sr.
6 Kennedy McKoy, 6-0, 204, Sr.

PR:
20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 188, r-So.

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