Wednesday, February 15, 2012
WVU Football Schedule 2012

Here is the 2012 WVU football schedule:
All game times TBA.
09.01.2012 WVU vs. Marshall in Morgantown
09.15.2012 WVU vs. James Madison at FedEx Field in Landover, MD
09.22.2012 WVU vs. Maryland in Morgantown
09.29.2012 WVU vs. Baylor in Morgantown
10.06.2012 WVU at Texas
10.13.2012 WVU at Texas Tech
10.20.2012 WVU vs. Kansas State in Morgantown
11.03.2012 WVU vs. TCU in Morgantown
11.10.2012 WVU at Oklahoma State
11.17.2012 WVU vs. Oklahoma in Morgantown
11.24.2012 WVU at Iowa State
12.01.2012 WVU vs. Kansas in Morgantown
The Breakdown of Big 12 Opponents
WVU hosts Baylor
Baylor Bears – Coach Art Briles (25-25 in 4 seasons at Baylor)
Baylor is coming off of their best season in 25 years and finished ranked for the first time since 1986. Led by Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III – Baylor won their first bowl game since 1992. The Bears finished nationally in the Top 10 in every offensive category. Baylor racked up over 587 yards of offense per game in 2011 – second only to the Houston Cougars.
Coach Briles coached alongside Dana Holgorsen under head coach Mike Leach at Texas Tech from 2000-2002. Briles was the key player in recruiting Griffin to Baylor and all but 10 players on the current roster hail from the state of Texas. Unfortunately for Baylor – Griffin decided to forgo his senior season and apply for the NFL draft where he is expected to be a Top 5 pick.
WVU at Texas
Texas Longhorns – Preseason Rank #22
Coach Mac Brown (141-39 in his 14 seasons at Texas)
Stadium: Darryll K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (Austin, Texas) Seating capacity - 100,119
WVU will travel to Austin to play in the nation’s 5th largest college football venue. Despite recruiting classes that rank in the Top 5 nearly every season – the Longhorns have not produced many Championships under Coach Brown. Texas has only won the Big 12 Championship twice in his 14 seasons at Texas. Led by QB Vince Young – the Longhorns did finish the 2005 season as undefeated BCS Champions – it was Texas first national championship in 35 years.
In 2010, Texas snapped a 12 year streak of finishing the season ranked in the AP Top 25. Since the departure of Colt McCoy – Texas has struggled at the QB position. The Longhorns have struggled the past two seasons – posting a record of just 13-12.
WVU at Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders – Coach Tommy Tuberville (13-12 in two seasons at Texas Tech) Stadium: Jones AT&T Stadium (Lubbock, TX) Seating Capacity: 60,454
The Red Raiders are known for a wide open offensive attack. Coach Holgorsen is very familiar with Lubbock as he spent seven years working under then head coach Mike Leach. Texas Tech is still searching for their first Big 12 Championship – but Leach did take the Red Raiders to a bowl game in 9 of his 10 seasons in Lubbock.
Coach Tuberville brings a .631 career winning percentage with stops at Ole Miss, Auburn, and now Texas Tech. Texas Tech has struggled in his first two seasons – finishing barely over .500. If you plan on making the drive to Lubbock – plan on giving yourself a good 24 hours to cover the 1,500 miles!
WVU hosts Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats –Preseason Rank #12
Coach Bill Snyder (159-82-1 in 21 seasons at K-State)
The Wildcats are led by 72-year old head coach Bill Snyder. The Wildcats have won the Big 12 title just one time in his 21 seasons (2003) and have a bowl record of 6-7 under coach Snyder.
The Wildcats also feature a Heisman trophy candidate in QB Collin Klein. Klein accounted for more than 3,000 yards of total offense last year – including 40 touchdowns. Top tailback John Hubert and receiver Chris Harper also return in 2012. Kansas State did graduate three starting offensive lineman and will need to replace five starters from a defense that gave up nearly 400 yards per game in 2011.
WVU hosts TCU
TCU Horned Frogs – Preseason Rank #15
Coach Gary Patterson (109-30 at TCU in 11 seasons at TCU)
The Horned Frogs have dominated the Mountain West Conference over the past seven seasons – finishing 48-7 in league play. TCU has been to seven straight bowl games – winning 6 of those 7. As a non-automatic qualifier – the Horned Frogs finished the 2010 season undefeated including a BCS Rose Bowl victory.
TCU will look to compete at the next level after winning 11 or more games in 7 of the last 9 seasons. TCU will enter the season on an 8-game winning streak and returns most of it’s firepower on offense. QB Casey Pachall, tailbacks Waymon James and Ed Wesley and receivers Josh Boyce and Skye Dawson are all back for the 2012 season.
Always known for their stingy style of defense—last year TCU dropped to 32nd nationally. The Horned Frogs led the nation in total Defense three straight years from 2008-2010.
WVU at Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys –Preseason Rank #19
Coach Mike Gundy (59-30 in 7 seasons at OSU
Stadium: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, OK) Seating capacity – 60,218
Oklahoma State may very well be the hottest program in the Big 12. The Cowboys have gone 23-3 over the past two seasons. In 2011 Oklahoma State won their first conference championship since 1976 – propelling them to their first ever BCS appearance – a Fiesta Bowl win over Stanford.
Last season the Cowboys embarrassed their arch rival Oklahoma Sooners 44-10. Over the years – the Sooners have pretty much owned the Cowboy’s in the “Bedlam” game going 87-17-7. The Cowboys will have to replace their top two offensive threats as QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon will now be playing on Sunday’s. Oklahoma State returns 8 starters on defense but they do lose their key play-maker safety Markelle Martin.
WVU hosts Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners – ESPN Preseason Rank #4.
Coach Mike Stoops (139-34 in his 13 seasons at OU)
Oklahoma has been the dominant force in the Big 12 in the BCS era. OU has won the Big 12 title 6 of the past 10 seasons. The Sooners have played in a BCS game 8 of the last 10 seasons – finishing just 3-5 in those contests. Oklahoma and Stoops finished the 2000 season undefeated – winning the BCS National Championship in just his second season as a head coach.
The Sooners return Heisman trophy candidate Landry Jones – along with top receivers Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds. Last season the OU offense averaged over 500 yards per game (5th nationally) and scored 40 points per game. Mike Stoops returns from Arizona to become the defensive coordinator.
WVU at Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones – Coach Paul Rhoads (18-20 in three season at Iowa State)
Stadium: Jack Trice Stadium (Ames, IA) Seating Capacity – 55,000
Coach Rhoads will enter year four of a ten year contract as Head Coach at Iowa State. Rhoads has led the Cyclones to bowl games in 2 of this first 3 seasons and pulled off one of the nation’s biggest upsets last year as ISU knocked off 2nd ranked and undefeated Oklahoma State.
Many Mountaineer fans are familiar with Rhoads as he was the defensive coordinator that led the Pitt Panthers to a shocking upset win over WVU in 2007 – keeping the Mountaineers from playing in the BCS Championship game.
Iowa State graduated a small senior class in 2011 and will have over 60 scholarship veterans on their roster this coming season.
WVU hosts Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks – Coach Charlie Weis (First year at Kansas)
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (Lawrence, KS) Seating Capacity: 50,071)
Charlie Weis becomes the third head coach in the last four seasons as Kansas tries to get back on a winning track. Weis brings many years of coaching experience to Kansas – including three Super Bowl rings from his days as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots.
At the college level – Weis has not been as fortunate – compiling just a 35-27 record in five seasons at Notre Dame. The Irish ultimately decided to buy out the final year of his contract and he was let go at the end of the 2009 season.
The task for Weis will be tall as the Jayhawks have a winning record against just two Big 12 opponents: Iowa State and Kansas State. Kansas does have one BCS appearance in recent history – an Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in 2007.

