MORGANTOWN W.VA — When it comes to Friday night before a football game, players usually go to bed knowing what time they are playing the next afternoon. For West Virginia and Kansas, that was not the case.
At around 10 p.m. Friday, those plans changed. Kickoff was moved up from 5:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET following FAA travel disruptions that affected teams across the country. Read more: Scene Setter: WVU prepares for Kansas after late kickoff change.
Kansas had already made it to Morgantown, so the game will get started two hours earlier than originally planned.
West Virginia enters Saturday at 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big 12 play. The Mountaineers are coming off a 53-48 loss to Texas Tech and now have another opportunity to pick up their sixth win and become bowl eligible.
Kansas comes into Morgantown at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Despite its record, Rich Rodriguez knows the Jayhawks are a team West Virginia cannot overlook.
Kansas’ strengths
Kansas has struggled to finish games this season, including last week’s 33-32 loss to UCF. The Jayhawks held a late lead before giving up the game-winning touchdown.
Rodriguez believes Kansas could have a much better record than it does.
“Their record should be flipped without question. I mean, you talk about – I mean, close, close,” Rodriguez said.
The Jayhawks also have plenty of talent defensively, something Rodriguez noticed while watching film.
“I remember telling myself, man, they’re really athletic. And defense, I was watching more defense than offense. Their defense has athletes everywhere,” Rodriguez said.
One player West Virginia will need to account for is defensive end Leroy Harris III. Harris ranks third in the Big 12 with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Rodriguez had plenty of praise for the Kansas defender.
“I mean, this guy’s an NFL guy. I mean, he’s big, got long arms, really aggressive. He’s got a great get-off,” Rodriguez said. “He’s a problem. I mean, he’s a guy that’s made a lot of plays for them.”
Hawkins and Cook lead the way
West Virginia’s rushing attack will be important again Saturday.
The Mountaineers rank sixth nationally with 263.6 rushing yards per game. Cam Cook has rushed for 1,072 yards this season, while Michael Hawkins Jr. has added another threat with his ability to run the football.
Hawkins rushed for three touchdowns against Texas Tech, bringing his season total to 19. That set a new single-season program record for rushing touchdowns by a WVU quarterback.
Related: Keys to the game – WVU vs. Kansas
He is also closing in on 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards for the season.
Kansas is allowing 157.8 rushing yards per game, giving West Virginia an opportunity to continue using its ground game.
However, the Mountaineers will have to deal with a Kansas defense that has shown plenty of athleticism, particularly up front with Harris.
WVU defense needs a big day
West Virginia’s defense has struggled to limit explosive plays throughout the season.
The Mountaineers have allowed 70 plays of at least 20 yards, the most in the country. Kansas has recorded 54 of those plays offensively, ranking ninth nationally.
That is something WVU will need to improve on Saturday after allowing 53 points to Texas Tech.
The Mountaineers also need to find a way to finish drives defensively. Against the Red Raiders, West Virginia had opportunities late but could not get the stops it needed.
Rodriguez acknowledged after the loss that the defensive coaches and players both need to improve.
“I got to do a better job of trying to do whatever I can to help our defensive coaches out. And our defensive coaches got to do a better job of helping our players out,” Rodriguez said.
Saturday gives the defense another opportunity to show improvement against a Kansas offense that can create plays both through the air and on the ground.
Other storylines
West Virginia and Kansas have met 14 times, with the Mountaineers holding the all-time series advantage. Kansas won the most recent matchup, defeating WVU 41-10 last season in Lawrence.
Rodriguez knows his team will have to be ready after that performance.
“They had great success against us, and we played awful against them last year, so I’m sure we’ll see some of the same stuff,” Rodriguez said.
A win would make West Virginia bowl eligible and give the team some momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Kickoff is now set for 3:30 p.m. ET at Milan Puskar Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
The Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show begins at 1:30 p.m. on 100.9 The Torch, JFMN.TV and themountaineertailgate.com.
