West Virginia football hits the road for a critical Big 12 Conference matchup against No. 23 BYU on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where the Mountaineers (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) will seek their first conference win against the undefeated Cougars (4-0, 1-0). Read More: WVU vs. BYU: How to Watch
Television and Streaming
The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, with Anish Shroff on play-by-play and Andre Ware providing analysis. Meanwhile, fans without cable can stream through ESPN+ or ESPN’s website with a valid subscription.
For those wanting to get in the mood early, Mountaineer GameDay begins at 7 p.m. ET on local Nexstar TV affiliates throughout the state.
Radio Coverage
On the radio side, WV The Torch serves as the flagship and official sports radio partner of WVU Mountaineers. The network will carry the Mountaineer Sports Network broadcast featuring play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi, analyst Dwight Wallace, and sideline reporter Jed Drenning.
Related: Around the Big 12: Late Field Goal Saves Sun Devils Again
Fans can tune in across multiple stations throughout West Virginia, including WRLF 94.3 FM in Morgantown and Fairmont, WMMN AM 920 and 95.7 FM in North Central WV and Wheeling, WGYE 102.7 FM and 95.3 FM in Morgantown and Mannington, WZST 100.9 FM in Morgantown, and WHTI 105.7 FM in Clarksburg.
Game Preview
Turning to the matchup itself, West Virginia enters desperate to reverse its Big 12 fortunes. The Mountaineers have dropped consecutive losses to Kansas and Utah, with their defense allowing 89 points while failing to record a single sack. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley acknowledged his unit has been “knocked off the ball” recently.
The quarterback situation adds another layer of intrigue. With Nicco Marchiol and Jaylen Henderson both sidelined, redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins is expected to make his first career start. The left-hander showed promise against Utah, completing three of six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown while adding 39 rushing yards.
On the other side, BYU presents a formidable challenge. The Cougars boast the Big 12’s top rushing attack at 251.3 yards per game. More impressively, their defense leads the conference in scoring defense at just 9.3 points per contest. True freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier has thrived in his unexpected starting role, throwing six touchdowns without an interception.
Despite the challenges, history favors the Mountaineers. WVU holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series, including a dominant 37-7 victory in 2023. However, BYU enters as a 19.5-point favorite in what marks WVU’s first-ever game in Utah.
For Rich Rodriguez’s squad to stay competitive in this late-night showdown, they’ll need a strong ground game and vastly improved defensive effort under the Friday night lights in Provo.
