This game should be a battle between these two BIG 12 schools with West Virginia edging Bears in all time wins 6-4. In their most recent clash, the Baylor Bears took down West Virginia in Waco 45-20.
The two teams have split their last four contests, that being said, let’s take a look at the best Baylor vs. West Virginia betting picks.
Baylor had been ranked all season and was No. 16 going into their last game against Oklahoma State, but the Pokes’ victory pushed the Bears out of the AP Top 25.
Expectations for the Bears
Expectations for the Bears were quite high going into the season, especially on defense and in the trenches.
Although Baylor Bears has struggled to force turnovers the whole season, their defense is only allowing 20.6 points per game, which ranks 35th overall. Offensively, they’ve been a top-25 unit averaging over 37 points and over 430 yards per game.
Many things are on the line for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Despite some impressive performances, their season has nonetheless been a definite letdown.
Week One’s Match
In Week One’s match versus Pittsburgh, West Virginia had a late lead but let it slip away. Then, West Virginia fell to Kansas at home and most recently were blown out by Texas.
Coach Neal Brown is facing criticism, and he must do much more to gain the confidence of his agitated fan base.
NCAAF Previous Scoreboards
Cover team win/loss records on the season, scores from any previous NCAAF matchups this season, etc.
Baylor’s Performance Recap
This season, Baylor betting picks are 3-2-0 against the spread. When they are playing as at least 3.5-point favorites, Bears is undefeated 2-0 ATS.
Three Baylor games this season have gone over the total. Bears failed to cover their -2.5 spread against Oklahoma St. in their last matchup losing by 11.
West Virginia’s Performance Recap
The West Virginia Mountaineers have an ATS record 2-3 this season. They have a ATS record of 1-1 when they have been 3.5 points or more underdogs.
Three times this season, West Virginia games have gone over. West Virginia failed to cover +7.5 points in their last game against texas, losing by 18.
Baylor vs. West Virginia Matchup Information
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Milan Puskar Stadium at Morgantown, West Virginia
- Promo: Stripe the Stadium
- TV: FS1
- Stream: Fox Sports
- Series history: WVU leads 6-4
- Last meeting: Baylor 45, WVU 20 in Waco, Texas (2021)
Baylor Bears vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Analysis
The Baylor Bears
Coach Aranda and the Bears’ Saturday game against Oklahoma State at McLane Stadium didn’t go as planned, as they were outplayed 36-25 by the Pokes after starting sluggishly.
Even though his team lost, quarterback Blake Shapen had a career-high 345 throwing yards on 28 of 40 attempts with two touchdowns.
Baylor’s Defense
In Morgantown, BU will be trying to pick up its first victory in five games. Baylor’s defense has been among the top 25, with a 24th-best ranking after allowing only 320.0 yards per game.
The defensive unit has put up an unprecedented run from the end of 2021 to the beginning of 2022, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in 36 years.
Bears has only had a string of 18 or more games, keeping an opponent to 30 or fewer points three times since 1964.
Baylor’s Offense
This year, the offense has been effective, with Bears ranking 27th in points scored per game (37.3), 47th in total offense (436.2), and a top-25 team in terms of rushing yards (187.8).
Richard Reese, a freshman, running back for Baylor, has had a strong start to his collegiate career. Through his first five NCAA games, Reese has led the Bears in rushing.
Through five games, Reese has rushed for 400 yards on 72 attempts with seven touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 80 yards per game.
The West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia, led by former Kentucky wide receiver Neal Brown, enters the contest with a week off after losing to Texas, 38-20, on October 1.
Against the Longhorns, JT Daniels threw for 253 yards on 29 of 48 attempts, one touchdown, and no interceptions for the Mountaineers. Justin Johnson Jr. led the team in rushing with 42 yards and one touchdown. Bryce Ford-Wheaton caught eight passes for 93 yards leading the team in receiving.
Their season began with losses to Pittsburgh (38-31) and Kansas (55-42 in overtime). With victories over Towson (65-7) and Virginia Tech (33-10), the Mountaineers were able to get their record back to.500, but they lost to Texas in the Big 12 battle.
West Virginia Defense
The theme here is their defense has been atrocious and putting a lot of pressure on the offense. Defensively, West Virginia is allowing 29.6 points per game, which is 91st-best, and conceding a third-down conversion rate of 43.3% is the 25th-worst in the nation.
WVU’s offense, on the other hand, has been solid so far this year. The Mountaineers average 454.8 total yards of offense per game, including 268.6 yards through the air and 186.2 yards on the ground.
They allow just 29.6 points per game. Just 331.4 yards are attempted by the opposition every game, with 230.8 coming through the air and 100.6 coming on the ground.
Baylor Bears vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Preview
When it comes to Bears vs. West Virginia betting, Bears is the betting favorite in this game, with the spread set at 3.5 points (-110).
In terms of the moneyline, Baylor is given odds of -160 to win, while West Virginia is given odds of +130 to win. The final number for the game’s over/under is 54.5 points for the West Virginia game today.
Baylor Bears vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Prediction
For Baylor vs. West Virginia betting picks, I like West Virginia to cover in this matchup. Despite their poor Big 12 play, West Virginia has never lost to Bears in Morgantown.
They have a strong offense with J.T. Daniels under center, and the offense is averaging over 450 yards and 0ver 38 points per contest.
Most Profitable Team
Bears on the other hand has been strong on both sides of the ball this year; however, playing on the road and in a hostile environment is a whole different story.
Bears was crushed by Oklahoma State in their last matchup, and although I think they will play West Virginia close, West Virginia will certainly cover and possibly walk away with a win.
NCAAF Pick: West Virginia +3.5 (-115)
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