For West Virginia, the Iowa State loss stung because the offense did its part. The Mountaineers scored 42, tied it 28-28 after 3 quarters and went ahead with about 5 minutes left. Then Iowa State drove for the winning score, and WVU fumbled with under a minute to go. Rich Rodriguez didn't hold back afterward: "We were too undisciplined and not coached well enough to give us a chance. Penalties were atrocious." WVU had 10 penalties that day.
Northern Arizona35-7
UT Martin52-7
The season so far tells you how this could go. West Virginia went 3-0 in non-conference play, including 38-27 at Virginia. Since Big 12 play started, though, the defense has been the problem. Arizona has handled the teams it should beat and lost its one real road test, 28-17 at BYU. Neither team has a Big 12 win yet, so someone gets their first one in Morgantown.
The injury news cuts both ways. West Virginia RB C. Talley tweaked his hamstring and is undecided for Arizona, and the Mountaineers need their run game to keep Fifita off the field. Arizona is down 2 pass catchers, and S D. Austin is out for the season. That thins a secondary that has to slow down a WVU offense that just put up 42 in a Big 12 road game.
The forecast looks like ideal football weather: 77 degrees, partly cloudy, almost no wind, and a 2% chance of rain at Milan Puskar Stadium. Nothing in the conditions will slow either passing game. Arizona also has a long trip east for an early-window kickoff. Two defenses that have been giving up points, a record-setting quarterback and a home team trying to stop a slide make for a lively noon game, even if it doesn't decide the conference.