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On Thursday at 7:00 PM ET, the Houston Cougars (2-3) will host the West Virginia Mountaineers (4-1).
The Cougars are underdogs, but by less than a touchdown (+3), versus the Mountaineers (with an over/under of 52.5 points).
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Game Info for West Virginia vs. Houston
- Game Day: Thursday, October 12, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Stadium: John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium
| Favorite | Spread | Favorite Spread Odds | Underdog Spread Odds | Total | Over Total Odds | Under Total Odds | Favorite Moneyline | Underdog Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | -3 | -110 | -110 | 52.5 | -110 | -110 | -162 | +137 |
West Virginia Pick Insights
- West Virginia’s ATS record is 4-1-0 this season.
- West Virginia is 1-0 against the spread so far when playing as at least 3-point favorites.
- Out of West Virginia’s five games with a set total, two have hit the over (40%).
West Virginia Stats & Insights
- West Virginia is averaging 347.4 yards per game offensively this year (99th in the FBS), and are giving up 335.4 yards per game (36th) on the defensive side of the ball.
- On offense, West Virginia ranks 85th in the FBS with 26.4 points per game. Meanwhile, the team’s defense ranks 31st in points allowed (335.4 points allowed per contest).
- West Virginia has been a bottom-25 pass offense this season, ranking 12th-worst with 155.6 passing yards per contest. The Ddfensive unit is ranked 63rd in the FBS (220.6 passing yards allowed per game).
- West Virginia is putting up 191.8 rushing yards per game on offense, which ranks them 32nd in the FBS. The team’s defensive unit ranks 35th, allowing 114.8 rushing yards per game.
- While West Virginia ranks 16th-worst in the FBS in third-down percentage at 32.3%, it’s been a different story on defense, ranking 11th-best (27.8% third-down conversion rate allowed).
- With five forced turnovers (109th in the FBS) against five turnovers committed (16th in the FBS), West Virginia’s even turnover margin ranks 67th in college football.
West Virginia’s Best Players
- Garrett Greene has thrown for 544 yards, completing 52.9% of his passes and tossing four touchdowns this season. He’s also run for 185 yards (37 ypg) on 33 carries with three rushing touchdowns.
- The team’s top rusher, CJ Donaldson, has carried the ball 86 times for 348 yards (69.6 per game), scoring four times.
- Hudson Clement’s team-leading 239 yards as a receiver have come on 10 receptions (out of 16 targets) with three touchdowns.
- Kole Taylor has hauled in 13 receptions totaling 166 yards, finding the end zone two times as a receiver so far this campaign.
- Devin Carter has hauled in nine grabs for 141 yards, an average of 28.2 yards per game.
- Tomiwa Durojaiye has three sacks to lead the team, and also has three TFL and eight tackles.
- Lee Kpogba is the team’s leading tackler this year. He’s racked up 29 tackles, two TFL, and one sack.
- Beanie Bishop has picked off a team-leading two passes. He also has 19 tackles, one TFL, and two passes defended to his name.
Houston Betting Insights
- Houston is 1-3-0 against the spread this year.
- Houston is winless against the spread (0-2) when playing as at least 3-point underdogs.
- Houston hase gone over in two of four games with a set total (50%).
Houston Pick Insights
- In terms of total offense, Houston ranks 53rd in the FBS (414 total yards per game) and 106th defensively (405.8 total yards allowed per contest).
- From an offensive angle, Houston is accumulating 27.4 points per contest (81st-ranked). It ranks 99th in the FBS on the other side of the ball (29.8 points surrendered per game).
- Houston’s passing attack has been paving the way for the team, as it ranks 25th-best in the FBS with 281 passing yards per contest. In terms of defense, it is giving up 242.2 passing yards per game, which ranks 92nd.
- Houston ranks 94th in the FBS with 133 rushing yards per contest on offense, and it ranks 98th with 163.6 rushing yards allowed per game on the defensive side of the ball.
- In terms of third-down efficiency, Houston ranks 33rd in the FBS (45.3% third-down conversion percentage) and 90th on defense (40.9% third-down rate allowed).
- Houston has produced nine forced turnovers this season and have turned the ball over three times, leading to a +6 turnover margin, which ranks eighth-best in the FBS.
Houston’s Best Players
- Donovan Smith has been a dual threat for Houston this season. He has 1,347 passing yards (269.4 per game) while completing 64.4% of his passes. He’s tossed nine touchdown passes and three interceptions this season. On the ground, he’s compiled 163 yards (32.6 ypg) on 55 carries with three rushing touchdowns.
- Parker Jenkins has rushed for 218 yards on 41 carries so far this year while scoring three times on the ground.
- Sam Brown has totaled 33 catches this season and his team-high yardage total sits at 518 (103.6 yards per game). He’s been targeted 48 times and has one touchdown.
- Joseph Manjack IV has 25 receptions (on 33 targets) for a total of 292 yards (58.4 yards per game) and two touchdowns this year.
- Matthew Golden has racked up 261 reciving yards (52.2 ypg) and four touchdowns this season.
- Nelson Ceaser has racked up 4.5 sacks to lead the team, while also picking up five TFL and 20 tackles.
- Houston’s leading tackler, Malik Robinson, has 31 tackles this year.
- Malik Fleming leads the team with three interceptions, while also putting up 17 tackles and three passes defended.
