Bryson Blue
Author
The Utah Utes (3-1, 0-1) will travel to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) on Sept. 27. After last week’s disappointing outing against Texas Tech, the Utes will look for redemption. The Mountaineers’ last showing was a loss as well, falling to Kansas, 41-10. Both squads are on the hunt for their first Big 12 Conference win.
Date: September 27, 2025
When: 3:30 PM EDT
Where: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WV
TV: Fox
The Mountaineers’ injury report is quite lengthy, with unfortunate injuries spread across both sides of the ball. Most notably, running back Jahiem White and wide receiver Jaden Bray are both listed as out.
Star running back Tye Edwards and starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol are questionable. Both Edwards and Marchiol would be listed as key players if they play; if they don’t, there could be some major issues. With two running backs down, West Virginia’s offense could struggle. The Mountaineers have already played multiple QBs this season, but Jaylen Henderson will likely start in place of Marchiol should he not play.
Defensively, the Mountaineers are in a much better spot. Safeties Fred Perry and Darrian Lewis have 48 total tackles combined. Their linebacker room of Ben Cutter, Chase Wilson and Reid Carrico remains quite active. Wilson himself has 3 sacks on the year. If the Mountaineers want to keep up with Utah while potentially missing some offense, these guys will need to step up big time.
On offense, all eyes should be kept on QB Devon Dampier. His performance last week was his weakest this season. While there were some questions about his health against Texas Tech, Dampier is a full-go this week. Having a bounce-back game would not only help Utah win but also reinstate the confidence of the Utes’ fanbase. This season, Dampier has thrown for 790 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
The Utes’ defense showed up strong for most of the game against Texas Tech, but fizzled out towards the end. If Utah wants to redeem itself, the defense will have to stand strong all four quarters. Safety Nate Ritchie has been a force this season, with 25 total tackles and 17 solo tackles. Their other safety, Jackson Benne, is a ball-hawk, already snagging 3 INTs this year. Both of these players will be huge in containing the Mountaineers’ offense.
While both teams are coming off tough losses, the Utes have far more to lose. With Big 12 contender aspirations, every game is a must-win. With the Mountaineers being depleted on offense, it may be hard to keep up with an angry Utah team.
Winner: Utah Utes
These highly-productive gunslingers are masters at ball security and putting the football in exactly the right spot
Tony Thomas
Author
The No. 1 quarterback in the FBS plays in Waco, TX
The No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0) beat the No. 16 Utah Utes (3-1) by a score of 34-10 in a Big Noon Kickoff showdown.
