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Gameday WVU vs. Kansas State: November 13

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3 years ago

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – How will a 4-5 Mountaineer team hold up in Manhattan, Kansas on a freezing cold Saturday afternoon?

This is the third meeting between WVU head coach Neal Brown and KSU head coach Chris Klieman. Brown has outright dominated the Wildcats in the past two seasons, 2-0, but furthermore, the Mountaineer football team is on a complete tear through the series in recent history. There isn’t a single player on this 2021 WVU football team that knows what losing to the Wildcats feels like.

Today, Brown and his team are determined to continue that five-year win streak one more time against 6-3 K-State. A win today would put West Virginia only one game away from bowl contention with both Texas and Kansas left on the docket. Before looking too far ahead, this Mountaineer roster has to focus on going 1-0 today. Slowing down and taking each game week-by-week has been a consistent issue in Milan Puskar Center as WVU prepares each week. Skipping ahead has to become a non-issue today if Brown’s squad wants any hope of continuing play after Week 12 with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Third-season head coach Chris Klieman’s crew is lead by senior quarterback Skylar Thompson. Back from a knee injury to open the season, Thompson has since registered stellar numbers; he’s thrown for 1,318 yards and eight touchdowns during the five conference games he’s registered time in. That places him first in the Big 12 Conference for yards per conference game (263.6) and he’s kicking his precision into gear in conference play.

“Skylar Thompson is a big difference this year,” Brown said. “When he’s been healthy, they’ve played at a different level. He’s a tough kid and he’s a really good decision maker. I think he’s completed 73 percent of his passes, so he’s accurate, and he can ad lib. He makes plays with his feet as well… Then they’ve got good cohesiveness on their offensive line. Not going to be many negative plays there..”

Joining Thompson at the line of scrimmage is sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn, who ranks No. 12 in the nation in rushing touchdowns (12) and No. 24 in rushing yards (866) through nine games.

“I think it starts with Deuce Vaughn,” Brown said. “Second year player. They do a good job at getting him isolated in run game and the pass game. They get him in the empty. He’s special. He makes people miss. Really good player. We’re going to have to I.D. him wherever he’s at.

“They’re playing well, and it’s going to be a really big challenge for us going on the road,” Brown said.

Thompson and Vaughn will clash with the Mountaineers today at 12 p.m. EST on FS1. We’ll have all the pregame updates right here leading up to kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

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