Storylines to Keep an Eye On for WVU Football at Ohio

Besides the matchup itself and seeing if WVU can conquer the adversity of facing a quality opponent in a tough environment, below are some of the key storylines to keep an eye on for Week 2.

Rich Rodriguez Has No Time for ‘Trap Game’ Talk Ahead of WVU’s Trip to Ohio

As WVU prepares to endure a tough road environment at Ohio, Rich Rodriguez doesn’t have any time for “trap game” talk.

West Virginia fans may have their minds on what’s to come the next week on Sept. 13. Pitt will be in Morgantown for the final matchup of the recent series. ESPN is considering bringing College GameDay to WVU. The intrigue for the 108th installment of the Backyard Brawl is through the roof.

But Rodriguez isn’t thinking about any of that right now. Like most coaches, he’s singularly focused on the next opponent, and for West Virginia, that’s how to beat the Ohio Bobcats.

“That’s ridiculous. If they’re thinking about anybody other than Ohio, they need to go somewhere else. It’s as simple as that,” responded Rodriguez when asked how to avoid this game being a “trap game” for his players.

WVU Defense Needs to Prove Itself to Harshest Critics

The WVU defense opened up the season allowing only 123 total yards and just three points. But despite their overpowering performance, they’re still a long way from proving themselves to their harshest critics.

When asked for their evaluations of the how the defense played in a 45-3 win over Robert Morris, both head coach Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Zac Alley immediately qualified their effort.

The word “okay” was used frequently when describing what they saw from the defense on film. They know that what happened against an FCS school may not be an indicator of what to expect from the unit the rest of the season, granted they don’t just expect greatness, they demand it.

“I thought we were okay. Tackling was pretty good,” said Alley on Tuesday before adding in the qualifiers. “They weren’t able to really break anything so I thought the effort was good, because it’s not hard to get there when he’s three yards down the field.”

To no surprise, Alley’s comments echoed what Rodriguez ‘s thoughts as well.

“Not much, we weren’t really challenged on defense,” expressed Rodriguez. “We gave up a couple third and 10s early, but outside of that, I thought we played pretty solid.  We weren’t really challenged. Zac (Alley) always does some stuff, but he didn’t do nearly the stuff he would typical do.”

What Did Ohio HC Brian Smith Have to Say About Facing WVU?

Part of why some are predicting Ohio to beat WVU on Saturday is the magnitude of the game for the Bobcats.

Expecting the largest crowd in Ohio school history, OU head coach Brian Smith talked about facing the Mountaineers during his weekly press conference.

“I think some of the tempo stuff on offense is going to be challenging, so that’s a big thing for our defense. Offensively for us, they’re very multiple, they’re going to give you a lot of different looks. So, just being able to compartmentalize what all those things are whether it be coverages or fronts. There’s a lot they’re going to give you at the line of scrimmage,” offered Smith about WVU.

Smith also knows the crowd won’t be entirely friendly for his team. Ohio expects to set an attendance record, but Athens’ close proximity to Morgantown should lead to a significant West Virginia contingent.

“It should be electric. We’re expecting it to be the largest capacity we’ve had in the stadium. And it’ll be unique because there will be a good group from Morgantown.”

Able to overcome early struggles to win big in the season opener, the WVU football team knows they will have to be much better in Week 2. Oddsmakers even seem to be uneasy about West Virginia’s road game.

Most major sportsbooks, most notably DraftKings and FanDuel, have the Mountaineers as a slight favorite to mover their record to 2-0. At the open of the new week, WVU sits as a 3.5-point favorite on most books, indicating a close game.

Unlike WVU, Ohio is coming off a loss in their season opener. The Bobcats scored 31 points before falling 34-31 at Rutgers.

It’s certainly possible a high-powered Ohio team at home with a sold out crowd in their favor could upset the Mountaineers.

Can West Virginia avoid disaster in what many are classifying as a “trap game” before Pitt visits Morgantown? Rich Rodriguez will quickly learn the mental fortitude of his team based on how they perform in a tough environment.

Kickoff for the West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) at the Ohio Bobcats (0-1) from Athens, Ohio is set for 4 pm ET.

Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.

For related content, Mike Asti and Luke Blain previewed the game and discussed if the “trap game” label fits on Mountaineer Report.