Storylines to Keep an Eye On for WVU Football in Big 12 Opener

As WVU tries to further the momentum they built by beating Pitt, they will open Big 12 play on the road at Kansas. And even though the Mountaineers are riding high and may feel they’re in sync, the Jayhawks are the ones viewed as a massive favorite.

Can West Virginia start off the conference schedule the right way or will Kansas prove the oddsmakers right and toss WVU to the bottom of the standings?

Below are the key storylines to keep an eye on when WVU and Kansas battle in Lawrence.

Rich Rodriguez, Zac Alley Describe Jimmori Robinson Ahead of His WVU Debut

WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Zac Alley will finally be able to utilize Jimmori Robinson in a game this week.

Robinson will make his Mountaineer debut this week as WVU opens up Big 12 play at Kansas.

And after watching him practice with a mindset on preparing to play, Rodriguez and Alley both described what they’ve seen so far.

First, Rodriguez called Robinson “an athletic guy” and said that he has “all the skills you want” in a playmaker. Echoing Rodriguez’s comments, Alley also referred to Robinson as “athletic” and a prototypical pass rusher.

Shocking Spread Doubts WVU in Game at Kansas

Both DraftKings and FanDuel have Kansas as a big favorite. This now means both major sportsbooks have increased the Jayhawks’ advantage by at least one full point.

A driving force of Kansas being so heavily favored has to be that the game is being played in Lawrence. Otherwise, Kansas has yet to prove much more than WVU so far this season. The over/under is currently set at 55.5 on FanDuel and 56.5 on DraftKings, which makes a bit more sense.

West Virginia Mountaineer players with Rodney Gallagher out front celebrate after defeating Pitt in the 2025 Backyard Brawl. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

Through three games, the Jayhawks share WVU’s 2-1 record at the start of Big 12 play. West Virginia has wins over Robert Morris and Pitt and a loss at Ohio.

Kansas, coming off a bye following their loss to Missouri, their out of conference rival, has wins over Fresno State and Wagner.

What Did Kansas HC Lance Leipold Say About Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia?

To learn what WVU’s upcoming opponent thinks of Rodriguez and West Virginia, let’s look at what Kansas head coach Lance Leipold had to say during his weekly press conference.

Leipold, like many of his peers often do, started off by complimenting Rodriguez and his legacy in college football.

“He’s been an excellent coach throughout the whole career. You can see that in the offensive philosophy. It’ll be a big test for us,” said Leipold.

What Did Kansas HC Lance Leipold Say About Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia?

It’s not just about resume that makes Leipold respect Rodriguez. He knows he still has plenty up his sleeve that may not be on any film from the past 30 years. Leipold even discussed trying to prepare against a team so willing to rotate their quarterbacks at any point.

“You try to get an idea of what they’re going to do with those quarterbacks. You need to find out what each one of them does and what throws they’re most comfortable making. Some of those will start to show tendencies,” Leipold explained.

And even though the 2025 Mountaineers have a whole new coaching staff and roster this year, Leipold still touched on the recent matchups between West Virginia and Kansas.

“It’s been close games, overtime games [against WVU since 2021]. It was our last game in ’21, and that was as we were starting to make noticeable improvement on the field. To open up conference play at home and have a chance to play against a team like this is exciting, and I think our guys understand that we need to play our best to have a chance to win.”

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

For related content, Mike Asti and Luke Blain also previewed the game by welcoming Katie Maher of KCTV5 on Mountaineer Report.