There’s something special about a WVU football night game in Morgantown. And the mystique of the Mountaineers playing a big game under the Milan Puskar Stadium lights will be on full display on Saturday night.

A win and West Virginia undoubtedly gets ranked (by the Associated Press) for the first time since 2018. But a loss and the 3-0 start loses luster due to opening up the Big 12 schedule 0-1.

So with a lot on the line, here are some of the key storylines to keep an eye on when West Virginia meets Oklahoma State in Week 4 showdown in Morgantown.

Is There a Positive for WVU Defense in Facing a Quick-Release QB Like Drew Mestemaker?

The WVU defense will face one of the hottest hands in college football in redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Mestemaker on Saturday night.

Mestemaker is a gunslinger in every sense of the word, having thrown for 882 yards and eight touchdowns on 114 attempts through just three games this season. His threat to a defense comes from his ability to get the ball out quick, as he averages 1.8 seconds to throw.

WVU senior cornerback Geimere Latimer gave his thoughts on how to throw off such a quarterback. He actually mentioned the rushed timing as a positive for the defense, as they could use different looks pre-snap.

“You just match routes quicker. I mean, there’s always pros, there’s pros and cons to everything. Him getting the ball out quick could also mean that we could bait him into throwing picks and showing a lot more disguise,” Latimer said in a press conference on Tuesday.

WVU Football Adds Productive Utah Transfer RB to Roster

Even while winning, Rich Rodriguez is still looking to improve his WVU football team. And to that end, West Virginia signed running back NaQuari Rogers, as per a late Wednesday night report from On3 Sports.

Rogers joins WVU after gaining access to playing in 2026 thanks to being granted a preliminary injunction earlier in the same day, one that also unlocked JaCorey Thomas for the Mountaineers.

Listed at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Rogers spent last season with Utah, rushing for 387 yards on 98 carries while appearing in all 13 games with three starts. He scored a team-high 11 touchdowns.

WVU Football Able to Activate JaCorey Thomas After New Ruling

Sitting at 3-0, the WVU football program secured another big win on Wednesday. Recent transfer acquisition JaCorey Thomas is now eligible to play.

Thomas, who spent four seasons at Georgia from 2022-25, and several others were granted an injunction and temporary restraining order thanks to a ruling inside a Monroe Circuit Court in the State of Indiana.

While Thomas did take part in an NFL rookie mini camp with the Carolina Panthers, he did not sign a professional contract, which does differentiate him from those who attempted to revert back to college football after failing to make a main roster in the NFL.

WVU Football Earns Votes in Latest AP Poll After Virginia Win

Though they didn’t get ranked, WVU football earned some votes in the Associated Press’ latest poll.

As released on Sunday, West Virginia gained 93 votes after their 38-27 upset win over previously No. 25 Virginia. The Cavaliers have been pushed out of the rankings with the loss.

West Virginia also received 55 points worth of votes in the Coaches Poll. A win over Oklahoma State will surely lead to WVU being placed in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2018.

WVU Football Slight Favorite Over Oklahoma State

Coming off the extreme high of upsetting Virginia in the Duke’s Mayo Classic,WVU football will open up Big 12 play as a slight favorite against Oklahoma State.

A game many penciled in as a likely loss for West Virginia when projecting the season has now become one oddsmakers view as a close win for the Mountaineers at home. DraftKings and FanDuel both have WVU opening the week as a -1.5 favorite.

Find more coverage of the WVU football program and updates from the game at WV Sports Now.