Storylines to Keep an Eye On for WVU-Texas Tech in Regular Season Finale

The 2024 WVU football season didn’t go the way most fans expected, but it’s now up to the Mountaineers to end the year on a high note. A win in Lubbock against Texas Tech would mean back-t0-back seasons with six conference wins for the first time since joining the Big 12, but securing a 7-5 overall season record to make that happen won’t be easy.

Oddsmakers Have WVU Football as Slight Underdog at Texas Tech

Both FanDuel and DraftKings have the Red Raiders as a -3 going into the game. West Virginia has lost two straight times at Texas Tech, but the Red Raiders haven’t won in Lubbock, TX since defeating Cincinnati on Sept. 28. The Mountaineers are perfect in conference road games this season.

The last time WVU won in Lubbock was in 2018. Texas Tech won the next four games in the series before the Mountaineers finally snapped the streak with a 20-13 victory last season in Morgantown.

Mountaineer Report: What Points to WVU Keeping Neal Brown, Bowl Projections

Mike Asti and Cody Nespor discuss the state of the WVU football program and if the smoke around Neal Brown’s future has actually cooled off despite what you see on social media. They then play a game picking which bowl projection is the most intriguing.

Garrett Greene Reflects on WVU Career: ‘It’s Been an Honor of a Lifetime’

West Virginia’s 31-21 win over UCF marked the last time Garrett Greene will ever play at Milan Puskar Stadium. And even though his senior season didn’t go exactly as planned, Greene still went out just as his head coach said he deserves – a winner.

“It’s been an honor of a lifetime to be able to represent this state, to be able to represent this wonderful university. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Greene while reflecting back on his college career after the game.

Greene also admitted that he stayed on the field a bit longer than normal to soak up hearing WVU fans sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after a win at home one last time.

Garrett Greene Reflects on WVU Career: ‘It’s Been an Honor of a Lifetime’

WVU head coach Neal Brown, who recruited Greene out of Tallahassee, Fla. in 2020, made his feelings about his quarterback loud and clear.

“Really happy for him that he performed and won in his last game here. I think he deserves that, I hope our fans appreciate him. He hasn’t always played clean football, but he’s laid it on the line for the Mountaineers every time he’s suited up,” offered Brown when asked what Greene means to him.

More WVU Bowl Projections: Another Intriguing Possibility & Repeat Matchup for Neal Brown

With the regular season about to end, the only thing left for WVU fans to look forward to with this current team is a bowl game. West Virginia locked up being bowl eligible with their 31-21 win over UCF in their home finale on Saturday.

After already looking at a possible interesting matchup with Florida earlier in the week, there are a couple more projections – another intriguing one and one that’s been a constant throughout the season – to take note of.

As he has in recent weeks, Brett McMurphy of the Action Network is projecting the Mountaineers face Army in their 2024 bowl games. McMurphy current has West Virginia meeting Army in the Independence Bowl.

While it may be cool to see WVU against a school like Army that’s unlikely to ever appear on a regular season schedule in a bowl game, this would be a repeat matchup of the 2021 Liberty Bowl and Neal Brown already has a bowl win over the Black Knights on his resume.

Army is 9-1 after suffering their first loss of the season at the hands of Notre Dame last week.

But in addition to seeing Army as a projection again, ESPN is offering a matchup more on par with CBS Sports’ Florida option. ESPN has West Virginia meeting former Big 12 foe Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl.

West Virginia is 17-23 all-time in bowl games, winning last year’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl over North Carolina. Brown is 5-1 in his career in bowl games, with this season marking his fourth bowl appearance at WVU. Brown holds a 2-1 bowl record since arriving in West Virginia in 2019.

How WVU Football Compares to Big 12, All of CFB in Bowl Game Appearances

As announced at the conclusion of the Big 12’s Week 13 games, the West Virginia and Texas Tech game will kick off at noon ET and air nationally on FS1.