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West Virginia Hosts Kansas in Critical Week 11 Big 12 Matchup

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WVU Football defense running out of tunnel stock
Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

The West Virginia Mountaineers host the Big 12 rival Kansas Jayhawks in a Week 11 clash at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. The Mountaineers bring a potent scoring attack into the matchup, averaging 37.2 points per game compared to the Jayhawks’ 29.2 points.

History heavily favors the home team in this rivalry, as West Virginia holds a commanding 11-3 lead in the all-time series across 14 meetings. With both programs looking to make a statement late in the conference schedule, this matchup promises plenty of offensive fireworks. A significant edge in scoring output frames the contest, setting the stage for a critical conference battle in Morgantown.

West Virginia’s Outlook

The Mountaineers enter Week 11 following a wild 53-48 shootout loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Despite the defeat, West Virginia racked up 582 total yards without committing a turnover. Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. led the charge, hitting T. Francis for a 73-yard touchdown and adding three rushing scores of his own. However, a late safety ultimately sealed the Mountaineers’ fate.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez’s scheme is showing explosive potential, with Hawkins proving to be an ideal fit. Still, the offense runs through running back Cam Cook, who punched in a short touchdown last week. Cook relies on a physical offensive line, anchored by Nick Krahe, to dictate the tempo. Defensively, West Virginia must improve dramatically; linemen Nate Gabriel and Corey McIntyre Jr. need a disruptive performance after the unit surrendered 638 total yards to Texas Tech.

Kansas Jayhawks’ Outlook

The Kansas Jayhawks seek to rebound from a tight 33-32 defeat to the UCF Knights, where they generated 404 total yards. Under head coach Lance Leipold, who holds a 30-41 record at the school, the Jayhawks feature an explosive offense averaging 441.4 yards per game. Kansas thrives in the red zone with an 86.1 percent conversion rate, while their defense leans on an active front that has tallied 17 sacks and recovered seven fumbles this season.

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West Virginia must contain dual-threat quarterback Isaiah Marshall, who has passed for 1,716 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 528 yards and four scores. Dylan Edwards powers the ground game with 595 yards and five touchdowns, and Nik McMillan provides the aerial threat with 497 receiving yards. Defensively, the Mountaineers must neutralize edge rusher Leroy Harris III, who wreaks havoc with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Rankings

Both West Virginia and Kansas enter Week 11 entirely unranked and without votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Mountaineers are chasing the end of the second-longest AP poll drought of any major-conference programโ€”behind only Rutgersโ€”having never been ranked during Neal Brown’s 2019-2024 tenure.

Gametime

West Virginia will host this Week 11 matchup on Saturday, November 14, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. The contest will take place at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.

TV

The Week 11 matchup between West Virginia and Kansas will be broadcast on ESPNU, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.

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