Analysis: Don't look now, but West Virginia is for real
Dana Holgorsen was offered a contract extension by West Virginia prior to the season, but he turned it down, betting on himself to boost his value.
Through six games of the 2016 campaign, it appears Holgorsen made a damn fine decision.
West Virginia is now 6-0 on the season, after dismantling the potent TCU offense in a dominant 34-10 win in Morgantown on Saturday.
The Mountaineers defense has now faced four Power 5 teams this season, and have showed in each contest that they are a force to be reckoned with.
West Virginia has allowed 11, 16, 17, and 10 points vs Power 5 teams.
— The Solid Verbal (@SolidVerbal) October 22, 2016
My word.
While the above totals are certainly impressive, what makes them even better, is when you consider the quality of offense the Mountaineers are facing. Each of the Power 5 teams West Virginia has faced sports an offense ranked in the top-60, with all averaging over 30 points-per-game.
| School | National Rank | Points-per-game | Points vs. West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 5 | 48.8 | 17 |
| TCU | 16 | 40.2 | 10 |
| Missouri | 48 | 33.2 | 11 |
| Kansas State | 57 | 31.3 | 16 |
Those numbers show just how dominant West Virginia has been on the defensive side of the ball, but how do they rank against the nation's best?
Michigan's defense leads the country, allowing an incredible 10.3 points per contest, but have padded its gaudy stats against terrible offensive teams.
| School | National Rank | Points-per-game | Points vs. Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 21 | 39 | 28 |
| Penn State | 61 | 30.5 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 90 | 25.5 | 7 |
| Rutgers | 125 | 16.6 | 0 |
| Illinois | 84 | 26 | 8 |
West Virginia is positioned well for a run at the Big 12 title, and a potential berth in the College Football Playoff. The Mountaineers face two ranked opponents in the remainder of their schedule, with both No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 9 Baylor coming to Morgantown.
While road trips to Texas and Oklahoma State can be difficult, the way the Mountaineers defense looks, don't be shocked if West Virginia emerges as the Big 12 champion when conference play wraps up on Dec. 3.