Nov 24, 2020 3 min read

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – As the college football season winds down for West Virginia, arguably the toughest two conference opponents remain on the Mountaineers’ schedule.

This week, the Mountaineers (4-3 Big 12, 5-3) will take on the Oklahoma Sooners (5-2, 6-2) – the second-best team in the conference and owners of the Big 12’s top offense.

The Mountaineers will counter with the conference’s top defense, but also have an added bonus on their side: time off. While Oklahoma downed Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Mountaineers were home for some rest and recovery during their first open date since early October.

With the semester coming to a close, WVU head coach Neal Brown said the break was much needed not just from a football standpoint, but for the student-athletes and what comes with that title.

“As much as anything, (we wanted) to clear your mind mentally and get ready because we’ve got not only Oklahoma, but we follow up with Iowa State and finals and all those types of things coming up,” Brown said Tuesday. “I think we’re in a good mental framework, I think the guys feel better.”

Brown also reported that the team is much more rested and healthier than it was prior to taking on TCU two weeks ago. He mentioned running back Leddie Brown as somebody who has benefited from the time off.

Leddie Brown, who has been banged up for the Mountaineers’ last few games, is returning to form, the coach said.

“I think Leddie feels good,” Neal Brown said. “He’ll practice at full strength this week. The bye week came at a really good time for him.”

Without question, Leddie Brown has been the main catalyst to West Virginia’s improved offensive attack. Through eight games, he ranks third in the nation with 897 rushing yards. Neal Brown says that the running back did not have that “extra gear” against TCU, despite ending the game with 156 yards on 24 carries.

As the Mountaineers near the regular season’s end, they’ll need to be at the top of their game if they’d like a chance to lay claim to the title of Big 12’s best.

With two games left in the regular season, a Big 12 championship berth for the Mountaineers is still in reach.

Iowa State and Oklahoma currently sit at No. 1 and No. 2 in the conference, and are currently in position to make it to Dallas. Oklahoma State and Texas are tied for the third spot, and West Virginia is currently fifth.

In order to make it to their first Big 12 Championship game, the Mountaineers will likely need to win the season’s final two games, in addition to having the Cowboys and Longhorns lose some as well. Not exactly a challenging feat, but far from a sure thing.

Saturday’s game will be the first home night game during the Neal Brown era, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

While most fans favor the aura of a night game when compared to the more common noon kickoffs, Brown says that a late game doesn’t change much on the team’s end.

“I think there’s something about playing under the lights, maybe get your adrenaline going a bit more,” Brown said. “I think when you play in that primetime TV spot, I think there’s something about that too. But once you get into the game, it’s no different than playing at 11 or 12.”