GAMEDAY in Morgantown: Baylor, Big 12

It’s the day you’ve been waiting for.

West Virginia vs. Baylor, to mark the team’s first ever Big 12 conference game.

When: Noon, Milan Puskar Stadium

What’s on the line today?

You know the old cliche about first impressions…you never have a second chance to make one. And that’s the position West Virginia is in today as the team plays its first ever Big 12 conference game.  The Mountaineers have gotten a ton of love from the national media, and a ton of respect from their peers before they’ve ever snapped the ball in a Big 12 game or withstood the week-in, week-out rigors of a conference like this one.

If today goes well, expect this team to soar in popularity.

What are the big questions?

Can West Virginia’s defense possibly contend with an offense like Baylor’s? The Bears have some impressive stats: No. 6 ranked total offense (568.67 yards per game), a quarterback who leads the nation in total offense (387.67 ypg) yet was the understudy for most of his career behind RG3 at Baylor (that’s  QB Tyler Florence.) This team plays fast, with incredible tempo, and will undoubtedly have some big gains.

But can the WVU defense manage a few key turnovers? It could make all the difference.

Best case scenario?

The shootout we all expect ensues, but West Virginia, behind Geno Smith and his bevy of talent on that side of the ball finds a way to…well, outscore the Bears. It could really be as simple as that.