GAMEDAY: West Virginia
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11 West Virginia Mountaineers 7-1 (4-1) at Texas Longhorns 5-4 (3-3)
Saturday, November 12th 2016
DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Tx.
11:05 AM CST kickoff
Television
FS1 (… jesus christ)
Joe Davis (PXP)
Brady Quinn (Color) (… jesus christ)
Bruce Feldman (sideline)
Radio
104.9 The Horn (Austin local or on the Horn app)
Craig Way (PXP)
Roger Wallace (Color)
Quan Cosby (sideline)
National: Sirius 118, XM 200 and SiriusXM online channel 954
Veterans Day Plans (via UT Athletics)
• Saturday is Veterans Recognition Day and will include a Veterans Committee on-field recognition
• ROTC cadets will perform the National Anthem and there will be an F-16 Flyover pregame
• Prior to kickoff the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team skydives onto Joe Jamail Field
• World War II veteran Frank Denius will serve as the honorary captain
• UT System Chancellor William McRaven will be honored as the recipient of the NFF Distinguished American Award
• At halftime, The University of Texas Olympians will be recognized
Vegas
LINE: Texas -2
OPEN: Texas -1.5
O/U: 64
Moneyline: Texas -120
Public Money: 60% of public bet volume on West Virginia
Sharp Money: Would appear to be on Texas as the line has shifted one half point away from the public volume.
Texas Storylines
photos via Texas Athletics
- Can D’Onta Foreman join Earl Campbell in all-time Texas history?
Foreman is off and running to say the least and with all the hype surrounding his 100-yard-game rushing streak this season, the biggest milestone game comes at DKR today where he’ll have the opportunity to tie the all-time record of Earl Campbell at 11 straight.
His magical season has flown right by while many fans have been gnashing their teeth (oftentimes rightfully) about Charlie Strong not being fired yet.
- What’s going on with the offensive line?
Where to start? It’ll be a storyline to watch during the game, certainly. Just when things were starting to truly tick up to a dominant level of play on the left side of the ball with Connor Williams and Jake McMillon, McMillon is now out for 2-3 weeks at LG. Filling in for him? Why …Patrick Vahe of cour …. scratch that. Apparently Vahe has done something to take himself out of the mix so far that we’re actually hearing Elijah Rodriguez of all people may be getting the nod with the ones.
Stay tuned on that one.
- Is Collin Johnson emerging as the No. 1 WR for the Longhorns?
It’s seems like it’s been a while since Texas has a true, beastly outside receiving weapon and No. 1 “X” wide receiver. The mismatch size/speed-type that NFL execs covet.
To be honest, who was the last one?
The Collin Johnson breakout came versus Texas Tech where he made two ridiculous TD catches and also led the entire WR group in snap-percentage. Johnson’s extra snaps are coming mostly at the expense of Dorian Leonard who has been a surprise contributor through much of the season thus far, filling in as John Burt has inexplicably regressed as a receiver.
- Will John Burt ever get out of the doghouse?
It’s clear that Burt was not catching the football at critical times and making key mistakes, but it’s now four-straight weeks where Burt has been a non-factor, playing 0 snaps versus ISU, 4 versus KSU, 9 versus Baylor and only three versus Tech.
- How much will Edwin Freeman remain involved in the defense with Anthony Wheeler back?
The big surprise of the Tech game was Anthony Wheeler’s absence as he unexpectedly had to leave the team to join his family in mourning the loss of a grandfather. As things have stood, Freeman was a player who had been picking up steam in recent weeks and reportedly slated to get more and more work regardless of Wheeler’s absence. The West Virginia game will be the first real litmus test for fans to see how Coaches BJ and Strong may shake up snap-count percentages between the two. The most important thing to watch will be if No. 35 is on the field at the same time with No. 46 or if he only runs in with No. 30 in the second unit.
- Will Joe Wickline stick around for ’the Eyes of Texas”?
I’d bet you my mortgage he skedaddles the hell out of there before the first note regardless of outcome.
Local Flair: Today I Learned about the West Virginia
Have you ever been to West Virginia? It’s actually beautiful country. Take-your-breath-away-beautiful country. I was once in a band that toured two major-label records in the U.S., and I’ve been through every state in the lower 48. The steep and curvy Appalachian foothills in West Virginia on a brisk fall day are in the same class of American topographic treasure with the Rockies and the Grand Canyon, rest assured.
- It’s too bad that it’s basically known as one of the nation’s meth cesspools. There’s interesting nugget after nugget about the culture and some of its intricacies in this VICE column about a woman who makes a living cleaning up meth labs in the mountaineer state.
- Actually, it is technically “The Mountain state,” no -eer.
- Microsoft banned a presumed prankster from XBOX Live for listing his location as Fort Gay, West Virginia (a real location). Microsoft did not believe it was real and the person only got his issue resolved via an appeal from the town’s mayor.
- The West Virginia State Penitentiary ceased public executions by hanging in 1931 when a prisoner was decapitated in front of everyone. In fairness, many of the prisoners had likely seen worse.
You know how Slippin’ Jimmy’s older brother has to wrap himself in foil and can’t be near any electric devices or radio waves or whatever the hell else in ‘Better Call Saul?” Well, there are real people in West Virginia who claim to have the same disease and live in the 13,000-square-mile U.S. National Radio Quiet Zone.
Father’s Day was made a holiday, in some parts, due to a 1907 mining disaster in West Virginia which killed 361 men and left around a thousand children fatherless.
West Virginia is the only state to have a negative population growth rate.
Huntington, WV (pop 50,000) has more pizza places in its city limits than the entire state has gyms.
Some geologists believe that the Nile is the only river in the world older than the New River which runs through West Virginia. The Appalachian mountains, which form the river’s path, are far older than the Rockies and even the Andes or Himalayas.
So we turn our eyes to this state’s football program and a must-win game both the Mountaineers and the Longhorns face in mere hours.
This is a West Virginia team that should still be in some Big East or Sun Belt conference. It is a university that accepts 85.8% of all applicants and is second-rate academically in virtually every sense of the term. This undeserving, soon-to-be-former conference foe of Texas has 19 total championships — 18 of them coming in an NCAA sport that somehow actually exists called “co-ed rifle.”
This team with a head coach who crowd-surfed on in the home locker rooms just last season after being outplayed by a bad Texas team who just happened to turn the football over five times and surrender an easy 24 points off those mistakes.
Depending on how the next three games turn out, this might be Charlie Strong’s last chance to get any payback.
THIS. IS. GAME. DAY.
Looking for experienced, family and cosmetic dental care in the Houston-Memorial area? Go with the best! OB sponsor Wendy Swantkowski, DDS. Call 281-293-9140 and find out why so many Orangebloods members are her patients!
11 West Virginia Mountaineers 7-1 (4-1) at Texas Longhorns 5-4 (3-3)
Saturday, November 12th 2016
DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Tx.
11:05 AM CST kickoff
Television
FS1 (… jesus christ)
Joe Davis (PXP)
Brady Quinn (Color) (… jesus christ)
Bruce Feldman (sideline)
Radio
104.9 The Horn (Austin local or on the Horn app)
Craig Way (PXP)
Roger Wallace (Color)
Quan Cosby (sideline)
National: Sirius 118, XM 200 and SiriusXM online channel 954
Veterans Day Plans (via UT Athletics)
• Saturday is Veterans Recognition Day and will include a Veterans Committee on-field recognition
• ROTC cadets will perform the National Anthem and there will be an F-16 Flyover pregame
• Prior to kickoff the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team skydives onto Joe Jamail Field
• World War II veteran Frank Denius will serve as the honorary captain
• UT System Chancellor William McRaven will be honored as the recipient of the NFF Distinguished American Award
• At halftime, The University of Texas Olympians will be recognized
Vegas
LINE: Texas -2
OPEN: Texas -1.5
O/U: 64
Moneyline: Texas -120
Public Money: 60% of public bet volume on West Virginia
Sharp Money: Would appear to be on Texas as the line has shifted one half point away from the public volume.
Texas Storylines
photos via Texas Athletics
- Can D’Onta Foreman join Earl Campbell in all-time Texas history?
Foreman is off and running to say the least and with all the hype surrounding his 100-yard-game rushing streak this season, the biggest milestone game comes at DKR today where he’ll have the opportunity to tie the all-time record of Earl Campbell at 11 straight.
His magical season has flown right by while many fans have been gnashing their teeth (oftentimes rightfully) about Charlie Strong not being fired yet.
- What’s going on with the offensive line?
Where to start? It’ll be a storyline to watch during the game, certainly. Just when things were starting to truly tick up to a dominant level of play on the left side of the ball with Connor Williams and Jake McMillon, McMillon is now out for 2-3 weeks at LG. Filling in for him? Why …
Stay tuned on that one.
- Is Collin Johnson emerging as the No. 1 WR for the Longhorns?
It’s seems like it’s been a while since Texas has a true, beastly outside receiving weapon and No. 1 “X” wide receiver. The mismatch size/speed-type that NFL execs covet.
To be honest, who was the last one?
The Collin Johnson breakout came versus Texas Tech where he made two ridiculous TD catches and also led the entire WR group in snap-percentage. Johnson’s extra snaps are coming mostly at the expense of Dorian Leonard who has been a surprise contributor through much of the season thus far, filling in as John Burt has inexplicably regressed as a receiver.
- Will John Burt ever get out of the doghouse?
It’s clear that Burt was not catching the football at critical times and making key mistakes, but it’s now four-straight weeks where Burt has been a non-factor, playing 0 snaps versus ISU, 4 versus KSU, 9 versus Baylor and only three versus Tech.
- How much will Edwin Freeman remain involved in the defense with Anthony Wheeler back?
The big surprise of the Tech game was Anthony Wheeler’s absence as he unexpectedly had to leave the team to join his family in mourning the loss of a grandfather. As things have stood, Freeman was a player who had been picking up steam in recent weeks and reportedly slated to get more and more work regardless of Wheeler’s absence. The West Virginia game will be the first real litmus test for fans to see how Coaches BJ and Strong may shake up snap-count percentages between the two. The most important thing to watch will be if No. 35 is on the field at the same time with No. 46 or if he only runs in with No. 30 in the second unit.
- Will Joe Wickline stick around for ’the Eyes of Texas”?
I’d bet you my mortgage he skedaddles the hell out of there before the first note regardless of outcome.
Local Flair: Today I Learned about the West Virginia
Have you ever been to West Virginia? It’s actually beautiful country. Take-your-breath-away-beautiful country. I was once in a band that toured two major-label records in the U.S., and I’ve been through every state in the lower 48. The steep and curvy Appalachian foothills in West Virginia on a brisk fall day are in the same class of American topographic treasure with the Rockies and the Grand Canyon, rest assured.
- It’s too bad that it’s basically known as one of the nation’s meth cesspools. There’s interesting nugget after nugget about the culture and some of its intricacies in this VICE column about a woman who makes a living cleaning up meth labs in the mountaineer state.
- Actually, it is technically “The Mountain state,” no -eer.
- Microsoft banned a presumed prankster from XBOX Live for listing his location as Fort Gay, West Virginia (a real location). Microsoft did not believe it was real and the person only got his issue resolved via an appeal from the town’s mayor.
- The West Virginia State Penitentiary ceased public executions by hanging in 1931 when a prisoner was decapitated in front of everyone. In fairness, many of the prisoners had likely seen worse.
You know how Slippin’ Jimmy’s older brother has to wrap himself in foil and can’t be near any electric devices or radio waves or whatever the hell else in ‘Better Call Saul?” Well, there are real people in West Virginia who claim to have the same disease and live in the 13,000-square-mile U.S. National Radio Quiet Zone.
Father’s Day was made a holiday, in some parts, due to a 1907 mining disaster in West Virginia which killed 361 men and left around a thousand children fatherless.
West Virginia is the only state to have a negative population growth rate.
Huntington, WV (pop 50,000) has more pizza places in its city limits than the entire state has gyms.
Some geologists believe that the Nile is the only river in the world older than the New River which runs through West Virginia. The Appalachian mountains, which form the river’s path, are far older than the Rockies and even the Andes or Himalayas.
So we turn our eyes to this state’s football program and a must-win game both the Mountaineers and the Longhorns face in mere hours.
This is a West Virginia team that should still be in some Big East or Sun Belt conference. It is a university that accepts 85.8% of all applicants and is second-rate academically in virtually every sense of the term. This undeserving, soon-to-be-former conference foe of Texas has 19 total championships — 18 of them coming in an NCAA sport that somehow actually exists called “co-ed rifle.”
This team with a head coach who crowd-surfed on in the home locker rooms just last season after being outplayed by a bad Texas team who just happened to turn the football over five times and surrender an easy 24 points off those mistakes.
Depending on how the next three games turn out, this might be Charlie Strong’s last chance to get any payback.
THIS. IS. GAME. DAY.
