NCAA Preview: TCU vs West Virginia
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TCU (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) at No. 12 West Virginia (5-0, 2-0), 3:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN2)
Line: West Virginia by 6 1/2.
Series Record: TCU leads 3-2.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
In a matchup of the Big 12's youngest members, West Virginia is the surprise of the conference so far and needs a win to keep up with expected front-runners Oklahoma and Baylor. With one league loss, TCU still has plenty of time to make some noise but can't afford a loss to the Mountaineers.
KEY MATCHUP
West Virginia's defense against TCU QB Kenny Hill. The Mountaineers limited Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes last week to 305 yards, his second-lowest passing total of the season, and the Red Raiders managed just 34 rushing yards. Hill has three games of 400-plus yards passing this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
TCU: LBs Ty Summers and Travin Howard. Summers has five straight double-digit tackles in his last five games and leads the Big 12 with 64. Howard is next with 58.
West Virginia: QB Skyler Howard. Howard ran for 89 yards and two scores and threw for 318 yards and another TD against Texas Tech. His 66 percent completion rate is an 11-point leap from last season.
FACTS & FIGURES
TCU, which is coming off a bye week, has beaten West Virginia in Morgantown twice since the teams entered the Big 12 in 2012. Both games were decided by a point ... The Mountaineers have their best ranking since starting the 2008 season at No. 8. It is their best ranking this late in the season since finishing at No. 6 in 2007. ... TCU coach Gary Patterson said C Austin Schlottmann and WR KaVontae Turpin could return after missing a month with injuries. ... TCU is making only one of two trips outside the state of Texas during the regular season. The other was its previous game at Kansas.
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