Cincinnati (3-7, 1-6 Big 12) at West Virginia (6-4, 4-3), Saturday, 2:30 p.m. EST (ESPN+)
Line: West Virginia by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: West Virginia leads 16-3-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The former Big East rivals meet for the first time since 2011. West Virginia joined the Big 12 in 2012 and Cincinnati spent 10 years in the American Athletic Conference starting in 2013. Another win would give West Virginia the most in a season under fifth-year coach Neal Brown. Cincinnati broke a seven-game losing streak last week in earning its first Big 12 win and has two games left to avoid a last-place finish.
KEY MATCHUP
West Virginia QB Garrett Greene against Cincinnati’s defense. The dual-threat Greene sputtered in a 59-20 loss at No. 14 Oklahoma last week. He completed just 10 of 27 passes for 154 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. West Virginia’s third-leading rusher also was held to 24 yards on 10 carries. Cincinnati is tied for the league low with seven interceptions this season but is tied with Iowa State for holding opponents to the lowest completion percentage at 55.1%.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cincinnati: RB Corey Kiner. The Big 12’s seventh-leading rusher has gone over 100 yards five times this season, including 129 yards last week. Cincinnati has surpassed 240 rushing yards in three of its last four games.
West Virginia: RB Jahiem White. Brown said he’ll know late in the week whether leading rusher CJ Donaldson and OL Doug Nester, who left the Oklahoma game with injuries, will be available to play Saturday. That likely means more work for White, a freshman who set season highs of 16 carries and 146 rushing yards two weeks ago against BYU.
FACTS & FIGURES
West Virginia is looking for its fifth home win for the first time since 2020. … Cincinnati will finish with its worst record since going 4-8 in 2017. … The 59 points allowed by West Virginia last week were the most under Brown. … On Saturday, West Virginia Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen’s name will be added to a short list of players whose numbers have been retired and displayed along the stadium’s north end zone. … Cincinnati safety Deshawn Pace and West Virginia linebacker Lee Kpogba lead their teams in tackles at 7.1 per game.
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