NCAA Football BETTING PREVIEW - West Virginia @ BYU Cougars

NCAA Football

2025-10-03 - West Virginia at BYU Cougars

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

West Virginia Mountaineers @ BYU Cougars
United States : College Football Week 6
Friday 3rd October 2025 - Scheduled 10:30pm
3:30am (British Time)

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Preview

They opened the 2025 Big 12 schedule play with a road win and the BYU Cougars (4-0) have to feel very confident about their chances of going a little better than last season. Missing out on the tie-breaker for the Championship Game will have stung, but this is a team that looks like it is playing with a real ambition in mind and they are continuing to roll even as injuries have been piling up.

It is the depth that looks like being a potential issue for the Cougars with the Running Back position causing most concern, but starter LJ Marin is available on this short week.

The Cougars are perhaps fortunate to be facing the West Virginia Mountaineers (2-3) who have lost both Big 12 Conference games without offering much resistance at all. Those defeats to the Kansas Jayhawks and Utah Utes have been by 31 points and 34 points respectively and the upset over the Pittsburgh Panthers feels like a long time ago for the team.

Much like the hosts, the West Virginia Mountaineers are a little banged up, although they are down more important players.

In Week 6, the Mountaineers are set to be without starting Quarter Back Nicco Marchial again having seen him miss the thumping loss to the Utah Utes. Backup Jaylen Hendersen did not impress at all and was benched before the second half began, and it will be a real test for him if he is called to start again or for Khalil Wilkins, despite the solid enough performance in the second half against the Utes.

This Cougars Defensive Line is stout up front and they will look to clamp down on the Mountaineers running game and force the Quarter Back to beat them, no matter whether that is Hendersen or Wilkins.

Playing from behind the chains will mean having to deal with a real pass rush pressure and trying to attack a Cougars Secondary that have continued to produce at a high level.

Turnovers are a potential problem for the Mountaineers and those extra possessions would give the home favourite a huge chance to cover what is a big line.

The difference between the teams Offensively is that the BYU Offensive Line is likely to establish the run and give LJ Martin plenty of room to keep his personal numbers ticking over nicely. An extra wrinkle was seen last week with Quarter Back Bear Bachmeier picking up almost 100 yards on the ground and it should mean the Cougars are playing in front of the chains for much of the evening.

It only makes life easier for Bachmeier if he steps back to throw the ball down the field against a Mountaineers Secondary that have allowed Quarter Backs to have success against them. There should be time given to the Bear Bachmeier if the BYU Cougars are running the ball as expected, and it should mean BYU are able to keep the ball moving effectively and efficiently for much of the contest.

Covering this big number is not going to be easy for a Cougars team that have not been that accustomed to being set as a home favourite, but they have been playing with real confidence.

At the same time, West Virginia have struggled massively since stepping up into Big 12 play and the backup Quarter Backs could have real issues making play against a good looking Cougars Defensive unit. A turnover or two may be needed to get over this line, but the Cougars can give the Offensive a couple of short fields with three and outs and that should help the BYU at least get up to a 20 point win.

Prediction

Lay the points with the home favourite in this Big 12 Conference game.

The Pick :

BYU Cougars 38-17 West Virginia

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back BYU Cougars - 18.5 Points at -115 with BetOnline