WVU Was Once Favored to Beat Utah but Now ESPN Analytics Paint a Grim Picture

According to the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), the Utes have a 72.2% chance of leaving Morgantown victorious, while the Mountaineers have just a 27.8% chance of collecting their first Big 12 win of the season.

After a miserable season offensively a year ago, Utah found a solution by hiring offensive coordinator Jason Beck from New Mexico and bringing his quarterback, Devon Dampier, along with him. Through the first four games of the season, the Utes are averaging 242 yards per game on the ground and 210.8 yards through the air.

Meanwhile, West Virginia has been unable to figure much of anything out offensively, thanks to underwhelming offensive line play. It's a group that's been pushed around and bullied through the first month of the season, and things won't get any easier this Saturday against this physical Utah front.

Change in analytics since initially released

A rash of injuries combined with poor offensive line play and inconsistent play at quarterback, are all reasons why WVU's win probability has dropped significantly from a month ago. Before the season began, the Mountaineers were given a 50.9% chance to win this game. At the time, I thought it was incorrect for West Virginia to be the slight favorite, and looking back on it, it's even crazier to see.

All that being said, it wouldn't surprise anyone if the Mountaineers showed up on Saturday and played a good brand of ball, keeping the game close. Having the home crowd behind you is always helpful, and Utah is coming off a deflating loss to Texas Tech. You just never know in this league.

The Mountaineers and Utes will kick things off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. You'll be able to watch the game live on FOX.