Consistency.

 

One of the most elusive things in college sports is consistency. I guess that really shouldn't surprise us when you're dealing with 18-22 year old young men.

 

You hear coaches preach about the need for it. You hear fans complain about the lack of it. The majority of college football teams across the country struggle to find it.

 

I believe consistency will be the key for this Mountaineer football team moving forward. Can this group take the effort it gave versus Baylor last Saturday and carry it over to today's game in Stillwater?

 

If so, today will be a Mountaineer win. Against Baylor, WVU did a great job pressuring the quarterback. Bryce Petty never looked comfortable and it showed.

 

The formula WVU used to disrupt Baylor's vaunted offense is the same formula needed today. Put pressure on the quarterback, stop the run and be able to cover the Cowboy receivers when they go deep.

 

Sounds simple, right? We just saw this same plan played to near perfection last week against a team that is more talented than Oklahoma State. Why wouldn't we expect the same result this weekend?

 

Consistency. One of the reasons it's so hard to achieve in college sports? The situation and environment are constantly changing. Rarely do things stay the same from week to week.

 

For example, take today's game. First of all, it's a road game. Oklahoma State is 22-2 over its last 24 games at Boone Pickens Stadium. Revenge. West Virginia had motive last week against Baylor after the drubbing the Bears put on WVU in Waco the year before. Today, the revenge factor resides with Oklahoma State. Travel. I know coaches and players will minimize this, but it should count for something. As much as coaches are creatures of habit and like everything to be in a routine, traveling for an away game creates uncertainty. The exact opposite of being in a routine.

 

Yes, you can travel the same way each time. Yes, you can get on the same bus and sit on the same seat in the plane. Yes, you can keep the same schedule for the most part. But, you're still staying in a strange place. It's not the same as sleeping in your own bed the night before the game. It's just not.

 

All of that said, I think West Virginia should win this game. The Mountaineers are the better team. When you're a good team, and I think it's clear this WVU team is a good one, you go on the road and find ways to win.

 

Last year, West Virginia didn't do that. That was a bad team. This year has been different. This group has wins already at Maryland and at Texas Tech. Granted, a Josh Lambert walk off field goal was needed in both games to secure the victory, but hey, a win is a win; especially on the road.

 

West Virginia is in a tough stretch of games right now. Beating Baylor was huge, obviously. With Oklahoma State today and TCU, at Texas and Kansas State remaining, consistency will be the key to finding a few more wins.

 

How many wins do you think West Virginia will have by season's end? Leave a comment below or tweet me: @bradhowe07

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Joe McNemar of D-Max Photography