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Baylor, West Virginia, can become bowl eligible as both attempt to build on modest winning streaks
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Baylor, West Virginia, can become bowl eligible as both attempt to build on modest winning streaks

Baylor (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) at West Virginia (5-4, 4-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. EST (ESPN2)

BetMGM college football odds: Baylor by 3.

Series record: West Virginia leads 8-4.

What is at stake?

Each team will become bowl eligible if they win. Baylor is coming off a bye week and is riding a three-game winning streak that has turned into a 2-4 start to the season. West Virginia has won two straight, both on the road, and will look to avoid its fourth home loss this season.

Key match

West Virginia’s defense against Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson. The junior came on strong during the Bears’ winning streak with eight touchdown passes and an interception. He’s also shifty on the ground, averaging 5.4 yards per carry with two games of at least 73 yards rushing. A year ago, Robertson went 17 of 19 for 219 yards in a home loss to West Virginia. This year, the Mountaineers have turned some opposing quarterbacks into stars, allowing 14.4 yards per completion. West Virginia’s four interceptions are tied with Cincinnati for the fewest in the league.

Players to watch

Baylor: RB Bryson Washington. The redshirt freshman ran for a record 196 yards and scored four touchdowns two weeks ago against TCU. He’s averaging 6 yards per carry this season. He also caught 15 passes.

West Virginia: QB Garrett Greene or Nicco Marchiol. Coach Neal Brown said he’s not sure Greene is ready to return after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. Marchiol won both road starts in Greene’s absence, including last week in Cincinnati. Greene is the best quarterback in the Big 12, but he has had issues with his arm, throwing two interceptions each in losses to Iowa State And No. 20 Kansas State.

Facts and figures

The Baylor linebacker duo of Matt Jones and Thomas Keaton average 18 tackles per game. … West Virginia was outscored in the second half in seven of its nine games. … Baylor is averaging nearly 45 points per game during its current winning streak. … The Bears are trying to become bowl eligible for the third time in five seasons under coach Dave Aranda. West Virginia is aiming for a fourth-place bowl finish in six years under Brown.

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