Bowl eligibility at stake for both teams as Mountaineers welcome Baylor

Morgantown, W.Va. -

When West Virginia hosts Baylor on Saturday, it will be more than just the final home game of the season in Morgantown. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Milan Puskar Stadium and the game will be televised on ESPN+. Both teams enter the weekend with 5-5 records this season. The winner of Saturday's game will become bowl eligible. West Virginia is coming off a 33-10 loss at Oklahoma State last week. It was the Mountaineers' second straight loss and dropped them to 2-4 in the Big 12 Conference. Baylor is also coming off a loss, falling 29-26 at home to TCU last week. The Bears are 2-4 in the Big 12 this season. West Virginia has won the last two meetings with Baylor, including a 27-21 victory in Morgantown in 2019. Here is a look at some of the key storylines for Saturday's game:

Big 12 bowl eligibility

As mentioned, both West Virginia and Baylor need a win on Saturday to become bowl eligible. With just two games remaining in the regular season, it's a must-win game for both teams.

West Virginia looks to snap losing streak

The Mountaineers have lost two straight games and will be looking to get back on track against Baylor. West Virginia has struggled offensively in recent weeks, but the defense has played well.

Baylor looks to build on momentum

The Bears have won two of their last three games and are looking to build on that momentum against West Virginia. Baylor's offense has been led by quarterback Blake Shapen, who has thrown for over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

Prediction

This is a tough game to predict, but I think Baylor will win a close one. The Bears have been playing well lately and they have a lot of momentum. West Virginia has struggled offensively in recent weeks and I think that will be the difference in the game.

Conclusion

Saturday's game between West Virginia and Baylor is a must-win for both teams. The winner will become bowl eligible and the loser will be left to fight for a bowl game in their final regular season game.