This Saturday will mark the 12th time that Texas and West Virginia compete against each other  since 1956. The duo truly began their rivalry back in 2012 when West Virginia entered the Big 12. 

While this rivalry isn’t usually one that grabs a lot of attention, West Virginia does have a reputation of being a tough team to crack for Texas. The Longhorns sit at a 5-6 record against the Mountaineers. With West Virginia sitting directly below Texas in the Big 12 rankings, it’ll be another toss up of who will seize the victory this year. 

The Longhorns previously took on the Mountaineers on the road during the 2021 season, taking a 31-23 loss and officially eliminating Texas from bowl game contention. A first half 21-7 deficit for the Longhorns sealed their fate for the rest of the game, despite freshman wide receiver Xavier Worthy nabbing his 12th receiving touchdown in an attempt to keep Texas in the game. Neither team has broken a two-game winning streak against each other, but there’s always room for surprises.    

However, their 2020 season matchup told a different story. Texas took home a 17-13 win thanks to then-freshman running back Bijan Robinson and then-senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger. After two quarters of back-to-back field goals to tie up the score, a 65-yard touchdown drive and 33-yard touchdown reception by then-sophomore wide receiver Jake Smith cleared the air. The Longhorns’ defense was a crucial asset to their victory, allowing fewer than 100 yards rushing for the third time that season.         

One of the more memorable years for West Virginia versus Texas was the 2018 game. West Virginia slipped away with another win, sealing Texas’ fate with only 16 seconds left on the clock. Ehlinger secured 354 passing yards and managed to keep the Longhorns in a comfortable lead up until the fourth quarter. With only 2:24 left on the clock and Texas having a seven point lead, West Virginia quarterback Will Grier went 75 yards to the corner of the endzone for a touchdown and two-point conversion, lifting the Mountaineers to a 42-41 lead and leaving the Longhorns with 16 seconds to make a hasty comeback. An incompletion and a fumble near midfield left Texas with a one-point deficiency and left fans with heavy hearts.     

With Texas’ devastating loss to Texas Tech last week, West Virginia could be another challenge.