No. 3 West Virginia Mountaineers (8-4, 6-3)
West Virginia may have the best offense in the Big 12 this season. The Mountaineers definitely have the best quarterback in the conference in Will Grier, but their ability to legitimately contend for the league title purely rests with how well the defense is able to perform.
With four starters returning upfront on offense, a potential Heisman candidate at quarterback and a top-flight receiving corps, West Virginia is going to be very difficult to keep out of the end zone on offense.
The Mountaineers are likely to find themselves in a number of high-scoring affairs in the offensive-minded Big 12. They were last in the conference in rushing defense a year ago, and they have holes to replace at the back end of the defense this season.
West Virginia has plenty of firepower on the offensive end, but if head coach Dana Holgorsen’s defense isn’t able to improve upon allowing over six yards per play last season, all bets are off.