The Sock 'Em, Bust 'Em Board Because that's our custom

History tells us something

West Virginia is a 17-point favorite Saturday and, whew, that’s a lot of points against a something-or-other Maryland team that, by the way, can score some points. Something feels weird there, does it not?

In 2011, when Maryland went 2-10 in Randy Edsall’s disastrous first season, Dana Holgorsen’s first team was a 1.5-pont favorite and won 37-31 en route to a bunch of other tight games before the Orange Bowl delight.

In 2012, when the Mountaineers were really good offensively, they were 27-point favorites … and won 31-21 against a team that finished 4-8, which led to an interesting Good and Bad and gave life to the idea Maryland could handle with WVU and defend that offense. A “Fool me once…” kind of thing, and Maryland was notable better with a new defensive coordinator.

A year later, WVU was a 4.5-point underdog at M&T Bank Stadium and lost 37-0, a game so bad we went with a rather brief G&B. Same defensive coordinator there.

Last season, the Terrapins were at home and a 3.5-point favorite, that holding from the opening line to the kickoff despite a lot of action on the Mountaineers. WVU won that game, not merely with and by a field goal, but with and by Josh Lambert stutter-stepping his way into a 47-yarder. Same defensive coordinator, again.

I don’t think much of Edsall as a coach. I’ve seen his teams lose when better more than I’ve seen them win when worse, and Brian Stewart is no longer running the defense. The new DC isn’t really new, and Edsall’s working with better players at Maryland than he had at UConn, which helps when the roster turns over like it has there this season. I just don’t think these Terrapins are that bad. They have issues, to be sure, but this is WVU’s biggest test and it comes after yawning through a win against Liberty and then having the following week off. Maryand, meanwhile, has three games in the books and has been on both ends of decisive outcomes. I’m not concerned about the team hitting the road for the first time.

Then again, the over/under is 60, which means something like a 38-22 score, which I could definitely see happening.

This goes without saying, so I probably shouldn’t even say it, and maybe this was a way to get to a bunch of G&Bs in on the day reserved for the G&B, but this is a reality check for WVU. The outcome against Maryland has been indicative of what follows under Holgorsen, and what follows this season is indeed daunting.

WVU hasn’t started 3-0 since opening the 2012 season with five straight wins and reaching No. 5 in the national polls. This is also the first time since 2006 the Mountaineers have opened the season with three straight home games.

A perfect start is advantageous because of who follows.

“Who?” Holgorsen asked.

The Mountaineers play on the road at No. 15 Oklahoma at noon on Oct. 3, play host to No. 24 Oklahoma State a week later, travel to No. 5 Baylor Oct. 17 and then play at No. 3 TCU in a Thursday night game Oct. 29.

“I know what’s ahead, but we’re not worried about it,” Holgorsen said. “I’m going to focus on this one. It’s our goal to get to 3-0. We haven’t even talked about the Big 12 yet. It’s our goal to get to 3-0, and we’re giving everything that we have to win this game. After that, we will figure out who is next on the schedule.”

It’s a remarkable stretch for various reasons. WVU hasn’t played four straight ranked teams since 1992, when games at home against No. 22 Boston College, No. 14 Syracuse, No. 14 Penn State and at No. 1 Miami produced an 0-3-1 record. That, oddly enough, followed a 3-0-1 start and three consecutive wins.

Never before as a member of the Big East or Big 12 has WVU started conference play by playing three of four on the road. The Mountaineers have played three of their first four conference games on the road before, but those four games as members of the Big East were interrupted by non-conference games.