With just a few hours left until the start of the new football season in West Virginia, the Mountaineers will host No. 8 Penn State this Saturday. Who will emerge victorious? We have some thoughts.

I’ve long considered this game a loss for West Virginia, but I’ll be honest: The Mountaineers have a real chance to win this game, and the closer we get to kickoff, the more optimistic I am about those chances.

This is an opportunity for the Mountaineers to make a statement right off the bat. Winning this game after a nine-win season would be the official turning point for this program under the leadership of Neal Brown. That’s not to say a loss will undo it all, but a win is the seal of approval.

There are legitimate concerns about the offensive line after Zach Frazier and Doug Nester moved on. Brandon Yates has played all over the offensive line and has big shoes to fill. Nick Malone will be used as a right tackle for the first time in his career for every situation and will face some of the best pass rushers college football has to offer in Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. It’s not going to be perfect right out of the gate, not against this front seven.

Other than that, I’m not too worried about the running game. They’ll find a way to get their yards on the ground. Garrett Greene is the X-factor for me. If he can throw the ball efficiently and make smart decisions, Penn State will have a real battle deep into the fourth quarter.

Defensively, WVU feels much better about its secondary and all the different coverages and plays they can now present, as they now have two cornerbacks – Garnett Hollis Jr. and Ayden Garnes – who can play as pressers. Penn State’s receivers are the biggest question mark, and if they can keep the incredible running back duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen in check, they’ll have the Nittany Lions exactly where they want them.

Penn State wins, but WVU is there and plays extremely hard.

West Virginia is in a better position ahead of its season opener against eighth-ranked Penn State than it was last year against Happy Valley.

After a successful first season as the Mountaineers’ starting quarterback, Garrett Greene is poised for a great season throwing and running around defenses. He will be in good company in the backfield with running backs CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White.

Tight end Kole Taylor will look to build on his 35 catches for 44 yards and four touchdowns, which is the most on his team. On offense, the receivers are the key question. The Mountaineers have hit a home run with Oklahoma State transfer Jaden Bray and young veterans Hudson Clement and Traylon Ray, but they haven’t proven themselves yet.

Defensively, WVU has made progress despite the loss of its leading tackler and best defensive back and will be as strong as it has ever been since the arrival of Neal Brown.

Penn State enters the game with similar issues on offense, but is replacing more players on the offensive line. The Nittany Lions also believe they have answers to the questions on the outside, led by Harrison Wallace II, who caught seven passes for 72 yards last year.

The Nittany Lions defense has always been one of the best in the country and is expected to be one of the better defenses in the Big Ten.

On paper, Penn State has the more talented team and will perform even better in the fourth quarter.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar may not have lived up to expectations last season, but with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki joining from Kansas, he will be able to get the ball to his playmakers more successfully, especially further up the field.

West Virginia can come out of the game victorious, especially with the sold-out Mountaineer Field potentially causing problems for the offense to communicate with a new coordinator, but I think Penn State will find a way to secure the win in heartbreaking fashion, 30-27.

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