Expect WVU to do its homework to bookend transfer portal season

No one has to tell you this, so pardon the reminder, but the preseason hype for West Virginia football is not what fans need and want it to be. That's accurate, right? And we'll leave it there. Less is more. But no one should tell you how to feel about the Mountaineers. That's up to you, much as it's up to you to determine your investment, be that emotionally or now financially.

Let's talk about the over/under for WVU's projected win total. Even if it doesn't make sense for you to invest dollars on one hunch or another, you can talk yourself into believing in more or less than 4.5 wins. That's the number Las Vegas has prescribed, and that's tied for the lowest total in the Big 12. You can thank the former Mountaineers coach and his current team for occupying the basement with the Mountaineers. Houston's number is 4.5 wins, too.

But WVU plays Houston and some of the other teams that are expected to win just a few games and finish near the bottom of the standings, so maybe the schedule really isn't as hard as predictions suggest. And WVU's issues, like roster turnover from the transfer portal and featuring a new player at the marquee position, are issues many of their opponents are working through, too. In short, is it going to be that bad for the Mountaineers? If there are teams in similar situations with familiar weaknesses, is WVU going to be worse at so many that it falls short of 4.5 wins?

The clip video above from last month's episode of Country Roads Confidential examines and attempts to answer those questions. In doing so, you can make an educated guess about 4.5 wins. Listen to the full episode here.