West Virginia suffered another loss, in a close winnable game, and is officially knocked out of bowl contention. The hopes of playing any more games after Texas Tech are over. There’s nothing really to play for other than pride and finishing off on a high note.

For the seniors, Texas Tech will be their last game at the college level, so winning the final game, against a caliber of opponent like the Red Raiders in front of the Milan Puskar Stadium crowd, would be special.

“Coming back home, you just want to finish what you can control, and that’s this next game, the right way,” redshirt senior wide receiver Jeff Weimer said. “I think that’s going to be something we lean on to prepare the best we can to do that. I think it means a lot to a lot of people. I think that is something we can draw from, is really playing for one another, especially the seniors like myself.”

It won’t be easy. The odds aren’t out yet, but the Mountaineers will definitely be a double-digit underdog as it hosts the fifth-best team in the country and the best team in the Big 12.

Luckily, the Mountaineers have a bye week to prepare. There are a lot of areas that need correction, and some of them are the same as the first bye week at the start of October. The offensive line needs to do better in run blocking, and the defense needs to clean up some big plays in the air.

At least, WVU has its quarterback, which was a question heading out of the first bye.

After throwing for 353 yards, breaking his own true freshman record, Scotty Fox Jr. should be the quarterback in the final game.

Other than fixing those mistakes, it’s going to be a lot of self-reflection. Starting with how you want to be remembered, especially for most of the seniors. The seniors could give up and move on with their lives, or they could fight and go out on a high note.

Weimer said most of the bye week will be spent on internal reflection and working together as a team.

“I think it’s going to be coming together as a team, and working hard, so that way we are prepared for whoever we got next,” Weimer said. “On top of that, building more chemistry, just being prepared for the next game. I think it’s going to come down to that. Relying on one another to do that.”

That’s what most of the season comes down to. The coaches tell the players on the field and put them in a position to succeed, but it’s up to the players to execute and put the effort on the field. Imagine the offensive line executed and had a little more push to get that one yard. Maybe they’d be playing to keep the bowl game hopes alive.

Many players will go their separate ways after the season. Some will return, few will go to the pros, and a lot will be looking for jobs. But if WVU wants to have any success against Texas Tech and to finish the season with momentum, it’ll be on the players working together to make that happen.

“I think it’s always like that,” Weimer said. “I think in the season, it’s always the people in that room, in the locker room, and trying to stick together. As far as camaraderie and playing for one another. That’s what I think it is. I think just trying to keep the outside noise the outside noise, and focus on what we can control, and keeping the locker room together.”