MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Deep in the West Virginia mountains, a mad scientist with wild hair and refrigerators stocked with Red Bull has developed a new element for the periodic table.
Its abbreviation: XIISyn. Big 12 synergy.
It's a real thing, and No. 10 West Virginia shows it works in a league without much balance.
What is Big 12 synergy, you ask, and how is it made? It starts with an offensive-minded coach, in this case WVU's Dana Holgorsen, structuring the offense with his defense in mind. It's a staff that works with one another rather than in spite of one another.