It may come as a surprise that this is first-ever meeting between Houston and West Virginia. After all, the programs share one significant tie in Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen. West Virginia employed Holgorsen as its head coach from 2011 to 2018, where he posted a 61-41 record, qualified for seven bowl games, experienced two 10-win seasons, and defeated Clemson 70-33 in the 2011 Orange Bowl. On Jan. 1, 2019, Holgorsen — the second-winningest coach in Mountaineer history — stepped down from West Virginia to sign a 5-year contract with Houston.
Although he won’t be traveling to his former stomping grounds of Morgantown, WV, this is Holgorsen’s first on-field exposure to West Virginia since departing five seasons ago.