Garrett Greene will get the start against Oklahoma State today.

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia will play what may be the most meaningful meaningless football game in its history when it closes out the 2022 season with a noon game at Oklahoma State Saturday.

For a game which seems the Mountaineers have nothing to play for, bringing a 4-7 record into Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. The game can be seen on ESPN2.

The Mountaineers have neither a winning season nor a bowl game to play for against a rival who has been ranked as high as No. 6 this year but has slumped to 7-4 going into its finale. Oklahoma State has won its last seven in a row against the Mountaineers, outscoring them 275-155.

But much more rides on this game than one might think, beginning with the much-debated future of WVU’s head coach, Neal Brown. Brown is finishing his fourth season as coach, three of them are losing seasons.

Brown’s record at the school is 21-25 and in conference play he is 13-21. Considering that Bill Stewart was fired after going 28-12 in four years and 15-6 in conference play (given the Big East, not the Big 12), all signs are pointed toward Brown’s dismissal.

This is especially true since the man who hired him, athletic director Shane Lyons, has already been dismissed at a cost of more than $2.7 million to the school. But that may work in Brown being given another year to prove himself as his buyout would cost in the neighborhood of $20 million should he be replaced before the first of the year and $16.7 million if they wait until after Jan. 1.

With a win, the Mountaineers would pull off a road miracle — WVU is 5-13 in Big 12 road games and have lost their last five of them.

Brown is taking a realistic approach to the game with his players.

“Here’s the way I’m dealing with our players. I’m pretty direct with them. I’m up front with them and we’ll deal with that when it happens. Whatever comes we’ll deal with it and deal with it head on,” he said.

Most of the players were brought in by Brown and will have their own decisions to make when the smoke clears. It is expected, of course, that should Brown lose his job there would be a large exodus into the transfer portal.

But there are a number of players who could have their future decided in this game.

One is quarterback Garrett Greene, who is scheduled to make his second career start off a game where he showed he could light a fire under the offense with his feet and arm, but who made a number of crucial mistakes.

Two interceptions led to 14 points.

Greene’s play will also influence the decision facing opening day quarterback JT Daniels, who came in with much hype and who played well early but faced. He has a year available if he wants to compete for the job.

More pressing is whether the top recruit in last season’s class, quarterback Nicco Marchiol, wants to stay should Greene show himself ready to run the offense, especially if a new coach comes in.

Certainly, the team that is ending this season is not the one expected when the season opened.

Offensively freshman running back sensation CJ Donaldson is out with a broken ankle, which has opened the way for three other running backs to make big inroads on next year’s job —

Tony Mathis, Justin Johnson Jr. and Jaylen Anderson, who played himself heavily into the mix the past two weeks with Mathis injured.

“You’re seeing Anderson now,” Brown said. “I’ve talked the past two years about the talent he has but he’s had to put it all together. He is talented and he’ll get more work this week.”

“Jaylen has been given a whole lot of talent,” added offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, whose fate is tied to Brown’s, as are all the assistants. “I’ve only had a few months with him but from when he got here to now, like most people going from high school to college, you just have to grow up a little bit. Knowing he had an opportunity to get some reps made him grow up in a hurry.”

In addition, on offense, WVU has lost during the season starting offensive guard James Gmiter and tight end Mike O’Laughlin while the defense has had to play all but four games without preseason all-conference cornerback Charles Woods, who has entered the portal.