West Virginia4-82Rich Rodriguez's first class at West Virginia is the program's highest-ranked haul since 2022 — but with 16% QB production returning, it's the most extreme rebuild in a state where.
West Virginia is an entire state's only big-time team, and it just hired back the coach who broke its heart in 2007 and bolted — Rich Rodriguez, home in Morgantown to finish what the Backyard Brawl interrupted.
Mountaineer fans are tired of their state's only major team being treated as an afterthought, a hard place to recruit, a name from the past. They say Morgantown is the loudest Saturday nobody outside…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Coastal Carolina · Sat Sep 5 · 16:00 UTC
West Virginia is the state's program — there's no other Power-5 football team in the entire state — and that geographic monopoly makes Morgantown the loudest Saturday in the Big 12.
With only 26% of returning players and a #25 recruiting class, West Virginia's performance hinges on integrating new talent. The team's net portal exporter status and high volatility score suggest uncertainty in outcomes.
The Mountaineer cleans the musket.
the open questioncan a new staff change the trajectory?
Rich Rodriguez returns to Morgantown for his first season after a 4-8 record under Chad Scott, inheriting just 26% production returning in a state where he’s the only Power-5 option.
Michael Hawkins Jr. (QB) arrives at West Virginia as Rich Rodriguez's first major portal move, addressing 16% QB production returning in a state where Morgantown is the only Power-5 show.
Rich Rodriguez's second consecutive top-20 portal class arrives with Michael Hawkins Jr. (QB) to fix 16% returning QB production — a lifeline for West Virginia's only Power-5 show in a state hungry for wins.
Diore Hubbard sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach, and his efficiency in competitive snaps sits below the position baseline -- the numbers lean on the opponent giving up.
West Virginia: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
Cam Vaughn is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
Cam Vaughn: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
Cyncir Bowers: a closer signal screened this season.
Diore Hubbard: a closer signal screened this season.
Rodney Gallagher is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Rich Rodriguez's first class at West Virginia is the program's highest-ranked haul since 2022 — but with 16% QB production returning, it's the most extreme rebuild in a state where.
WVU reveals depth chart
Depth chart dropping with RB room still a live question — if Carter Zuliani's Year Two role isn't spelled out clearly, that's the first thing Mountaineer fans are going to circling in red.
Former WVU defender seeks extra eligibility
A former Mountaineer chasing extra eligibility back in Morgantown is a depth story, not a headline — but with RB room already under pressure and a #25 class that still needs time to develop, WVU takes any proven body it can get.
Scruggs seeks eligibility waiver for return
RB room under pressure with a top-25 class to protect — Scruggs staying means RichRod doesn't have to ask a true freshman to carry early snaps in a Big 12 proving ground.
Scruggs pursues another eligibility season
A #25 class and a JUCO LB already in the building — if Scruggs gets another year, WVU's backfield pressure suddenly has veteran insurance behind a young room.
Zahir Barjam commits to Big 12 school
RichRod's #43 class needed a developmental back who earns carries — Barjam slots into a room with real depth pressure and a portal class already ranked top-42 nationally.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence lower than any point since 2025
18th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
West Virginia · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Rich Rodriguez took over as West Virginia's head coach, replacing Chad Scott. It is replaces 4-year head coach Neal Brown (24-21). It's not the hire that's the story anymore — it's everything it set in motion. The room has bought in, but early believers have been wrong before.
The 'this hire changes everything' takes -- new-era believers making the case early.
The 'show me the body of work' counter -- resume gaps, scheme fits, and 'not that guy' reads.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
Only 3 of 735 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
Board health this week (286 posts): 12% positive · 59% neutral · 29% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
West Virginia signed a top-18 transfer-portal class — 51 additions headlined by Jaylen Henderson (QB) from Texas A&M and Max Brown (QB) from Charlotte. It is the second-largest transfer-portal haul in FBS this cycle (51 additions). Portal pickups don't redshirt. The coverage sees this as a targeted, ready-to-contribute class built for snap competition, not depth-chart filler. The coverage reads this as a credible, targeted haul.
The 'portal class fills the gaps' believers -- upgrades at real positions of need.
The 'portal is a gamble' counter -- departure losses and the 'plug-and-play doesn't work' read.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
This event was in 27 of 735 board posts (4%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (286 posts): 12% positive · 59% neutral · 29% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Two of five. Schedule has caught up.
Opens Sep 5
vs Coastal Carolina · at home
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
FL leads the 2026 class with 5 commits. National footprint reaching 25 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
129 signees across 31 states, 2023-2026. OH leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
10 games with TV coverage: 1 national broadcast, 3 ESPN, 5 cable, 1 streaming
Kickoff windows: 5 noon, 4 afternoon, 1 primetime
The bounces have gone their way on their own fumbles: 63% recovered, vs. ~51% expected.
12 of 19 own fumbles recovered themselves; 9 of 21 forced fumbles recovered, 2025 only.
Cashing in at a normal clip: 22% of disrupted passes intercepted, close to ~19% league-wide.
11 interceptions of 51 disrupted passes (40 deflected, 11 intercepted), 2025 only.
Roughly even on flags: 69 penalties committed vs. 80 drawn on opponents.
672 penalty yards committed vs. 650 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 12 corners
The split, staged
How West Virginia fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
I am still perplexed how a guy who looked like a middle school QB against a Neal Brown WVU team is considered a first round talent
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 12 corners of the fanbase
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
~ our readWest Virginia fans are down on the program, and they're backing it with about as much hard evidence as anyone.
✓ counted We read 286 posts from West Virginia fans this week.
Fan mood across the 2025 season, both sides — our read
Shaded weeks show whose fanbase read warmer, our measure of what fans actually said, not a poll.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
Damn, seeing a competent WV offense moving fast downfield successfully multiple times for the first time in 8 years hits like heroin
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 30, 2025 · via CFB
“I’m not even upset about the game. I figured we would suck this year. The thing that has me most angered is that today was 1965 throwback day. And what did the marching band play? Contemporary pop dance tunes. Scott Tobias and Cheldon Williams are the dumbest, most tone de…”— r/CFB
“Be more butthurt. Btw I know the ACC isnt great but it's also not Duquesne....if you can't beat our sorry asses, are y'all even bowling this year?”— r/CFB
“EVERY COUCH IN MORGANTOWN BETTER WATCH OUT BECAUSE WVU HAS JUST WIN TWO IN A ROW”— r/CFB
“EAT SHIT PITT! We might not win another game this year but we won the one that mattered most. Let's fucking go!”— r/CFB
“350 rushing yards. Hurry up offense. Freshman QB running TD. Nico with perfect airmail. So back.”— r/CFB
Forum Pulse
via On3 Mountaineer Message Board
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · West Virginia · high confidence
“4 star edge Chris Wilson talks commitment to WVU”
WVU beat down on Texas Southern). USC-proper kicking USF's ass like this is a little
WVU’s record (while ignoring the fact that we beat y’all). Feeling vindicated right
Don't worry WVU, we still have rifle, women's basketball, and maybe baseball.
That’s how you know it’s really WVU football
Pfft, Texas Tech is trash. It took them over 3 minutes to score on WVU.
You feel hope, then you realize that WVU has to put their defense back on the field.
WVU gets a stop while only sending 4. Incredible. I'll take all improvements.
WVU's glorified mannequins/parking cones masquerading as D-1 defensive backs.
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.09 EPA/play | 15 | 10 | 101 / 170 | 59.4 | 1276 | 7.5 | 7 | 6 | 129.0 | 51 | 5.7 | 8.1 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage33.1% 84th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate3.5% bottom 22th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Scotty Fox Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||||
| Game Manager · +0.18 EPA/play | 8 | 4 | 66 / 98 | 67.3 | 720 | 7.3 | 2 | 2 | 131.7 | 42.5 | 5.9 | 7.5 | |
Yards by week → Game ManagerConsistent underneath passer who protects the lead. Rarely loses games; rarely wins them alone. 9 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Completion %67.9% 81th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush usage29.0% 74th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Nicco Marchiol's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.33 EPA/play | 14 | 6 | 16 / 36 | 44.4 | 185 | 5.1 | 1 | 2 | 85.7 | 42.4 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| -0.12 EPA/play | 13 | 5 | 7 / 18 | 38.9 | 50 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | 62.2 | 45.2 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.06 EPA/play | 20 | 8 | 96 | 335 | 3.5 | 4 | 29 | 15.8 | 10.7 | 18.9 | 6.3 | 6.4% (16/250) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry4.1 bottom 11th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception9.8 74th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Diore Hubbard's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.10 EPA/play | 23 | 10 | 63 | 249 | 4.0 | 2 | 26 | 4.3 | 5 | 14.8 | 4.9 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry5.0 bottom 32th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception16.8 100th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Cyncir Bowers's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.33 EPA/play | 2 | 2 | 27 | 143 | 5.3 | 3 | 27 | 12.9 | 0 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| +0.13 EPA/play | 1 | 2 | 24 | 133 | 5.5 | 3 | 32 | 16 | 8.3 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Satellite Back · -0.14 EPA/play | 27 | 8 | 43 | 131 | 3.0 | 0 | 11 | 10.5 | 8.3 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → Satellite BackDeployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 50 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Receiving share18.9% 87th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / carry3.5 bottom 5th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Clay Ash's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Threat · +0.47 EPA/play | 4 | 12 | 35 | 540 | 15.4 | 4 | 46 | 8 | 11.7 | 24.0% (60/250) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception17.8 89th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Plays like View Cam Vaughn's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +1.19 EPA/play | 16 | 7 | 21 | 383 | 18.2 | 2 | 75 | 3.2 | 8.6 | 10.8% (27/250) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception21.0 98th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)1.2 100th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jeff Weimer's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.39 EPA/play | 24 | 12 | 28 | 243 | 8.7 | 0 | 26 | 4.1 | 7.2 | 15.2% (38/250) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception8.4 bottom 10th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Rodney Gallagher's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.55 EPA/play | 80 | 9 | 21 | 232 | 11.0 | 2 | 34 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 10.0% (25/250) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception10.2 bottom 42th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume21 bottom 47th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Grayson Barnes's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.77 EPA/play | 11 | 6 | 7 | 117 | 16.7 | 0 | 56 | 1.3 | 5.8 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.70 EPA/play | 5 | 2 | 7 | 95 | 13.6 | 0 | 45 | 12 | 11.1 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.35 EPA/play | 7 | 8 | 9 | 82 | 9.1 | 0 | 18 | 3.2 | 3.9 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.53 EPA/play | 81 | 6 | 9 | 69 | 7.7 | 0 | 15 | 4.9 | 4.8 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception7.7 bottom 18th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jacob Barrick's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.69 EPA/play | 84 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 6.8 | 1 | 16 | 4.3 | 1.4 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Gap Base | 96 | 10 | 30 | 12 | 5.5 | 2 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class View Edward Vesterinen's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 1 | 11 | 26 | 7 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate5.8% bottom 18th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 79th percentile among FBS IDLs, fell to 44th, now back up to 70th | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 92 | 10 | 23 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2022 class View Asani Redwood's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 91 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 4.5 | 3 | 0 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate22.5% 80th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Devin Grant's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 99 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 2.5 | 2 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate19.2% 68th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score moved from the 65th to 4th percentile among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 69 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 7 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2024 class View Nate Gabriel's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 52 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 7 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class View Corey McIntyre Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| — | 6 | 9 | 5 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Linebacker | 35 | 12 | 69 | 39 | 30 | 8 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · senior our readBreakout: his CFB Index score went from the 32nd percentile among FBS LBs to the 87th | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 30 | 11 | 46 | 24 | 22 | 4.5 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Chase Wilson's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 15 | 11 | 38 | 16 | 22 | 3.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2023 class our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 59th percentile among FBS LBs, fell to 18th, now back up to 67th | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 32 | 12 | 37 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior View Ben Bogle's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 10 | 11 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Braden Siders's full player page | |||||||||
| Coverage 'Backer | 18 | 11 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate9.1% 99th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume22 bottom 15th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Curtis Jones Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||
| Coverage 'Backer | 45 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.7% 93th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate33.3% 100th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Marshon Oxley's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 33 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume15 bottom 10th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Ashton Woods's full player page | |||||||||
| 12 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 36 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 5 | 12 | 78 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume78 96th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Fred Perry's full player page | |||||||
| Box Safety | 24 | 12 | 75 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Box Safety· Takeaway threatLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume75 94th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readTwo-star recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| Box Safety | 14 | 10 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume40 bottom 46th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Kekoura Tarnue's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 23 | 12 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. The most common profile in its group this season — 141 of 270 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · senior our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 69th percentile among FBS CBs, up from the 37th | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 6 | 11 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
Cover Corner· Takeaway threatSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.2% bottom 23th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Jordan Scruggs's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 13 | 9 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate12.9% 74th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Derek Carter's full player page | |||||||
| Ball Hawk | 3 | 11 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Ball HawkReads the quarterback's eyes and takes the ball away. 44 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate23.3% 84th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 57th percentile among FBS CBs, up from the 97th | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 7 | 10 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2024 class View Israel Boyce's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 19 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Nick Taylor's full player page | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Cover Corner | 20 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Keyshawn Robinson's full player page | |||||||
| 34 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 8 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 25 | 11 | 10/12 | 83.3 | 31/32 | 61 | 50 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 41 | 12 | 66 | 2802 | 42.5 | 61 | 15 | 3 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +0.78 EPA/play | 29 | 8 | 7 | 153 | 21.9 | 0 | 36 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +0.78 EPA/play | 29 | 8 | 11 | 106 | 9.6 | 0 | 28 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+21 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #101 | #220 | -43.5 | Robert Morris | W 45–3 135 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #106 | #57 | -3.5 | @Ohio | L 10–17 134 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #95 | #40 | +7 | Pittsburgh | W 31–24 161 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #83 | #44 | +13.5 | @Kansas | L 10–41 137 | 2-2 | 0-1 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #88 | #48 | +12.5 | Utah | L 14–48 138 | 2-3 | 0-2 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #101 | #22 | +20 | @BYU | L 24–38 131 | 2-4 | 0-3 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #97 | #75 | +6.5 | @UCF | L 13–45 152 | 2-5 | 0-4 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #128 | #35 | +16.5 | TCU | L 17–23 145 | 2-6 | 0-5 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #118 | #48 | +13 | @HoustonTop 25 win | W 45–35 142 | 3-6 | 1-5 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #103 | #105 | -6.5 | Colorado | W 29–22 154 | 4-6 | 2-5 |
| 12 | Nov 15 | #107 | #31 | +9.5 | @Arizona State | L 23–25 137 | 4-7 | 2-6 |
| 14 | Nov 29 | #95 | #4 | +24.5 | Texas Tech | L 0–49 148 | 4-8 | 2-7 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29 | Texas Tech | L 0–49 | 180 | 2 | 20:00 | -0.259 | 18.2% | 136.9% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Nov 15 | @Arizona State | L 23–25 | 421 | 1 | 27:26 | +0.123 | 34.7% | 146.4% | One-score loss |
| Nov 8 | Colorado | W 29–22 | 369 | 3 | 30:36 | +0.039 | 34.9% | 127.4% | One-score win |
| Nov 1 | @Houston | W 45–35 | 403 | 0 | 30:29 | +0.271 | 43.6% | 134.4% | |
| Oct 25 | TCU | L 17–23 | 342 | 0 | 25:57 | +0.008 | 36.5% | 123.4% | One-score loss |
| Oct 18 | @UCF | L 13–45 | 210 | 1 | 26:53 | -0.126 | 34.7% | 99.8% | Blowout loss |
| Oct 4 | @BYU | L 24–38 | 291 | 2 | 27:50 | +0.053 | 36.5% | 128.8% | Defense's roughest night |
| Sep 27 | Utah | L 14–48 | 346 | 0 | 25:15 | +0.141 | 36.5% | 146.8% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 20 | @Kansas | L 10–41 | 324 | 2 | 26:10 | +0.006 | 39.4% | 80.2% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 13 | Pittsburgh | W 31–24 | 434 | 2 | 31:01 | +0.188 | 38.6% | 114.1% | One-score win |
| Sep 6 | @Ohio | L 10–17 | 250 | 1 | 16:40 | -0.160 | 28.1% | 147.0% | Most explosive |
| Aug 30 | Robert Morris | W 45–3 | 625 | 4 | 27:30 | +0.410 | 57.9% | 108.4% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Season average (12 games) | 350 | 1.5 | +0.058 | 36.6% | 124.4% | ||||
West Virginia fields a struggling run-heavy offense behind a solid, gives up the big play defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
7th percentile quality, 93rd percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 81st percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 78th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
12th percentile success on standard downs, 18th on passing downs — little dropoff between the two — a schedule-independent identity.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 17th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 18th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.06; 25th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.00. The widest gap came in week 1: 0.41 raw vs. 0.03 adjusted.
West Virginia reads strongest in rushing epa allowed (top 15%) and success rate allowed (top 37%); the crux lives in explosive plays allowed, where West Virginia sits at the 8th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · West Virginia
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · West Virginia · 2018-present
62% home win rate vs 37% on the road. margin runs +15.5 better at home. Milan Puskar Stadium seats 60,000, averaging 86% full (51,485 attendance, 25 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Diore Hubbard and Cyncir Bowers split the carries (96/157 vs 61/157) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Cam Vaughn (WR) and Grayson Barnes (TE) split the targets (57/82 vs 25/82) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
What changed
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved down 15 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 15 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, West Virginia’s defense allows a completion rate above the FBS mean (68.4% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 140-play sample) — mid-pack, 108 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
60°F average kickoff temp; 15% of games had measurable precipitation; 6 mph average wind.
Based on 74 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
West Virginia's 2014–2025 record is 80-67. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
Week-by-week rivalry heat isn't tracked yet for this matchup — check back as the 2026-27 season approaches and real fan-intel signal accumulates.
Who's more worked up right now
Cross-fanbase rivalry sentiment for this matchup hasn't been measured yet this week — both sides show as neutral until real signal comes in.
THE LAST 5 · year-by-year
All-Time Record
since 1896 · 123 seasons · .564 win rate
West Virginia just hired back the coach who built the 2007 team that was one home win from the national title game — and then bolted for Michigan two weeks after the loss. Rich Rodriguez is home in Morgantown, and Year One went 4-8.
There is no other major-college program in West Virginia. No NFL franchise, no rival flagship, just the Mountaineers — and Milan Puskar Stadium on a night game, with 60,000 people singing 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' at the end, is the most communal sound in the sport. That singular weight is what made the Rich Rodriguez saga so devastating and what makes his return so loaded. His 2005-2007 Mountaineers ran the spread option before the sport knew what to call it: Pat White at quarterback, Steve Slaton in space, and a 2006 Sugar Bowl rout of Georgia that announced the program nationally. Then came the 2007 Pitt game — No. 2 West Virginia, a home win over a 4-7 team from the BCS title game — and the 13-9 loss that became the program's permanent scar. Rodriguez left for Michigan within two weeks.
The reunion was always going to be complicated. Neal Brown's tenure ended after 2024, and the university made the call that only one person carried the symbolic weight to restart the program: the coach who caused the wound. His first season back, 2025, went 4-8 in the Big 12, the offense clearly a work in progress, the quarterback room rebuilt around Scotty Fox Jr. The one cathartic moment came in the Backyard Brawl — Rodriguez beat Pitt 31-24 in overtime, his first win in that game since 2007. Morgantown held onto that one. The portal arm being recruited for 2026 is the most-watched variable in the offseason; the offense needs a real upgrade.
The 2026 season is the actual test, not the homecoming. A prove-it year for a coach who spent his first year back losing too many games in a league that doesn't forgive slow starts. The internal fracture hasn't closed: there is a faction that forgave 2007 and staked the future on Rodriguez's return, and a faction that watched 4-8 in Year One with its arms crossed. The Big 12 schedule will adjudicate which side was right.
Spread-option in its soul — Rodriguez built the template here before anyone else ran it, and the Mountaineer identity is built on that history. West Virginia's best football is physical in the trenches, with a QB who can hurt you with his legs and a defense that feeds off the Morgantown crowd. Milan Puskar Stadium's night environment is the program's most reliable asset: loud, blue-collar, a whole state compressed into one stadium with no other outlet for its Saturday energy.
West Virginia 2016–2025. Slipping -1.2 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope -0.32 rungs / year — moving down the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 4-8
West Virginia: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
Big 12 Standing · 2025
West Virginia is 14th of 16 in the Big 12 at 2-7. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | 9-1 |
| 2 | BYU | 8-2 |
| 3 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 4 | Arizona | 7-3 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 6-3 |
| 6 | Houston | 6-3 |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 5-4 |
| 8 | Iowa State | 5-4 |
| 9 | TCU | 5-4 |
| 10 | Kansas State | 5-5 |
| 11 | Baylor | 3-6 |
| 12 | Kansas | 3-6 |
| 13 | UCF | 2-7 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 2-7 |
| 15 | Colorado | 1-8 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 0-9 |
Coaching Era · West Virginia
Rich Rodriguez in year 2 of the rebuild. The methodology is taking shape.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1972
John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' has been the program's post-game victory song since 1972. The 60,000 Milan Puskar fans singing the chorus in unison is one of CFB's most-iconic stadium moments. The song mentions West Virginia by name; the visceral connection between the program and state identity is total.
since 1970s
Morgantown's post-win 'couch burning' tradition — student fans setting old furniture ablaze on the lawn after football victories — is the most-cited blue-collar celebration ritual in CFB. The fire marshal disagrees; the tradition continues. Symbolic of working-class identity.
since 1934
The Mountaineer mascot is a costumed frontiersman who carries a real (loaded with blanks) musket. Fires the musket at WVU touchdowns. Selected via student-led 'Mountaineer auditions' annually. The most-genuinely-Appalachian mascot in CFB.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
West Virginia stuns Georgia 38-35 to announce the spread-option era nationally
No. 2 WVU, a home win from the BCS title game, loses 13-9 to 4-7 Pitt — the program's deepest heartbreak
Heartbreak
2025
In his first Backyard Brawl since 2007, the returned Rich Rodriguez beats Pitt 31-24 in overtime
Moment of the Year · West Virginia · 2025
Week 14 of 2025. A reckoning loss — the data point the next season must answer.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2024 — loss 37-42 (home). Last 5 postseason: 2-3.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2023–20253 picks last 5 cycles. Pipeline emerging.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
West Virginia · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · West Virginia · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · West Virginia
Season Standing · 2025 · 4-8
Coaching Era · West Virginia
Moment of the Year · West Virginia · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline