The dog days of summer are just about over, thankfully. Here soon, you'll be able to take a break from playing your College Football 25 dynasty to watch the real deal West Virginia Mountaineers in live action when they host top-10 Penn State on August 31st.
How will this year go for Neal Brown and co.? Here is my annual game-by-game prediction for the upcoming season.
8/31 vs. Penn State - Loss (0-1)
Believe it or not, I went back and forth on this one. On paper, it's easy to see the difference between the two rosters and think Penn State has this game in the bag. But there's something about kicking the season off in Morgantown with a big-time opponent that has me believing West Virginia will keep it a tight game throughout. I'd be the least bit surprised if WVU finds a way to win, but I'm going with my gut.
9/7 vs. Albany - Win (1-1)
After winning five games combined in 2021-22, Albany turned things around in a big way last year. The Great Danes won 11 games and made it to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. This is a much better team than most think. West Virginia shouldn't sweat this one, but Albany will show up ready to play.
9/14 at Pitt - Win (2-1)
The Panthers lost so much talent off of last year's team, a group that managed to only win three games. In some instances you would think that may be a good thing. But not with the guys they lost in the portal. There are glaring holes all over this roster and unless West Virginia just comes out flat, Pitt should lose this game by at least two scores.
9/21 vs. Kansas - Win (3-1, 1-0)
What a way to start Big 12 play, huh? Two years ago, WVU opened up league play with a home game against Kansas the week after losing to Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. The set up of the schedule can give you that nauseating feeling from those two weeks in 2022, but take a deep breath. Things are different. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels is a special player, as is running back Devin Neal. The Jayhawks have the talent to win a bunch of games this season thanks to a favorable schedule, but they'll drop what is likely viewed as their toughest road game of the year.
10/5 at Oklahoma State - Loss (3-2, 1-1)
For a second, it looked like West Virginia was on their way to picking up their second straight win over Oklahoma State. And then the botched punt return happened. The Mountaineers have had so many bad breaks in this series and have not fared well when meeting in Stillwater. Ollie Gordon ran rampant on Jordan Lesley's defense last season and I'd say there's a good chance history repeats itself. The Pokes are more experienced and are equipped to make a run at the conference crown.
10/12 vs. Iowa State - Win (4-2, 2-1)
This is going to be a really good football game. It has a low-scoring, slug it out type of feel to it. Soon-to-be WVU Hall of Famer Anthony Becht will be in town to watch his son, Rocco, quarterback the Cyclones. I'm interested to see what his gameday attire will be on this particular Saturday, along with his rooting interests. West Virginia grounds and pounds their way to victory in a hard-fought battle.
10/19 vs. Kansas State - Loss (4-3, 2-2)
I went with WVU initially. But after thinking about it some more, I flipped my decision to K-State. WVU is going to be coming off a physical game against Iowa State and could be starting to feel the effects of the early portion of the Big 12 schedule. Plus, Kansas State is going to be a team right in the thick of it once again with presumably an upgrade at quarterback in Avery Johnson. Splitting this two-game homestand is not the end of the world, considering the opponents.
10/26 at Arizona - Loss (4-4, 2-3)
This is another 50/50 one, if I'm being honest. For months, I've considered this a loss for the Mighty Mountaineers. I'm still leaning that way, but this one is probably more winnable than you and I believe. The Wildcats have a phenomenal QB-WR connection in Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan, but they can't just lean on those two throughout the entire season. This feels like a back and forth, high-scoring, "old-fashioned" Big 12 shootout. In that case, I'll give the slight edge to the home team.
11/9 at Cincinnati - Win (5-4, 3-3)
I know what you're thinking, oh boy, the wheels are starting to fall off. R-E-L-A-X, as the great Aaron Rodgers once said. Assuming the teams I predict WVU to lose to are as good as advertised, it's not like you're underperforming. And as I mentioned in a couple of those losses, there's a chance I'm wrong and things look a lot different at this point in the season. Oh yeah, back to Cincinnati. Uh, yeah...no sweat here. Chalk it up as a W. The Bearcats will likely finish in the bottom three of the league.
11/16 vs. Baylor - Win (6-4, 4-3)
Dave Aranda's Bears should be slightly improved in 2024, but not to the point where they're going to waltz into Milan Puskar Stadium and pick up a win. I expect this to be a statement game of sorts for WVU, proving that although the record isn't exactly what they had hoped for, they have their minds on finishing the season out strong.
11/23 vs. UCF - Win (7-4, 5-3)
Everyone is hopping on the preseason UCF bandwagon. Why? I don't know. Probably because they landed former Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson out of the portal and return some key guys at the skill positions. Big whoop. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh, but I'm just not sold on the Knights being a legitimate contender in 2024. And do you really think Garrett Greene is going to lose the final home game of his career? I don't think so.
11/30 at Texas Tech - Win 8-4 (6-3)
Texas Tech is in a weird spot. The expectation was that Joey McGuire would have this thing turned around by now, but injuries played a big hand in messing up their 2023 campaign. Aside from running back Tahj Brooks, there's not much to like about this group. Playing in Lubbock is never fun, but for an average team that may not make a bowl game, it shouldn't be too rowdy of a crowd. West Virginia wins its fourth straight to end the season, finishing in the top five of the Big 12 Conference for the second consecutive year.
TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Missouri - Win (9-4)
Honestly, I'm hoping to see West Virginia make it to the Pop-Tarts Bowl because Neal Brown deserves the opportunity to eat a massive Pop Tart after taking the Mayo plunge a year ago. Instead, I think with this record, they land in the TaxAct Texas Bowl with a middle of the pack SEC team in Missouri. Brown has been successful in bowl games throughout his career and will close out the season with a fifth straight win.
Final thoughts
I get a lot of folks won't be happy with another nine-win season, expecting bigger things such as an appearance in the Big 12 championship or College Football Playoff. But the reality is, winning nine games with this schedule is way more impressive than the nine Ws they picked up a year ago. This type of season doesn't mean West Virginia won't ever make it to those desired destinations under Neal Brown, it just takes time. If things go as I predicted (it won't), it'll be a big step toward getting West Virginia back on the map. This is still a fairly young team and don't forget, Nicco Marchiol is waiting in the wings and can help the Mountaineers in their continued climb.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Preseason Big 12 Power Rankings + Record Predictions
Between The Eers: Playoffs or Bust for WVU?
There's No Easing Into it for WVU: 'August 31st, We Better Be Ready'
