2026 West Virginia Football Preview
Jake Wimberly
Abby Boyd Contributing-
What’s to like:
West Virginia should have a pass rush capable of creating problems for opposing quarterbacks. Getting consistent pressure without having to send extra defenders can make life much easier for the rest of the defense, particularly in a conference with several strong passing offenses.
The Mountaineers also have experience returning at several positions, which should help them navigate the season. Having players who have already played significant college football gives West Virginia a better chance of staying organized and avoiding some of the mistakes that can come with a younger roster. That experience will be important as the program continues to build.
What’s not to like:
West Virginia needs to improve its overall roster depth. The Mountaineers have enough talent to compete with several Big 12 teams, but injuries at key positions could quickly become difficult to overcome. Developing more reliable depth will be important over the course of the season.
The loss of their top receiver to Miami also creates a significant hole for the offense. Replacing that production won't be easy, especially if the passing game relied heavily on him in key situations. Someone will need to emerge as a reliable target to keep the offense from becoming too one-dimensional.
What does the Hourglass say?
West Virginia- Big 12 (5-7)
Power ranking 49.04.
2026 West Virginia Analytics
National recruiting rating (three year metric): #37- outside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.
National Coaching Ranking:
Neal Brown- 38th in Power 5 and 6th in the Big 12.
2026 coaching value= 19.1 (average 2026 Power 5 coaching value=21.93) GJ Kinne is ranked lower of the pack for coaches in the Power 5.
Quarterback Play: Michael Hawkins- ranked 42nd in the Power 4, 10th in the Big 12; 2026 QB value=27.9 (Power 4 average- 26.43).
Impact Ball Catcher Metric: West Virginia has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of . This puts the Mountaineers at the lower tier for the Big 12 in this metric.
Final Thoughts:
West Virginia has the pass rush and veteran experience to give opposing offenses problems, but the roster still has some areas that need to develop. Losing the team's top receiver creates an obvious hole in the passing game, while overall depth remains a concern. The Mountaineers will need younger players to step into bigger roles if they want to move up the Big 12 standings.
2026 Schedule analysis:
Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.
9/5/26 Costal Carolina- Win
9/12/26 UT Martin- Win
9/19/26 At Virginia- Win
9/26/26 Oklahoma State- Loss
10/3/26 At Iowa State- Loss
10/10/26 Arizona- Loss
10/17/26 Cincinnati- Win
10/24/26 At TCU- Loss
11/7/26 At Texas Tech- Loss
11/14/26 Kansas- Loss
11/21/26 Houston- Win
11/27/26 At Utah- Loss
