West Virginia’s path to the 2027 College Football Playoff looks a lot clearer now that the format is expanding to 24 teams.
The CFP Management Committee announced Monday morning that the field will grow from 12 teams to 24 beginning in 2027, and the new setup gives the Mountaineers a much more realistic route into the bracket. Under the release, “The 24-team CFP field will be comprised of the four conference champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC (as determined by their respective conferences), the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, OR Sun Belt; and the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams in the final CFP Selection Committee ranking.”
For WVU, the biggest piece is keeping what the source calls arguably the top dual-threat quarterback in America. The program has the resources to make that happen, and the numbers he’s already putting up in his first season in Rich Rodriguez’s system hint at what could be coming next.
With another year in the offense, more familiarity with returning teammates, and more talent around him, the ceiling only gets higher. The source frames it as a legitimate Heisman campaign, one that might already be alive this season if not for the defense.
That defense is the other part of the equation, and the fix is pretty straightforward: bigger bodies up front, faster and more athletic linebackers, and more experience on the back end. The current group isn’t being written off, either.
Players such as Nick Taylor, Geimere Latimer, Harper Holloman, Corey McIntyre, Nate Gabriel, and Matt Sieg can still be part of the turnaround. The key is surrounding them with more experienced players who have production, and the expectation is that will happen.
Put it all together and the formula is easy to see: better talent across the roster, one of the best quarterbacks in college football, and a schedule that lines up well. Utah and Texas Tech are expected to sit near the top of the Big 12 year after year, and West Virginia avoids both. There’s also the possibility of coaching changes elsewhere in the league, including one that has already happened at Baylor.
The nonconference slate also looks favorable again. WVU will need to drop one of VMI, Ohio, or Southern Miss, but two of those teams plus Purdue, all at home, should leave the Mountaineers 3-0 before league play begins.
In Other News...
West Virginia Has A Bigger Problem Than The Texas Tech Loss
The Texas Tech loss stung because it looked like the kind of game West Virginia needed to turn a corner, but the bigger issue is still hanging over the program. The offense has taken a step forward from last season, giving the Mountaineers something to build on, yet the defense remains the worst in college football and continues to overshadow any progress on the other side of the ball.
So even as the staff tries to sort out the present, there is plenty going on behind the scenes. West Virginia is in ongoing contract discussions with Mike Hawkins, while also keeping an eye on the development of his brother, Maliek, and trying to add more help through the transfer portal. The loss to Texas Tech may fade, but the roster questions and defensive fixes are the real test now. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Hawkins Jr. Just Took WVUs Offense To Another Level
West Virginias trip to Texas Tech turned into the kind of offensive track meet that can make a box score look almost fictional. In the 16th meeting between the programs, the Mountaineers saw a game built on big plays and even bigger numbers, with 101 total points and 892 yards of offense in the first half alone, the most in a half since 2004. Michael Hawkins Jr. was at the center of it all, scoring three rushing touchdowns while Cam Cook piled up 149 yards on the ground and Taron Francis added 169 receiving yards.
For West Virginia, the result was more than just another wild Big 12 shootout. Hawkins night pushed the offense into a different gear and came with program-record production, a sign that the Mountaineers may have found a new level of explosiveness at the right time. The only question now is whether this was a one-night eruption or the start of something more sustainable as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Has One Game Left To Settle Its Bowl Fate
West Virginia heads into its final regular-season game with the kind of simple math every team wants this time of year: beat Kansas, get to six wins, and lock up bowl eligibility. Until then, the Mountaineers are stuck in the middle ground at five wins, with their postseason picture still taking shape as various outlets continue to slot them into different bowl possibilities.
Those projections have ranged from matchups against teams such as Auburn, Army and Arizona State, a reminder that the destination can change quickly depending on how the final weekend shakes out. For West Virginia, though, the bigger issue is still right in front of it, because the Kansas game will determine whether the bowl chatter turns into something concrete or stays in the realm of speculation. [Read more 🡒]