For the first time this season, West Virginia is walking into a game as the underdog, and that alone has shaped the mood around the Mountaineers’ trip to Charlotte. Rich Rodriguez has always seemed to embrace that spot, and so, apparently, do plenty of WVU fans.
The opponent is Virginia, a team the source describes as more experienced and further along, with a staff that has been in place for a handful of years. Even so, the matchup is still being framed as one West Virginia can win. The bigger question is how many Mountaineer fans actually believe that upset is coming.
A poll on X asked fans to rate their confidence level in four ranges: 0-1, 2-4, 5-7, and 8-10, with 10 meaning complete confidence in a WVU victory. The results showed just how split the fan base is.
The smallest slice of the vote went to the 0-1 range at 13%. That finished third, which is a little higher than expected, but still behind the other two options.
The source notes that some Virginia fans or even Pitt fans may have jumped in, but the overall takeaway was that 13% was not enough to change the shape of the poll. Virginia is described as a dang good football team, but not one that leaves West Virginia with virtually no shot.
The 2-4 range is where the uncertainty lives. The source says this is the bucket it would have chosen, likely with a four, because the first two weeks have left a lot unanswered about WVU, including its ceiling. That uncertainty is what pushed plenty of voters into that middle ground.
The winning response, though, was optimism. It edged out the others by only a few percentage points, but the 5-7 range came out on top, suggesting a sizable group of fans is willing to believe in an upset. The source said it would have been interesting to see how many voters would have landed on a five instead of a six or seven if the poll had offered more choices.
There was also a path for the highest-confidence voters. If you believe West Virginia will open things up, let Mike Hawkins Jr. sling it around, and trust the defense to settle in, then the 8-10 range makes sense.
In the end, the poll was as tight as it gets: 50.9% of voters had little to no confidence in the Mountaineers pulling off the upset, while 49.1% did feel good.
In Other News...
WVU Is Suddenly Chasing A Recruiting Win That Could Reshape The Backcourt
West Virginias backcourt picture could shift quickly this weekend, with class of 2027 point guard Micah Gordon set to make his college choice on Saturday. The decision comes down to Creighton, VCU and the Mountaineers, and Gordons standing as a nationally highly ranked recruit gives this one real weight for a program looking to keep adding high-end perimeter talent.
If Gordon lands in Morgantown, it would count as one of the most notable recruiting wins in recent program memory, since he would be the second-highest rated player to commit to West Virginia. His decision also carries extra intrigue because of what it could mean for the guard rotation down the road, especially with current player Miles Sadler still part of the broader backcourt conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Backyard Brawl Gives WVU Fans A New Chance To Take Over
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Ross Hodge and several WVU players took part in a press conference at the arena and sounded upbeat about what the matchup could mean for both the program and its fan base. The rivalry already carries its own energy, but a neutral-site setting adds a fresh layer to it, especially with Mountaineer supporters looking at this as another chance to show how quickly they can turn a big game into something that feels a lot closer to home. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Fans Finally Know The Big 12 Road Waiting Ahead
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Iowa State will be the final stop on the regular-season grind, giving WVU a clear finish line before the Big 12 Tournament heads to Kansas City, Missouri, from March 9-13. For a program that knows how unforgiving this league can be, getting the full outline early at least lets the Mountaineers and their fans start measuring the climb long before the first tip. [Read more 🡒]