Rich Rodriguez’s second year back at West Virginia should look a lot better than his first, but the Mountaineers still land in the middle of the pack in my projected 2026 Big 12 standings.
I’ve got WVU finishing 10th, which is a step forward after a rough 2025 season. That team stumbled to 14th in the league while juggling five quarterbacks, dealing with a pile of injuries at running back, and trying to survive behind what was the worst offensive line in the conference. This roster still has holes and real questions, but it’s better equipped to handle Big 12 football.
The offense is the reason there’s real optimism. It has a chance to finish in the top half of the league, and if everything comes together, even crack the top three. That’s not a wild idea with the nation’s leading rusher, Cam Cook, in the fold and Mike Hawkins Jr. set up for what could be a breakout season.
The problem is on the other side of the ball. West Virginia should improve and be more competitive this fall, but the defense is what keeps the Mountaineers from being a team that matters in November.
At the top of the league, I’m sticking with BYU at No. 1.
Even if Texas Tech had Brendan Sorsby, there was still a strong case for the Cougars. Kalani Sitake’s staff has done a strong job developing talent and keeping its best players around, and this is a veteran group on both sides of the ball.
Twelve of the projected 22 starters are seniors.
Texas Tech checks in at No. 2.
The Red Raiders also bring back a veteran roster, but they lean more heavily on the transfer portal. Will Hammond is a quality quarterback and should be able to get the job done, though he’s coming off a torn ACL and may need some time to find his rhythm once he’s back.
LJ Martin stands out as arguably the best running back in the conference, and Bear Bachmeier now has a full year of starting experience under his belt. That puts him in position to establish himself as one of the Big 12’s best quarterbacks.
Utah comes in at No. 3, followed by Arizona at No. 4, Houston at No.
5, Kansas State at No. 6, and TCU at No. 7.
Arizona State is No. 8, Oklahoma State No. 9, and then West Virginia at No.
Behind the Mountaineers are Baylor at No. 11, Cincinnati at No.
12, Kansas at No. 13, UCF at No.
14, Colorado at No. 15, and Iowa State at No. 16.
Iowa State looks like the toughest rebuild in the league. The Cyclones lost well over 50 players to the transfer portal this offseason after Matt Campbell’s departure to Penn State, leaving them in a situation similar to the one West Virginia faced last year.
They’ve had to piece together a roster mostly built from lower-level transfers, and the schedule won’t help. Four of their first five league games are against Utah, BYU, Arizona, and Oklahoma State.
The talent and depth just aren’t there for Iowa State right now, though they should still be annoying enough to make a few games uncomfortable for teams that probably shouldn’t be sweating them.
In Other News...
WVU Has A Running Back Absence Fans Can't Ignore
West Virginias football media guide arrived without a preseason depth chart, which has become a familiar wrinkle as the Mountaineers head toward fall camp. The bigger issue for a position group that still feels unsettled is the running back room, where roles and depth are not yet clearly defined and the staff is still sorting through options before the season gets rolling.
One name that keeps drawing attention is freshman SirPaul Cheeks, a back whose college path has already been slowed by a torn ACL in high school. There is still time for him to be added before the domestic freshman enrollment deadline, but for now his status is part of the larger uncertainty around a room that also includes young talent like Chris Talley, whose speed has stood out as West Virginia tries to figure out how the backfield will look once camp begins. [Read more 🡒]
Another WVU Offensive Lineman Just Raised A Familiar Concern
West Virginias updated 2026 roster brought another small but notable change along the offensive line, where every offseason tweak tends to matter a little more than it does elsewhere. Redshirt freshman Phillip Bowser is no longer listed, which trims the room and adds another name to the list of linemen the Mountaineers have had to sort through as they try to build reliable depth for the future.
Bowser had not played in a game last season, and his departure does not alter the top of the depth chart, but it does slightly open up the interior competition behind the established options. For younger linemen trying to earn a foothold, especially in the guard and center mix, even one less body in the room can change how those reps get divided this spring and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Former WVU Corner Just Landed Another Big NFL Opportunity
Rasul Douglas is finding another stop in a long NFL journey, and the former West Virginia corner is headed into his ninth season after spending last year with the Miami Dolphins. Douglas started 13 games in Miami, adding another layer of experience to a rsum that already includes time with several other teams and a Super Bowl LII ring from his days with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The latest move gives Douglas a fresh opportunity to matter right away, and the contract reflects that he is still viewed as a useful veteran piece in the secondary. Washington is bringing in a player who has shown he can step into a lineup and hold up, and the timing of the deal suggests there is a real chance for him to carve out an important role quickly. [Read more 🡒]