ESPN FPI Notices WVU Football’s Improved Play in Latest Loss

Despite enduring another loss last week, WVU showed enough signs of improvement against the now No. 18 ranked Cougars to gain some national respect.

In a somewhat odd development, the ESPN FPI (Football Power Index) moved West Virginia up five spots. However, the Mountaineers will need to keep playing much better and even start winning to advance to a respectable placement.

For whatever it’s worth, WVU is now back inside the top 80, moving up from their latest low to their current spot of No. 77.

While a nice jump, a rank of 77 is obviously nothing to brag about under any circumstances, especially for a program with the history of WVU football, but West Virginia’s defense did force three turnovers and freshman quarterback Khalil Wilkins dis provide a spark for the offense.

Aside from the outcome of the game, Rich Rodriguez seemed mostly satisfied with the effort of his Wilkins in WVU’s 38-24 loss at BYU.

And when asked directly to evaluate Khalil Wilkins’ play from his first college start, Rodriguez was willing to cut the kid some slack.

“Play hard. He was a freshman in that kind of environment,” said Rodriguez.

Rich Rodriguez Evaluates Khalil Wilkins’ Play in ‘Tough Environment’ at BYU

“I thought he was into the game. I think he would like to have a lot of plays back, but I also think he competed his tail off,” he added.

It sounds as if Rodriguez liked something he saw from Wilkins, granted not enough to anoint him his starter moving forward. Rodriguez made it known that he will take the much-needed upcoming bye week to further evaluate his options and then wait until just kickoff of their next game – a Week 8 matchup at UCF.

Wilkins finished his debut start 7-for-15 through the air for just 81 yards and two interceptions. With most of the plays called as designed runs, Wilkins also added 89 yards on the ground off 23 rushing attempts and a score.

“Shoot, that was a rough environment to get your first start in,” reiterated Rodriguez, showing Wilkins a level of grace.

West Virginia will be enjoying a much-needed bye this week, hoping to get healthier and reenergized to try to end the season strong.

Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.

For a related story, WVU fans decide to make jokes as a way of dealing with the recent loss to BYU.