College Football
ESPN FPI Paints Bleak Picture of WVU Football in 2026
Eight weeks out WVU football kicking off the 2026 season, ESPN released their FPI (Football Power Index) for where they rank teams entering the fall. Far from anything in stone, the ESPN FPI view of West Virginia pops any balloons being inflated for the Mountaineers.
Despite being in year two of his second tenure and having built an objectively better roster, Rich Rodriguez is still on the verge of another losing season based on where the ESPN FPI has West Virginia.
At No. 66, WVU has a projected win-loss record of 5.4-6.6 and only a 0.7% chance of winning the Big 12 title.
And while Rodriguez may remain confident and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark may hope he can experience West Virginia, his most historic program, as a true contender, if the ESPN FPI metrics are remotely close to accurate, Mountaineer Nation will be left depressed entering the holiday season.
WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez looks at his play sheet in the middle of a game against Utah during the 2025 season. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)
“I will say this… There are a couple of our schools that continue to evolve and that truly make a difference. West Virginia makes a difference in this conference. No question about it,” responded Yormark when asked directly about the importance of WVU to the conference during the Big 12 Media Days event.
“When they’re competitive, their fan engagement is off the charts. I’ve seen it. And I’m excited about what Wren Baker, the AD, is building there. They have a great trajectory going up right now. They’re making a lot of investments and you hear about them quote often.”
In all reality, preseason polls and projections matter as much as what any coach or commissioner says during the offseason – nothing. No matter what has been said or predicted, the pressure is firmly on Rodriguez to deliver, which is the only way to truly prove anyone wrong.
Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.
For a related story, Rich Rodriguez shares his dream about the future landscape of college football.
