Is WVU Football ‘Criminally Underrated’ Heading Into 2024 Season?

Are people still overlooking West Virginia with the 2024 season just weeks away? Days after WVU fell just shy of making the top 25 of a major poll, some are reigniting the debate about if the Mountaineers are underrated.

And adding more fuel to the fire is PFF’s Max Chadwick. “I think West Virginia is criminally, criminally underrated right now,” said Chadwick while bringing up WVU as one of the most underrated teams in the country on the PFF College Football Show.

Below is more from Chadwick about what he likes about WVU.

“They went 9-4 last year. They bring back Garrett Greene, who is one of our top ten quarterbacks in the country. He’s got Wyatt Milum protecting him who we broke down in our top ten offensive line video. Also, behind him, they have one of the best backfields in the country. Jahiem White led all true freshmen last year with 842 yards AND he averaged 7.7 yards per carry, which led the nation for running backs. And then CJ Donaldson is behind him…he had 11 rushing touchdowns last year which was fourth in the Big 12. Aubrey Burks is one of the best safeties in the country in my opinion as well. I have no earthly idea how a team that went 9-4 last year and brings back so much production is all of a sudden a 6.5 win total for 2024. West Virginia, I think, is criminally underrated right now.”

Everything Chadwick said lines up with Neal Brown’s rebuttal to not being ranked in the Coaches Poll, ironically the same poll that awarded WVU the No. 25 spot to close the 2023 season.

A couple days after learning his Mountaineers missed the cut for a major top 25, Brown was more than willing to discuss the latest West Virginia slight.

Neal Brown Reacts to WVU Being Left Out of Major Poll’s Top 25

“If you just look at our resume, how we finished the year, quality wins we had last year with what we had coming back, that resume is going to get in the Top 25. So what gives? I don’t know. Our top players are being undervalued,” said Brown when prompted for his reaction to receiving only 22 voters in the Coaches Poll on Monday.

This is far from the first time Brown has mentioned a disrespect towards WVU, even suggesting the slights are not just about the present day team or during his tenure.

While Brown is well aware that WVU is the winningest program all-time in the Big 12, he’s not sure if everyone around the country respects the Mountaineers place in the history of college football.

Brown actually labeled West Virginia as “one of the most undervalued” programs from an historical perspective. He then noted that he makes sure to detail WVU’s past success to his players.

Neal Brown Argues the WVU Football Program is Historically Undervalued

Despite entering 2024 on the heels of the accomplishments of 2023, Brown did admit most of that success came before joining the Big 12. WVU owns 15 conference championships, but has yet to win one in the Big 12. But Brown confidently added “it’s coming” about returning West Virginia to glory and winning a title within college football’s new Power Four landscape.

Here’s the full initial 2024 Coaches Poll top 25 by USA Today.

West Virginia is coming off of a 9-4 record last year, capped off by a Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina. The Mountaineers are currently in fall camp and preparing for the season opener against a ranked Penn State team. Along with PSU, five Big 12 teams were voted into the Coaches Poll: Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Arizona and Kansas.

For a related story, WVU defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley recognizes the players standing out on defense.