Prominent Voter Reveals WVU Football Ranked in His Final AP Top 25

WVU head coach Neal Brown said his team deserves to be part of the final top 25 rankings after winning the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. It now appears like that proclamation is about to come true, at least if one of the most tenured voters has anything to say about it.

When the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy released what will be his final Associated Press ballot on Thursday days ahead of the National Championship Game on Monday, it shows West Virginia firmly within his top 25. McMurphy has the Mountaineers at number 22.

My final @AP_Top25 ballot

1/2 Michigan/Washington
3 Texas
4 Bama
5 UGA
6 FSU
7 Mizzou
8 Oregon
9 Ole Miss
10 Arizona
11 Ohio St
12 LSU
13 NDame
14 Clemson
15 Okla St
16 OU
17 Penn St
18 Kansas St
19 Tennessee
20 Kansas
21 NC St
22 West Virginia
23 Louisville
24 SMU
25 Troy

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 4, 2024

Even though McMurphy is leaving the top two spots in flux depending on who is crowned the National Champion on Monday night, everyone else should stay where they are. McMurphy’s ballot does not necessarily mean WVU is a lock to be ranked and other voters may very well have included different teams, especially in the back half of the rankings, but this is certainly a good sign for West Virginia.

Regardless where WVU is actually ranked in the major polls, they can now at least say one prominent voter feels they belong among the best teams in the country from the 2023 season.

If the 9-4 (6-3) Mountaineers end up awarded with a rank, it will be the first time WVU is within the top 25 of a major poll under Brown since he arrived in Morgantown in 2019.

Brown even said he will be casting a vote for the Mountaineers himself. And he did not stop there. Brown, who spent most of the off-season hearing about how he would be fired, even believes West Virginia should be part of the pre-season rankings for the 2024 season as well.

Neal Brown Believes Mountaineers Deserve National Ranking After 9-Win Season

A spot in the top 25 would be the final cherry on top of the sundae that was the 2023 season for West Virginia. Brown led the Mountaineers to a 30-10 bowl win over North Carolina to close the year on Dec. 27.

Note: McMurphy predicted WVU to finish 6-6 when WV Sports Now asked for his projection before the season.