Rich Rodriguez Fully Explains Why He Expects WVU to Contend for Big 12 Title

Rich Rodriguez’s belief WVU can contend for a Big 12 title in 2025 extends beyond just his confidence in his staff being able to get the most out of the team. Rodriguez can point to a team going from worst to first just last season, making him feel the Big 12 provides the perfect opportunity to get West Virginia back on the national stage.

Based on the current rules, the Big 12 champion will earn an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff, making the conference Rodriguez’s main focus. And during a recent talk with Fox Sports’ Rob Stone, Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram II on their Triple Option podcast, Rodriguez detailed why he views as the Big 12 race as “wide open” and a title a real possibility for the Mountaineers this fall.

“Arizona State went from last to first last year, and we’ll be picked somewhere near the bottom. I don’t say we’re going to be first, but there’s not going to be one team that’s just going to dominate. I think it’s going to be kind of wide-open and probably going to be that way for a couple of years. Our expectation is to win and compete for a championship every year, including our first year. This will be the hardest year. Without question, the hardest year is the first year, but that being said, the Big 12 is pretty wide open, I think,” explained Rodriguez.

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And even though he’s new to the conference, Rodriguez brought up why his past work in the old Pac-12 will serve him well as he returns to the Power Four level.

“I probably know the Big 12 better than most other leagues because most of the teams in there, I played while I was at Arizona. Like, half the Pac-12 is now there, and we played BYU a couple times as well, so I know a lot of those teams and their programs. But every year is different,” he added.

Despite a complete overhaul of the roster and having to implement a new culture, Rodriguez believes West Virginia can compete for a national championship. In fact, Rodriguez admitted he wouldn’t have accepted the job without being sold on WVU’s plan to succeed at the highest level.

“I think if the rev share comes in and the so-called salary cap comes in, it’ll give some sense of fairness across the board.”

However, no matter what happens, Rodriguez just simply believes it can happen, even if some think he’s crazy.

“I believe in our state. I believe in our university. I believe in our coaches. And I believe in our program. You look at Arizona State that went from worst to first in the Big 12. We could do the same thing.”

For a related story, WV Sports Now chronicles what went right and what went wrong for WVU football during the offseason?