WVU Football Enjoys Big Jump in ESPN FPI Thanks to Kansas Win

A lot can change in a week. A week after squandering a late lead against Pitt, WVU rallied to open Big 12 play with a 32-28 win over Kansas. And that victory impressed the ESPN FPI (Football Power Index) enough to warrant a significant jump in their rankings.

The Mountaineers are now at No. 43, getting back within the top 50 following a dip all the way to No. 51 on the heels of the loss in the Backyard Brawl.

West Virginia stormed back from an 11-point deficit in the final minutes on Saturday. Kansas took a 28-17 lead after adding to their advantage in the first couple minutes upon the resumption of play in the fourth quarter. The game was delayed for about two hours with 10:43 left due to severe weather in the area.

Despite all of the negativity swirling around the Mountaineers after blowing a game to a rival, WVU head coach Neal Brown was always confident his team would bounce back. And they did just that, rallying to beat Kansas after trailing by 11 points in the final minutes.

Brown explained the high character of his players is what caused him to never doubt them. Brown said they showed they can overcome adversity by never giving up when faced with another tough loss.

Brown feels the comeback win over Kansas on the heels of the loss to Pitt embodies why the 2024 Mountaineers are a group of fighters.

“This game to me, what I really tried to speak to them all week is this says who you are. They fought and they showed what kind of character and competitive character they had. Big win,” said Brown during his postgame press conference after the game.

It wasn’t just about the players showing up when it mattered the most for Brown either. He made sure to thank the fans, especially those who stayed throughout the entire game.

While the crowd thinned out significantly, and understandably so based on the long weather delay and the way West Virginia was playing at the time, Brown wanted to recognize those who helped to provide an advantage for the home team during their successful comeback attempt.

“I really appreciate the fans who stayed through the delay.”

The resiliency of this group of Mountaineers will be tested again in two weeks. West Virginia will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 18.

WVU currently sits at 2-2 (1-0, Big 12) heading into their first bye week, and one that’s coming at a perfect time to recover, both mentally and physically from an up and down season so far.

For a related story, Neal Brown and his players express being “extra happy” for Rodney Gallagher after he caught the game-winning touchdown to beat Kansas.