WVU Football Jumps Ahead of Rival in Latest ESPN FPI

With the 2025 WVU football season under two weeks away, the expectations for West Virginia remain all over the place. However, the ESPN’s latest Football Power Index does have one interesting adjustment concerning WVU’s placement.

After barely ranking within the top 70 most of the offseason, the Mountaineers currently clock in at No. 56. And while that still suggests a losing season is on the way, West Virginia has managed to jump ahead of their Backyard Brawl rival. Pitt, who will visit WVU on Sept. 13, is now No. 57.

But regardless of the low expectations, Rodriguez, who is being doubted nationally himself in some respects, knows preseason polls don’t matter as much in this era. And for that reason along with his trust in his staff, he remains confident.

“I think our staff has done a good job. I think we have one or two spots left open, but in this ever-changing world of college athletics, it’s been really crazy. But I’ve said this many times. The goal post will move, we gotta move with it,” Rodriguez told WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti directly about having to make tough decisions on who to cut and who to bring in.

WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez at the 2025 Spring Showcase event. (WVSN photo Kelsie LeRose)

“We gotta do everything we can to try to improve our roster every day, not every month but every day.”

While Rodriguez brought West Virginia conference titles and major bowl wins during his first tenure, the Mountaineers are coming off the program’s worst six-year stretch since before Don Nehlen arrived in 1980.

West Virginia failed to even achieve one single ranking in the Associated Press under Neal Brown – they did finish the 2023 season ranked No. 25 in the Coaches Poll.

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.

Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.