The West Virginia Mountaineers did not have a great season in 2025, finishing with just four wins at the end of the year and missing the postseason for the first time since 2022. But the Mountaineers have put in the work on the recruiting trail to build a better roster, and entering fall camp, head coach Rich Rodriguez enters the season seemingly happier with the talent he has assembled.
But so much of how a season plays out has to do with the opponents you're set to face on the field. With fall camp set to start next week and the first game in just over a month, let's take a quick look at each game on the schedule this season, and what we think the outcome will be each contest.
Predicting WVU football's win-loss record in 2026
vs. Coastal Carolina: 31-14 win
Coastal is welcoming a new head coach and is coming off back-to-back 6-7 seasons. They'll likely get some points on the board as West Virginia shakes off the rust, but this isn't a Group of 5 team like Ohio was last year.
vs. UT-Martin: 56-7 win
The Mountaineers will want to make a statement, and this is their opportunity. The offense should be much better this year, and an FCS opponent will serve as a proper tune-up.
vs. Virginia: 28-21 win
The Cavaliers are coming off a wildly successful season, but lose their starting quarterback and a lot of talent. Neither of their quarterbacks (Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein) standout, and WVU has beaten one of them with a worse team on the field. Fans should travel well to Charlotte, and the Mountaineers can use that atmosphere to power to a close win.
vs. Oklahoma State: 35-31 loss
This might be an unpopular opinion, but Oklahoma State welcomes a head coach who took North Texas to the brink of the playoffs last year, and he is bringing one of the best quarterbacks in the country with him, as well as much of the rest of the roster from that team. This team could surprise many Big 12 opponents, including WVU.
at Iowa State: 38-3 win
Iowa State lost their head coach late in the cycle, and return nearly no signoificant experience from last year. Before Matt Campbell, the program was dismal, and given the circumstances, they will likely be the worst team in the Big 12 this year. This should be an easy win.
vs. Arizona: 35-24 loss
This is a home game, but Arizona was sneakily good last year, and return a veteran starting quarterback and a coach with a proven track record of winning. WVU could be riding high after an easy win and get caught with their pants down here.
vs. Cincinnati: 42-14 win
Cincinnati started strong last year, but regressed to average by the end of the season. They also lost their starting quarterback, though that ended up being a blessing in disguise. But the Bearcats offer a very winnable game in front a home crowd.
at TCU: 28-24 win
This is the game we're least confident in, and that is most likely to go the other day. West Virginia almost beat TCU last year, and they'll be coming off a bye week here. Starting quarterback Josh Hoover is also gone. But TCU is always a formidable opponent with a top-tier coach, and this will be in Fort Worth. We think WVU pulls out a narrow victory.
at Texas Tech: 42-21 loss
Brendan Sorsby or not, Texas Tech has a loaded roster that was bought at quite a hefty price. Expect West Virginia to be more competitive this year against t Red Raiders, but especially with the game taking place in Lubbock, this is a likely loss.
vs. Kansas: 45-42 win
Kansas walloped West Virginia last year, but they are not historically a good team. They also have offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki returning, who led their best offenses under current head coach Lance Leipold before leaving for two seasons – against a Rich Rodriguez offense, that could spell for a barn burner. We expect the Mountaineers to earn a thrilling win at home, but narrowly.
vs. Houston: 38-28 loss
This one is at home, but Houston was one of the best teams in the league last year and are expected to be just as good, if not better, in 2026. Willie Fritz is one of the few active coaches who compares to Rich Rodriguez in career wins, and we're not expecting him to let West Virginia get two in a row after the Mountaineers pulled off the upset last year.
vs. Utah: 42-24 loss
With a new head coach, there is a possibility that Utah will take a step back this ear. But it's not expected that they'll take such a step back that they'll fall to West Virginia at Rice-Eccles Stadium. WVU will get some points on the board, but expect a season-ending loss here.
Overall record: 7-5
A couple of these games could flip the other way and spell disaster for Rich Rodriguez, but if things go as well as Rodriguez thinks they can with this group, it's also very possible that the Mountaineers will get back to a winning record and a bowl game.
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