The West Virginia Mountaineers kept their postseason hopes alive for at least one more week on Saturday as they secured their first road win over an AP-ranked Big 12 opponent in seven years and first-ever Big 12 win under head coach Rich Rodriguezin a 45-35 win over No. 22 Houston.
It wasa much needed winfor a WVU football team that entered the weekend 2-6 overall and without a win through five Big 12 games, which set a new record for a conference losing streak for the program. Now, a fan basethat was hopeful after a tight game with TCU last weekseems quite far away from thepessimism and hopelessness they were feelingjust two weeks ago, and the college football landscape is buzzing after a Rich Rodriguez-led team just secured a massive upset that alters the Big 12 championship race and College Football Playoff landscape.
The Mountaineers looked much improved in every facet of the game against the Cougars than they had in the first half of the season, jumping ahead early with a 14-0 lead after failing to score in the first quarter of action since the second game of the season. From there, West Virginia never let Houston do more than tie the game a 21-21 apiece entering the halftime break, and four forced turnovers helped them thwart a talented Cougars' squad that entered the weekend in the top four of the Big 12 standings. Check out the internet's reaction to the excitement below, and let us know your thoughts on the WVU win.
First Big 12 win of Rich Rodriguez's career at West Virginia. The Mountainers were in the Big East during Rich Rod's first tenure.https://t.co/egc4gAx4Kj
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_)November 1, 2025
COUNTRY ROADS 🔥
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB)November 1, 2025
West Virginia knocks off No. 22 Houston❗️pic.twitter.com/y6DlEXXX0V
WEST VIRGINIA UPSETS #22 HOUSTON 45-35 ON THE ROAD 🔥
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings)November 1, 2025
Scotty Fox:
• 222 total yards, 3 total TDspic.twitter.com/sJTMKHcMG2
WEST VIRGINIA UPSETS #22 HOUSTONpic.twitter.com/zoqGVa0Hd2
— Barstool Big 12 (@BarstoolBig12)November 1, 2025
So proud of these guys! Let’s pack Milan Puskar Stadium for a battle against Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes! Congrats@RealCoachRodand@WVUfootball! And have a great rest of the weekend Mountaineer Nation.#HailWVhttps://t.co/CON55dRJrQ
— Wren Baker (@wrenbaker)November 1, 2025
First ranked road win since 2019
— WVU Barstool (@WVUBarstool)November 1, 2025
First win in 7 weeks
First conference win
Most points scored against a P4 opponent since Dana was here
pic.twitter.com/9M6p5nyD1X
Let’s Go Mountaineers
— Tye Edwards (@Tiedd2x)November 1, 2025
The difference in winning upfront = BIG DIFFERENCE.
— Owen Schmitt (@OwenSchmitt35)November 1, 2025
If you aren't going to make the College Football Playoff, at least you can ruin other teams chances at it! 🔥#WVU
— Josh Petry (@Sportsnerdz)November 1, 2025
Wow.. this looks like a whole new team
— john flowers (@jflow41)November 1, 2025
IT’S GAME DAY! We showed a little fight, showed a little life last week! LET’S GOOOOOO MOUNTAINEERS
— Charles Wesley Godwin (@CharlesWesleyG)November 1, 2025
Still not out of bowl eligibility yetpic.twitter.com/oUIYc75it9
— WVU Barstool (@WVUBarstool)November 1, 2025
Mountaineers never quit!https://t.co/N0uPG8EZbd
— Michael Nysewander (@NYSEandeasy)November 1, 2025
Double-digit dogs on the road against a ranked team, and what did@WVUfootballdo?!?#HailWV#CueCountryRoads
— Michael T. Benson (@michaeltbenson)November 1, 2025
So proud of@RealCoachRod, his staff, and these players. What a game.
How's that for#Efforting@3Guys__@TonyCaridi@HoppyKercheval@bradhowe07?!?!https://t.co/1mdvP2cy6d
Upsetting Houston solidifies that 2025 can't go down as the literal worst WVU football season of the modern era. The third win surpasses 1978 and matches the 2001 total. Two of the three current 2025 wins are to bowl teams and one is against a ranked team. Can't be worst season…
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11)November 1, 2025
neal brown will never see valhallapic.twitter.com/jKpRDhxFCx
— The Smoking Musket (@smokingmusket)November 1, 2025
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