I’m done with the disrespect angle.
We’re past the “woe is me” reactions every time the national media picks West Virginia football to be, frankly, not very good. There will be a temptation among Mountaineer fans to look at the latest preseason rankings and reach for the most familiar word in the program’s vocabulary. Read more: Respect isn’t given. WVU football must earn it
Disrespect.
Not so fast, my friend
The truth is, the national media is treating West Virginia exactly as it should.
Respect isn’t handed out because a coaching staff had a productive offseason. It isn’t earned because recruiting rankings improved or because the transfer portal brought in recognizable names. And it certainly isn’t awarded based on what fans believe Rich Rodriguez can accomplish in Year 2 of his return to Morgantown.
If you look around the country, there is remarkable consistency in how national outlets view the Mountaineers entering the 2026 season. ESPN’s Football Power Index projects West Virginia to finish with roughly five or six wins and places them near the bottom of the Big 12. An unofficial preseason poll of media members who cover all 16 conference schools slotted WVU 13th in the league. KSL Sports also ranked the Mountaineers 13th, while Athlon Sports was somewhat more optimistic, projecting West Virginia to reach a bowl game but still placing it in the conference’s middle-to-lower tier rather than among its contenders.
In other words, there isn’t some coordinated effort to slight West Virginia. There is a national consensus.
The Mountaineers have intriguing talent. They also have plenty to prove.
Results matter
The last impression West Virginia left wasn’t a breakthrough performance or a dramatic late-season surge. It was a 49-0 home loss to Texas Tech. Before that, there were lopsided defeats to Utah and UCF. Those results don’t disappear because the calendar flipped to July.
That’s not an insult. That’s accountability.
Could this team be dramatically better? Absolutely.
The roster is stronger. Rodriguez has had another offseason to reshape the program in his image. The transfer portal produced legitimate talent, including one of the nation’s most productive running backs in Cam Cook. There are real reasons for optimism. But the head coach isn’t asking anyone to buy into the hype, either.
“I feel confident we’ll be a lot better this year,” said Rodriguez at his weekly presser. “Probably a lot better than people predict, but we’ve got to prove that first.”
But optimism and proof are two very different things. West Virginia won’t have to wait long to change the narrative. It starts with Coastal Carolina.
Hit the ground running
This isn’t just another season opener. It’s the first opportunity to show that all the talk about the offseason optimism, better depth and another year in Rodriguez’s system translates into winning football. West Virginia doesn’t necessarily need to win by 40 points, but it should look like the better football team from the opening kickoff.
Related: Rich Rodriguez says WVU built 2026 roster around competition, production
Then comes UT Martin. Then Virginia in Charlotte. By the time Oklahoma State arrives in Morgantown to open Big 12 play, the Mountaineers should have every opportunity to be 3-0 and carrying real momentum.
That’s how respect is earned.
Every preseason prediction is simply an opinion based on what happened yesterday. The only way to change tomorrow’s opinion is to play better football today.
WVU has every opportunity to do exactly that. Win the games you’re supposed to win. Build momentum. Show that last season is behind you.
The national media doesn’t owe West Virginia the benefit of the doubt. The Mountaineers have every opportunity to prove them wrong.
