Sunday Morning Thoughts: It’s Time to Believe in WVU Football Again

It's been a minute since Mountaineer fans truly felt good about the football program and the direction it was headed in.

Even when they won nine games in 2023, there was still a lot of doubt, and rightfully so, given the light schedule they had and how that regime had done nothing to that point to earn the trust of the fan base.

Last night was only one game, but it was all you needed to see to believe again.

Rich Rodriguez has been here before, literally and figuratively. He knows how to build a winner. He just needs time to find his guys and develop them. There's a different feeling after big wins like the one over Virginia because he's taken WVU to places only he and Don Nehlen have. There is trust in the coach, not some catchy motto.

I'll admit, I picked Virginia to beat the Mountaineers in Charlotte, but as I said all week leading up to the game, pulling off the upset wasn't impossible. It's not as if Virginia was some absolute juggernaut that could not be stopped.

They just had to play a clean football game and play four quarters of defense for the first time this season, and they did. Hats off to Zac Alley and the rest of that defensive staff (and players) for answering the bell.

But if we're all honest here for a second, there were a bunch of reasons to doubt this team, or perhaps just question their ability to beat a ranked team this early in the season.

The defense had a horrible second half against Coastal Carolina, began Week 2 by giving up a bunch of yardage to UT Martin, and really struggled to generate quick stops — just two three-and-outs in those games. They had five on Saturday night. FIVE.

Sep 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) runs along the sidelines for yards against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Offensively, Rich Rod hadn't opened up the playbook a ton, and while it did hide some things from Virginia, it also hid this offense's potential from the WVU fans and media. Look, I had heard since about midway through spring ball how dangerous this offense could be, but until we actually see it against legitimate competition, you just never know. And boy, oh boy, did that group look awfully good last night. 316 yards rushing and 14 explosive plays, half of which went 20+ yards... incredible stuff against a salty, veteran defense.

This team is fully capable of getting on a roll here to begin the season and put itself squarely in a conversation that very few thought was possible. They have the quarterback, a stud at running back, a veteran offensive line that is starting to figure some things out, and a defense that is only going to get better as the season moves along.

And mind you, I felt like this would be a "set the table" kind of year for the Mountaineers. It could still very well end up being that, but right now, they look like a team that is ahead of schedule. That confidence is only going to continue to grow with each win, and you've heard me say it a million times, and I'll say it a million more: a young team that believes can do something special.

The part of this that should really make West Virginia fans excited is how this group plays the game. Remember when Rich Rod said he wants to get it to a point where even the most casual fan who doesn't know much about the X's and O's can tell when his team is playing hard? This team is that.

They get after it on every single play, and there were a handful of guys playing through some stuff last night, too. The offensive line was getting movement: Cam Cook and Mike Hawkins Jr. ran hard, and man, the defense absolutely lit some dudes up. That's what a Rich Rodriguez-coached football team looks like. That's what West Virginia football should look like, regardless of how much talent is on the roster.

Last night was a fun one for the Old Gold and Blue, but it's just the start. Hard edge football is back.

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