The New 14? A New Number for WVU to Use as Motivation

Are we overhyping the Mountaineers in 2024? FanDuel thinks so.

West Virginia is being overlooked once again. I know this comes as no surprise as the Mountaineers have always been looked down upon over the years, but this is a whole new level of disrespect.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, WVU's projected win total for the 2024 season sits at 6.5. Yes, you read that correctly - that is not a typo. 6.5.

My first thought was, wow, how nice of FanDuel to be just handing out free money to bettors backing the over. Then it kicked in, this is the new 14.

As you all know, West Virginia was picked to finish 14th in the Big 12 Conference in 2023 by the media and they used that as their rallying cry throughout the entire season. Not that they needed any extra motivation, but the narrative of being the worst team in your league heading into the season adds fuel to the fire. 

WVU not only avoided finishing dead last, but they made the media look like fools, finishing the year with a 9-4 record and a fourth place finish in the league. What's most impressive about the success is that they did it all with a first-year starting quarterback, several underclassmen playing at a high level, and a coach who entered the season on the hot seat.

And before I get into my spiel about the 6.5 number being considerably low, yes, I do understand that in some respects the 2024 schedule is more challenging.

But here's the thing, you get seven of those games at home. You'll also have a pretty strong contingent of Mountaineer fans at two of the five road games - at Pitt and at Cincinnati. From a rowdy environment standpoint, it's pretty manageable. The trips to Tucson, Stillwater, and Lubbock are no picnic but again...it's manageable. 

Offensively, you return one of the best running back duos in the Big 12 in CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White. Assuming Garrett Greene continues to make strides in the passing game, the offense is going to be difficult for opposing teams to stop.

On the other side of the ball, there is internal belief that the unit will see improvement thanks to having more speed, athleticism, and the most important thing - depth. Jordan Lesley had to work at a disadvantage due to injuries at the linebacker position and in the secondary, forcing him to play guys that maybe weren't necessarily ready for a big-time role. If this group stays healthy, there's no reason to believe they won't improve upon what they did in 2023.

Most teams coming off a nine-win season with their quarterback returning have high expectations. We're talking about being in the conversation for a conference championship and maybe even a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff. 

But 6.5 wins is the projected number for WVU? What am I missing here? 

On paper, this is the most talented team Neal Brown has ever had at West Virginia. I'm not ready to proclaim the Mountaineers as a frontrunner to win the Big 12 and fly past the 6.5 win total, however, I don't see any scenario in which they record less than eight wins. That's worst case scenario for me. 

Maybe 6.5 is 2024's version of 14, at least it should be.

In the Gun: WVU Football GM Drew Fabianich

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