Time to Panic? Neal Brown Explains Why Everything Will Be Just Fine for WVU

Overreactions from Week 1 are pouring in after West Virginia's season-opening loss.

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Losing to No. 8 Penn State isn't the end of the world. I've said that all offseason/preseason long and it remains true after the fact.

That being said, West Virginia can't continue to play the way they did on Saturday against the Nittany Lions or they're going to be in for a long season. This week is a chance to get right as they host FCS opponent Albany in a game they will be heavily favored in.

“It’s not going to make or break us," WVU head coach Neal Brown said Monday. "The frustrating thing is you work to get to a point where you play a game that’s on a national stage and we just didn’t produce. There’s no reason to be in denial about it. It is what it is. Our season is still in front of us. There’s been a lot of good West Virginia teams that got beat by Penn State in its history and bounced back and have had special years and there’s no reason why this team can’t do the same.”

There's no need to panic, at least not yet.

Now that the College Football Playoff has expanded to twelve teams, losing a game in non-conference play doesn't impact you as much as it once did. I wouldn't advise it, but heck, you could go 0-3 in non-conference, go 7-2 in league play and win the Big 12 title, and punch your ticket to the CFP with an 8-5 record AND receive a bye as a top four team. Sounds silly, but that's the world we're in right now.

Penn State has been pointing to this 2024 team for the last couple of years. They feel like this is their shot to really contend for a national championship. And while they didn't play their best on Saturday either, they still found a way to win the game in convincing fashion, and did so on the road. That's the mark of a really good football team.

To Neal's point, just because you lost to a really good team doesn't mean the season is over. Everything you want to accomplish is still in front of you and you control your own destiny - Big 12 title, College Football Playoff, etc. When WVU lost to Penn State last year, what happened? They went on to win nine of their final twelve games. Will history repeat itself? Maybe, maybe not. But regardless, it's way too early to lose all hope in the 2024 season. Now, if they look flat again on Saturday against an FCS opponent, then it'll be time to hammer that panic button harder than Judge Judy swinging her gavel on the sound block.

West Virginia vs. Albany is scheduled for a 6 p.m. EST kick and will be available to stream on ESPN+.

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