The college football season is still over a month away, but as media days kick off, it’s never too early to start thinking ahead. The Big 12 Conference has undergone significant changes with the addition of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah from the Pac-12.
Among the familiar faces is the West Virginia Mountaineers, who ended last season with a 9-4 overall record and a 6-3 conference record. Despite their impressive performance, head coach Neal Brown is displeased with their exclusion from the top 25 rankings, as reported by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.
“I’m both surprised and not surprised,” commented Brown. “Many of these top 25 lists have been released, and our absence is puzzling to me, considering our nine-win season and the talent we have returning.”
Before last season, West Virginia was predicted to finish at the bottom of the Big 12, which did not sit well with Brown. In the preseason Big 12 rankings, the Mountaineers are anticipated to land at No. 7, but they are not commonly found in the top 25 rankings.
Wyatt Milum, the standout offensive tackle, also feels overlooked due to this lack of recognition: “I believe we are underestimated,” Milum expressed. “How can a team that won nine games and has so many returning players be ranked seventh in the preseason poll? I feel disrespected… Why? I don’t know… It is what it is, and we’re determined to prove them wrong.”
Last season, the Mountaineers suffered losses against Penn State, Houston, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma.
This season, they start the year with a home game against Penn State and then play on the road against Pittsburgh two weeks later. Therefore, West Virginia has the opportunity to demonstrate early on whether it deserves a spot in the top 25 rankings.
