RJ Young
FOX Sports National College Football Analyst
West Virginia Mountaineers ranking: 21/134
[Check out RJ Young’s ultimate 134 college football rankings here]
Conference ranking: 5th in Big 12 (+1800 to win conference)
Teams ahead of them: Kansas (20), Clemson (19), Kansas State (18), USC (17), Notre Dame (16)
Teams behind them: Texas A&M (22), Arizona (23), Iowa (24), Iowa State (25), Miami (26)
[West Virginia 2024 schedule]
RJ’s take: The Mountaineers lost just one game to an opponent who was never ranked (Houston) in 2023 and scored 34 or more points in each of their last four victories.
And 13 starters return from that nine-win team, none with more potential to be offensive players of the year in the league than running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson. White went for 842 on the ground — including 204 on 21 rushes against Cincinnati — while Donaldson rumbled to 798 yards. I wouldn’t be surprised to find us talking about WVU in 2024 like we did North Carolina in 2020, with dynamic tailbacks Michael Carter and Javonte Williams setting the table for a season that ended in the Orange Bowl.
After folks were coming for his job at the start of 2023, Neal Brown could be forgiven if he believes his team is showing up at the opener against Penn State to not only win but throw down a marker in the race for one of 12 spots in the extended CFP. Put a pop-knot on Penn State, and that’ll be heard like dynamite in a coal mine.
West Virginia Mountaineers’ Win Total Odds: Over 6.5 (-130) Under 6.5 (+110)
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