West Virginia
Rich Rod signs West Virginia contract, with an unique clause
More than seven months after taking the job, Rich Rodriguez has signed his contract to be West Virginia’s head coach.
As detailed by Eer Sports, the signed contract carries over all of the major details of the memorandum that Rodriguez had been working under until now. It’s still a 5-year deal worth a total of $18.5 million. His salary begins at a relatively-modest $3.5 million this year and tops out at $3.9 million. If Rodriguez leaves for another job, he’d owe 25 percent of his remaining salary. If West Virginia fires him without cause, it would owe 50 percent of the remainder.
Where it gets interesting is in the concept of intellectual property, and how WVU plans to profit off it to the program and the coach’s benefit. The contract details three slogans as “Personal Indicia of Coach”: Hard Edge, Hold the Rope, and Spot the Ball. Rodriguez and his representation may have legal grounds to claim ownership over those phrases, and all the financial benefit that comes with them. His contract, however, states that 50 percent of merch sales either sold directly by WVU or licensed to a third party through WVU will go to the football team as directed by Rodriguez and approved by AD Wren Baker. The contract does not stipulate whether that money would be used to purchase new footballs or a new left tackle; it probably depends on how many Hard Edge T-shirts and keychains are sold.
This is probably a wise move by Rodriguez. With the guess that his share of the royalties probably lands somewhere in the five figures — again, total guess — that money is probably best used funneled back in the football program. Whatever dollar figure generated will help him access the real money — bonuses, further years on his contract — by improving the football team, rather than topping off the pile in his bank account.
Elsewhere, Rodriguez’s bonus structure begins at $100,000 for eight regular season wins, and a 12-0 regular season would be worth $700,000. A Big 12 Championship berth will be worth between $100,000 and $250,000, depending on how WVU gets there and whether the Mountaineers win the game or not. (WVU has never made the Big 12 Championship in eight tries.) Postseason bonuses range from $50,000 for a standard bowl berth to $750,000 for a national title. (WVU has never won one.) Rodriguez has “at least” $5 million to spend on his on-field staff and $2.5 million on his off-field staff.
Unlike other head coaching contracts signed under Baker, Rodriguez’s contract does not have an automatic extension trigger. Instead, on or around Dec. 31, 2027, Rodriguez’s camp will sit down with WVU to discuss an extension with the understanding “there is no expectation of an extension, revision, or other additional terms not already stated in this Agreement.”
West Virginia
BYU Cougars at West Virginia Mountaineers odds, picks and predictions
The No. 23 BYU Cougars (20-8, 8-7 Big 12) visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-12, 7-8) Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX) tip from WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the BYU vs. West Virginia odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
BYU has dropped 2 of its last 3 games after falling 97-84 against UCF on Tuesday, failing to cover as a 13.5-point home favorite with the Over (162.5) hitting. F AJ Dybantsa led all scorers with 29 points and G Robert Wright III added 20 as only 3 Cougars players scored in double figures in the upset loss.
West Virginia has dropped 3 games in a row after falling 91-84 in overtime against Oklahoma State on Tuesday, failing to cover as a 1.5-point road underdog with the Over (143.5) hitting. G Honor Huff scored a game-high 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting from 3, while the Mountaineers overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to force OT before running out of gas.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!
BYU at West Virginia odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 10:20 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): BYU -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | West Virginia +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Against the spread (ATS): BYU -1.5 (-115) | West Virginia +1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 142.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
BYU at West Virginia picks and predictions
Prediction
BYU 81, West Virginia 74
PASS.
There is better value on the Cougars to cover the spread.
BET BYU -1.5 (-115).
A win all but guarantees a cover for the Cougars in this matchup with such a slim spread. They have covered in 2 of their last 3 and 3 of their last 5, including back-to-back road games.
Neither side has played particularly well recently, with both teams being 4-6 straight up (SU) and 3-7 ATS over their last 10 games. This matchup will give Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer (25.1 points per game) who earned USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors last week, an opportunity to take over the game.
BET OVER 142.5 (-110).
The Mountaineers have scored at least 74 points in 2 of their last 4 games while allowing 67 or more in 3 of their last 5.
The Cougars have hit the Over in 7 of their last 10 games. They have scored 79 or more points in 4 of their last 5, including 90 or more twice in that span. They have scored 82 or more points in 7 of their last 10 and have allowed at least 86 in 6 of their last 9.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
West Virginia
As Mountaineers try to move forward from recent struggles, freshman sensation Dybantsa awaits – WV MetroNews
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia is mired in a three-game losing streak for the first time under head coach Ross Hodge.
To make the slump a thing of the past, the Mountaineers have to find a way to be successful Saturday against No. 19 BYU when the teams battle at 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside Hope Coliseum for a matchup airing on FOX.
That means contending with freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa, the leading scorer in the Big 12 Conference at 25.1 points and one the top pro prospects in all of college basketball in recent memory.
“He’s definitely worthy of all the praise and attention that he’s gotten,” Hodge said. “What impresses you as much as his talent, which is very impressive, is his commitment to his teammates and how he celebrates those guys and his leadership for a young player on top of what he can do individually.”
At 6-foot-9, Dybantsa has a surplus of size for a primary ball-handler. It’s part of what makes his skill set so unique. He shoots north of 53 percent from the field, averages almost seven rebounds and four assists and shoots more than eight free throws per game thanks in large part to an ability to consistently draw contact.
“He’s a problem in every facet of the game,” Hodge said. “He certainly can distort you in ways that a lot of people can’t because of his size, versatility and fluidity. Typically, in your transition defense, your guards are going to be the ones stopping the ball and he can create an automatic mismatch from the jump because he has the ball in his hands so much.”
The Cougars are relying on Dybantsa even more at present after Richie Saunders suffered a significant season-ending injury. Saunders averaged 18 points and has missed three straight games, and in essence four, as the injury occurred in the first minute of what amounted to an overtime victory against Colorado. Saunders’ 64 three-pointers remain a team high, but Dybantsa has the luxury of another consistent scorer in guard Robert Wright III, who averages 18.1 points and has 50 triples.
BYU averages 84.6 points, good for second among Big 12 teams.
“Do you play [Dybantsa] individually and live with if he gets 35 or 40, or try to shrink gaps and live with are these other guys going to make shots? That is the challenge,” Hodge said. “He’s shown the ability that he can beat you both ways.”
The Cougars (20-8, 8-7) have dropped two of their last three and six of nine since a 17-2 start. Most recently, Central Florida had its way offensively and cruised to a road win over the Cougars, 97-84, on Tuesday.
WVU (16-12, 7-8) has lost three straight by a total of 18 points, most recently suffering a 91-84 overtime setback at Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
The Mountaineers struggled to get stops for much of the contest, with Hodge referring to the first half of that game as his team’s worst defensive half of the season.
Still, much like the game before at TCU, the win was there for the taking late and the Mountaineers were unable to close strong.
West Virginia continues to put itself in position where it’s required to overcome significant second-half deficits, and while the Mountaineers have often caught up or led late, they’ve been unable to pull through recently.
WVU has played eight straight games decided by 10 or fewer points and recorded a 3-5 record over that time.
“The initial aftermath of any loss you’re going to be disappointed, but we’re mature enough and from a leadership standpoint,” Hodge said. “It’s hard not to just fall into the trap of you win and you’re great, you lose and you’re terrible. We’ve been fortunate enough to win some one-possession games that easily could’ve went the other way and the last three games we were in easily could’ve went our way, but they didn’t.
“But you’re not looking at an insurmountable mountain to climb. A block out here, a free throw there, a rebound here, a made shot here, a missed shot here, that’s the difference in what you’re dealing with. Do you have the emotional intelligence and maturity to stay the course and stay together, which this group does better than anybody I’ve been around, and still find a level of excitement in what you’re doing every day. That’s where if you love basketball and love each other and love challenges, then you’re going to be in the right place. There’s going to be a certain level of excitement even in the midst of disappointing times.”
West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Daily 3, Daily 4 on Feb. 26, 2026
The results are in for the West Virginia Lottery’s draw games on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on Feb. 26.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
1-1-7
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
3-8-8-2
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 25 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
02-03-09-11-13-19
Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
- Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
World3 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana6 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO3 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT