West Virginia Mountaineers 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the West Virginia Mountaineers 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 West Virginia Mountaineers roster and what to expect in the Big 12 this season. Is Rich Rodriguez the right man to get the Mountaineers back on the rise in year two? Can West Virginia bounce back after a 4-8 season that included a 2-3 mark in one-score games?
Can Michael Hawkins Jr. spark a Rich Rodriguez offense that ranked 96th in total offense a year ago? Will the redshirt sophomore transfer from Oklahoma build on his 147 pass attempts and 84 rush attempts? Can offensive returners around 57 percent production give Hawkins enough support? How does Zac Alley fix a defense that finished 106th nationally with no returning starters? Can that unit climb after ranking 129th against the pass? How does the Big 12 schedule set up with Coastal Carolina, a neutral-site clash with Virginia, and road tests against TCU, Texas Tech and Utah? And where’s the betting value on the West Virginia win total, Big 12 odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Rich Rodriguez Has A Cool Seat In Year Two
This West Virginia Mountaineers 2026 preview opens with a coach who is not going anywhere. Rich Rodriguez is back in Morgantown, and the deck rates his seat a 1 out of 10, one of the coolest marks in the Big 12. First, the deck logs a 64-34 coaching record for Rodriguez. Then it grades the state of the program an 8 out of 10 and calls it on the rise. Also, West Virginia went 4-8 a year ago, so year two carries real weight. Because the Mountaineers went 2-3 in one-score games, small margins shaped the record. Wins over Pitt and Colorado landed, while losses to Ohio, TCU and Arizona State stung.
Michael Hawkins And A Rich Rod Offense Reset
West Virginia’s offense ranked 96th nationally in total offense in 2025, with scoring offense sitting 110th. Rich Rodriguez runs the offense himself, so the system sets up around his quarterback. First, Michael Hawkins Jr. arrives as a redshirt sophomore transfer from Oklahoma. Then the deck notes he played nine games with five starts, logging 147 pass attempts and 84 rush attempts. Also, the passing game ranked 103rd while the run game held up better at 64th. Meanwhile the group returns 57 percent of its production, so Hawkins gets some pieces around him. Because Hawkins logged 84 rush attempts, he brings a dual-threat look.
Zac Alley’s Defense Starts Over
Zac Alley runs the West Virginia defense, and he has a big rebuild on his hands. First, the unit ranked 106th nationally in total defense a season ago. Then the pass defense finished 129th, the weakest number on the sheet. Also, the scoring defense sat 113th while the run defense held up at 61st. Meanwhile the deck lists no returning defensive starters, so the group returns just 46 percent of its production. Because so many pieces are new, Alley has to rebuild the back end fast in the Big 12.
The Schedule, Morgantown And The Win Total
West Virginia opens at home against Coastal Carolina before UT Martin visits. First, a neutral-site date with Virginia follows in week three. Then Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Arizona arrive in a tough Big 12 stretch. After that, Cincinnati, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas, Houston and Utah round out the slate. What does a Saturday feel like at Milan Puskar Stadium when Morgantown packs in? The deck sets the West Virginia win total at 5.5, with the Mountaineers at plus 6000 to win the Big 12 and plus 4000 to make the College Football Playoff. So the hosts weigh the over against a cool seat and a program on the rise.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:18 Welcome and Hosts
06:54 Rich Rod Year One Recap
11:51 Program History and Staff
17:34 Offense Rebuild and Hawkins
26:56 Defense Overhaul
30:39 NIL Beer Talk
36:44 The Goat NIL Bar
43:37 Old Madam Mama’s Debauchery
49:19 Morgantown Tailgate Chaos
54:13 Stadium Love Letter
55:36 Program State Debate
1:00:21 Week One Blowout Pick
1:05:23 Neutral Site UVA Grudge
1:09:03 Big 12 Runway Starts
1:16:30 Bye Week Nostalgia
1:17:10 Stretch Run Predictions
1:23:15 Win Total Value Bets
1:25:55 Rivals We Want Back
1:28:02 Wrap Up and Anthem
