What does the national media think about West Virginia football entering the 2026 season?
In this episode, I break down Athlon Sports’ 2026 College Football Preview Magazine and examine what it reveals about the Mountaineers, the Big 12, and the landscape of college football as a whole.
I always enjoy getting a national perspective this time of year. Whether it’s Athlon, Lindy’s, or Phil Steele, these preseason magazines provide a valuable opportunity to zoom in on WVU while also zooming out and seeing where the Mountaineers fit within the bigger picture.
In this video, I discuss:
🏈 Athlon ranking WVU 10th in the Big 12 preseason standings
🏈 West Virginia’s projected bowl destination: the Independence Bowl in Shreveport against Kennesaw State
🏈 Cam Cook being WVU’s lone preseason All-Big 12 selection
🏈 The Mountaineers’ highly regarded recruiting class, which Athlon ranks second in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech
🏈 Kevin Brown becoming one of the conference’s highest-rated recruits
🏈 Why WVU wasn’t featured in Athlon’s “games to watch”
🏈 The magazine’s projected depth chart, scouting report, and final analysis for the Mountaineers
I also spend time looking at Athlon’s national rankings and what they reveal about the current state of college football.
The talent gap between the SEC, Big Ten, and everyone else remains enormous. For WVU, the challenge is climbing out of the “crab pot” that is the Big 12—winning games, developing NFL talent, producing all-conference players, and recruiting at a consistently high level.
Is Athlon too low on West Virginia? Is 10th in the Big 12 fair? And what does a national ranking of No. 50 really say about the current state of the program?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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