Nov 24, 2025
West Virginia head coach Wealthy Rodriguez shouts to his gamers through the second half of an NCAA school soccer recreation towards Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photograph/Ross D. Franklin)
After WVU’s win over Houston, there have been hopes that WVU had an opportunity to make a bowl recreation. The crew broke a shedding streak and was 3-6 on the yr.
The subsequent take a look at was towards a beatable Colorado crew, and the Mountaineers capitalized, so all that stood in the best way had been Arizona State and Texas Tech.
The Solar Devils didn’t have quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was executed for the season, and though it was a troublesome hill to climb towards the Pink Raiders, the sport is at residence. There was the thought that there was an opportunity.
The dream stopped earlier than it may actually have some legs.
WVU fell to Arizona State 25-23 in crushing vogue, shedding on a late fourth-quarter area aim. Similar to that, the Mountaineers had their seventh lack of the season, transferring them out of bowl rivalry.
The Mountaineers made it shut, at the very least. It was trying bleak within the second quarter when ASU scored 15 unanswered, and if it weren’t for the lengthy Jeff Weimer landing, WVU would’ve been down 22-3 on the half.
On a pair extra massive performs, WVU got here all the best way again and took the lead. Then, the Mountaineers let quarterback Jeff Sims get into area aim vary to win the sport.
Making a bowl recreation was a protracted shot to start with, particularly after shedding 5 straight Large 12 video games and most by 20-plus factors. It was an thrilling two weeks because the Houston win, however actuality set in rapidly with the loss to the Solar Devils.
After shedding all these video games, WVU didn’t deserve a bowl recreation. There have been too many dangerous losses for a crew trying to play postseason soccer. The Mountaineers misplaced to Ohio, who’s 6-4 on the yr, and WVU misplaced its first 5 Large 12 video games.
For many, the aim of Rodriguez’s first season again was to be aggressive and be a prime crew within the Large 12. That wasn’t lifelike with all of the turnover, the brand new gamers, the teaching workers and a brand new scheme. A extra lifelike aim was to make a bowl recreation, however nonetheless, that appeared fairly arduous.
There have been favorable video games, trying forward, however after the season went on, the Mountaineers’ schedule was fairly troublesome. It had Pitt, Utah, BYU, Houston, Arizona State, and Texas Tech. All six of these groups had been, and a few are nonetheless, ranked within the prime 25.
The expectation that athletic director Wren Baker had of simply creating some momentum in 12 months 2 was extra lifelike. Thus far, it appears like Rodriguez has executed that.
Ever because the UCF loss, WVU has received or been aggressive sufficient to have an opportunity in profitable, and a few of these video games had been towards the highest groups within the Large 12. That’s encouraging for the years to return below Rodriguez.
WVU is on a bye this week after which will get Texas Tech at residence. The Pink Raiders are the perfect crew within the Large 12, and can most definitely be a 20-point favourite. WVU has a slim probability of profitable. However how about simply making the sport aggressive? Give the WVU followers a motive to remain till the fourth quarter.
That’ll give followers a motive to be excited for 12 months 2 of Rodriguez.
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