Are Playoffs Actually a Reasonable Goal for West Virginia in 2026?

Just minutes after West Virginia received a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Kevin Brown earlier this week, head coach Rich Rodriguez hopped on the Pat McAfee Show for a few minutes to discuss the future and why he still believes this program is headed in the right direction despite a tough year one.

At the end, he made a statement that shouldn't really surprise folks, but it may have because WVU hasn't had a coach speak publicly about winning it all in a long time.

"No matter what happens, our culture, our hard edge, our work ethic, our toughness, all that kind of stuff has to be set this year. That's painful sometimes, and the process of doing that. We think we're getting there, but we're not all the way there. It's a hell of a lot easier when you get the right guys on your roster, which we have some, but we're going to have a whole lot more too. This time next year, we expect to be talking about the playoffs and winning championships and all that stuff."

It's not the first time he's discussed the playoffs, but seeing him still confident that it's attainable in year two may have raised some eyebrows. The question is, is it too far-fetched?

Let's break it down.

The offense

West Virginia University quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

The quarterback position seems to have been answered with the emergence of true freshman Scotty Fox Jr. He has a strong arm, is accurate with the football, makes good decisions, takes care of the ball, is athletic, and can make every throw Rich Rod asks him to make. Now, you have to build around him.

Starting with the group up front, of course. Left tackle Nick Krahe and center Landen Livingston are the only two on the current roster who I feel have a spot locked up for 2026. Donovan Haslam has been good at times, but he needs competition. Kevin Brown should be able to come right in and start at right tackle right away, so expect WVU to spend a good chunk of change at the two guard spots.

In the running back room, the Mountaineers will have Jahiem White, Diore Hubbard, and Cyncir Bowers back. In addition to the incoming freshmen, they'll likely add a JUCO back or an FBS transfer to stabilize the room.

If WVU can retain Cam Vaughn and get another year from Jaden Bray, they'll have three receivers they can count on when you throw Rodney Gallagher III into the mix. Adding some more speed there will be a top priority.

The unit is still going to be far from a perfect product, especially when you're leaning on a young quarterback, but it should be night and day better than it is right now. And yes, they're going to be able to run the ball, which will give them a chance in every game they play.

The defense

West Virginia University Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

Up front, they'll have a handful of contributors returning, such as Corey McIntyre Jr., Nate Gabriel, and Asani Redwood, plus some talented youngsters who we haven't seen much of, if at all, in Taylor Brown and Wilnerson Telemaque. They'll add to this group, but I expect they're going to bank on some internal development so that they can address other areas of the roster.

At linebacker, WVU will lose Chase Wilson and Reid Carrico, and while it hurts to lose experienced leaders, the Mountaineers can look to get faster and more athletic in the second level via the portal. At Bandit, Curtis Jones Jr. and MarShon Oxley will give them a nice pass-rushing presence, but don't be surprised if they go out and get one more body for depth purposes.

The secondary, however, is going to have to be completely overhauled. Seniors are littered all over the place at corner, nickel, and both safety spots, so one can assume this will be a portal-heavy group once again in 2026.

We may see more consistent play from the defense next fall, but it may take one more offseason to get this unit where Rich Rod and Zac Alley want it.

The path

West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Non-conference

9/5 vs. Coastal Carolina

9/12 vs. UT Martin

9/19 vs. Virginia (Charlotte, N.C.)

Big 12 play

Home games: Arizona, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma State

Road games: Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah

The verdict

Obviously, no one has any idea as to how good or bad teams will be a year from now, mainly because of the transfer portal. However, we can make some way-too-early judgments and predictions.

The non-conference slate is favorable, with the neutral site game against Virginia being the only game in question. In Big 12 play, it looks like the easier matchups will be at home and the more difficult games will be on the road — ideally, you'd like to have it the other way around. Ames, Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Salt Lake City are all incredibly difficult places to play, so going 2-2 on the road in league play would be considered a major win, in my opinion.

I won't get into any way-too-early predictions of this team until we know who they sign out of high school, who transfers in, and who they can retain. That said, if WVU can take care of business in non-con and protect homefield, they're going to experience a massive leap in 2026 and potentially be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.

The next couple of months are going to be huge for this staff. Can they put together a roster that can win 9+ games? Or will it be just a slight step forward to 6-7 wins? Time will tell, but playoffs in year two aren't as crazy as you'd think. It has happened before. Just look at Arizona State last year. Teams make a surprising turn every year, so why not West Virginia?