How WVU Football Should Fill Out Its Non-Conference Schedule Through 2036

Things are pretty quiet on the conference realignment front (for now), and it's likely because there are more pressing issues at hand regarding eligibility, transfer rules, NIL, and so forth. It feels like only a matter of time before we see more movement again, and there's no telling what that could look like or when it will happen.

For today's exercise, we're going to completely ignore a realignment timeline because, quite frankly, it's impossible to know what the future holds.

I have no idea what the future opponents of WVU football will look like, either, but I love looking at future schedules and thinking of all the possibilities that could be in play. So that being said, I'm going to go through the next 10 years of WVU football's non-conference schedule and give some ideas as to who they should play. Again, just flying with the assumption that WVU remains in the Big 12 and the non-con schedule stays at three games.

Note: The 2027-30 seasons are complete, so I'm not giving anything there. Just want to include so you can see who is coming up. Games with an asterisk are the opponents I'm suggesting. Others listed are already on the Mountaineers' schedule.

2027

9/4 vs. Southern Miss
9/11 vs. VMI
9/18 vs. Ohio

2028

9/2 vs. Tennessee (Charlotte, NC)
9/9 vs. Youngstown State
9/16 vs. Akron

2029

9/1 vs. Ohio
9/8 at Pitt
9/15 vs. Robert Morris

2030

8/31 vs. Rhode Island
9/7 vs. Pitt
9/14 vs. Akron

2031

8/30 vs. VMI
9/6 at Pitt
* vs. Bowling Green

2032

9/4 vs. Virginia (Charlotte, NC)
9/11 vs. Pitt
* vs. Duquesne

2033

* vs. Youngstown State
9/10 at Pitt
* vs. Old Dominion

2034

* vs. Robert Morris
9/9 vs. Pitt
* vs. Virginia Tech (in Washington, D.C.)

2035

9/8 at Pitt
* vs. South Florida
* vs. William & Mary

2036

* vs. Eastern Kentucky
9/13 vs. Pitt
* at South Florida

The reasoning behind each opponent

Bowling Green & Old Dominion

Bowling Green has played West Virginia three times, all of which were in Morgantown and were just one-game series each time. Because they won't get a return game and you're not doing a 2-for-1, it might be a little costly, but nothing WVU hasn't done before. The same goes for Old Dominion, although the two have never met in football.

Duquesne, Youngstown State, Robert Morris, William & Mary, and Eastern Kentucky

These FCS schools are all programs West Virginia has played before, and usually, they like to schedule as locally as possible for those FCS games. Plus, to balance out the non-conference schedule, you need these types of opponents each year. Strength of schedule no longer matters, so you're doing yourself a disservice by not having an FCS game.

Virginia Tech

Everyone would love to see the Mountaineers and Hokies play for the Black Diamond Trophy annually, but unless they end up in the same conference at some point, it's just not going to happen. I tried to do a home-and-home, but it didn't look like something Virginia Tech or WVU would be down to do because of how their other games on the schedule fall. In 2033, 2035, and 2037, they already have road games at Notre Dame, Alabama, and Ole Miss, so it's safe to assume they don't want to play a second Power Four game on the road in those seasons. The best I could figure out for both sides is a neutral site game in the new home of the Washington Commanders, which is scheduled to open in 2030. One game is a lot easier to do right now for both schools.

South Florida

On the schedule, it looks like a home-and-home, but I actually have it as a 2-for-1 with a second home game for WVU in 2037. You just don't see it because we're only going through the 2036 season. An old Big East foe that is typically a strong Group of Six team, which can present some challenges. You want to schedule wins in non-conference, but you also want to be tested to some degree. I think USF gives you that.

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