Three Former Mountaineers Take the Field in Tonight’s College Football Title Game

A few folks who spent some time in Morgantown are chasing a national championship ring tonight.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks the sideline Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, during the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tonight, the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes will square off in the 2026 College Football National Championship. As the saying goes, “There’s a West Virginia connection everywhere,” and that certainly applies here, with three former Mountaineers taking part on the sport’s biggest stage.

Curt Cignetti: Indiana Head Coach

Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti speaks at the coaches press conference during the College Football Playoff on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cignetti was a quarterback for the Mountaineers from 1979-82, sitting behind Oliver Luck and Kevin White. Shortly after his career ended, he got into the coaching business, starting out as a GA at heated rival Pitt. I'm sure with the way his dad, Frank, was treated, particularly at the end of his head coaching tenure, soured his relationship with WVU, so going to Pitt wasn't a huge surprise, especially for a Pittsburgh native.

He's become the darling of college football, turning the losingest program in the country into a powerhouse overnight. Tonight, he'll have the opportunity to do the unthinkable: bring a national title back to Bloomington.

Shannon Dawson: Miami Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach

Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dawson landed his first FBS job on Dana Holgorsen's staff back in 2011 as the team's wide receivers coach. In 2012, his title changed to wide receiver coach/offensive coordinator (although he didn't call the plays), and then served as the OC and quarterbacks coach from 2013-14, playing a key role in the development of Clint Trickett. Dawson left WVU to become the offensive coordinator at Kentucky, where he could branch out and grow as a coach, getting the opportunity to call plays. He lasted one year in Lexington, which led to a three-year stint at Southern Miss. He reunited with Dana in 2019 in Houston and was there through the 2022 season before ultimately landing at Miami.

Akheem Mesidor: Defensive Lineman

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) against the Mississippi Rebels during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Yes, Mesidor is still in college, believe it or not. The once-talented freshman Mountaineer star is one win away from ending his collegiate career with a bang. Mesidor was someone Neal Brown and Co. had hoped to build around on the defensive side of the ball, but he was essentially lured away right when the portal really became a thing, and NIL was not on the table at the time. This season, Mesidor has been a force for the Canes, registering 60 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

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