Woah! College GameDay Analyst Picks WVU to Pull Off Major Surprise in 2026

If Stanford Steve turns out to be right, it's going to be an exciting year in Morgantown.

Sep 16, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; College football betting analyst Steve Coughlin on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

According to most outsiders, West Virginia will be lucky to make a bowl game in 2026. Those skeptics are turned off by the 80+ new faces that populate the Mountaineers' roster, the small number of returning starters, and a first-year starting quarterback.

What they don't realize is that this year's roster flip is nowhere near the same as last year's, when Rodriguez and Co. had to just throw a team together. They were intentional about who they targeted out of the portal and landed a higher caliber of talent and brought in guys who have a bunch of experience, particularly along the offensive line.

ESPN College GameDay's Stanford Steve is not among the group of skeptics. As a matter of fact, he's expecting big things for the Mountaineers this fall. During an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Show, he was asked who could unseat Texas Tech, and his answer will definitely raise some eyebrows.

“I’m going to go way off the cuff, and if I had to do a quarterback, my favorite one, I look at Rich Rod and Michael Hawkins coming in. Rich Rod with a running quarterback, and then bringing in (Cam) Cook, the NCAA leader…you want a mini Pat White and Steve Slaton back in Morgantown? I think West Virginia is built to surprise a lot of teams. I like the teams that they get at home, so I’m going to say West Virginia plays in the Big 12 title game. That’s my big surprise. I just think to beat Texas Tech, you need something different and possibly outscore ‘em. I’ll take my chances with a West Virginia team with Hawkins, who I think can really succeed in that offense. I know they’re starving there and I think a big year is coming in Morgantown.”

It may not be as crazy as you might think...

Mike Hawkins Sr.

It's hard to know which teams are actually going to be good this year and who isn't. There is a reason why the Big 12 decided to do away with the preseason poll right after Arizona State won the league after being picked to finish dead last a couple of years ago.

Because of how the schedule sets up early in the season, the Mountaineers could get off to a strong start. Yes, the non-conference slate is more manageable, but we're strictly talking about league play here.

WVU's first two games in Big 12 play are against a pair of teams that have first-year head coaches and a huge roster turnover in Oklahoma State and Iowa State. The Cowboys are better positioned to win than the Cyclones this fall, but getting them that early and at home is a great situation for WVU.

After the trip to Ames, they will return home for a two-game homestand against Arizona and Cincinnati. The first four games they play in league action are all winnable, and if they get out to a 3-1 or 4-0 record in the conference, they will be right in the thick of things midway through the year.

The month of November is going to be an absolute gauntlet. WVU will see Texas Tech, Kansas (should win at home), Houston, and Utah. Not to mention, the game before the Texas Tech matchup, they'll face TCU on the road.

I'm not sure West Virginia has what it takes to prove Stanford Steve true, but playing meaningful football in November is certainly within the realm of possibility.