WVU’s Spot in CBS Sports' Rankings Might Surprise You After Kansas Meltdown

A slight fall for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Oran Singleton Jr. (3) runs the ball during the first half of the game against Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Sept. 20, 2025. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Things couldn't have gone worse for the Mountaineers in the Big 12 opener. The offensive line play, somehow, took a step BACK from the poor play they've put on tape through the first three games, and with Tye Edwards out, West Virginia had zero rushing attack.

Despite the 41-10 beatdown, the Mountaineers only dropped one spot in CBS Sports' rankings of all 136 FBS teams, down to No. 66. I figured they would certainly drop out of the top 80 after that performance, but clearly, they still have some belief that WVU will be able to get back on track be it this week versus Utah or at some point this season.

What's even more confusing is that Pitt is 10 spots ahead of West Virginia, and Ohio is five spots behind them. I understand you can't always measure head-to-head results, but this early in the season, I think it makes sense, considering we're still learning how good/bad these teams truly are.

This week's opponent, Utah, is ranked 24th.

How high could WVU rise with a win over the Utes?

I'm not exactly sure how CBS goes about putting these rankings together, but a win over a top 25 team (by their standards) would likely catapult them inside the top 50. You probably won't see some major jump because of all the glaring concerns WVU has, specifically on offense. Plus, given that Utah is making the cross-country trip off a loss, perhaps it could be a letdown spot for them. For WVU, it's an opportunity to get right at home, where they've played significantly better.

How far could WVU drop if they lose to the Utes?

A loss, I would assume, would only drop WVU a few spots, maybe around No. 70. If it's a blowout loss where they lose by 30+ points again, well, that could call for a dramatic drop, possibly outside of the top 80. But who knows?

West Virginia and Utah will tee the ball up at 3:30 p.m. ET this Saturday.

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