West Virginia Football: 2017 season preview and predictions

The 2017 West Virginia football season is right around the corner and here’s the preview, with some predictions for the upcoming campaign.

West Virginia had a successful 2016 under head coach Dana Holgorsen’s direction. In fact, the Mountaineers finished with a 10-3 record, their best since Holgorsen’s first season in Morgantown back in 2011 when they went to the Orange Bowl.

Following that first 10-win campaign, the Mountaineers went four straight seasons without surpassing the eight-win mark. That’s something that the head coach has to avoid it he wants to remain off the hot seat. One step forward, four steps back is not the ideal way to run a program.

Unfortunately, he’s losing his starting quarterback from last season and a number of starters on both sides of the ball. In fact, the Mountaineers are bringing back just 10 total starters which could make for a rough season in the Big 12. Luckily, the conference is as wide open as it’s been in years and they have a realistic shot of making it to the conference title game.

The Big 12 still hasn’t mastered the divisions aspect yet, so the top two teams will play for the title while the rest of the conference is stuck waiting until next year for another opportunity. That’s something the Big 12 needs to fix.

If West Virginia can get off to the start it did in 2016 — it was 6-0 to start the year — and maintain that competitiveness without wavering in conference play, there’s a good chance this team could be playing for a chance to head to a New Year’s Six Bowl or College Football Playoff.

Let’s take a look at the season preview for the Mountaineers, as well as some predictions.