Saturday Blitz
Fansided

West Virginia Football: 5 bold predictions for 2017

By Matthew Bartlett

MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Marvin Gross #18 of the West Virginia Mountaineers runs up field after intercepting a pass by Zach Smith #4 of the Baylor Bears in the first quarter during the game at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Marvin Gross #18 of the West Virginia Mountaineers runs up field after intercepting a pass by Zach Smith #4 of the Baylor Bears in the first quarter during the game at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

1. West Virginia makes it to the Big 12 Championship Game

The newly reinstated Big 12 Championship game makes its first appearance in 2017. At this point it looks like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are on a collision course to meet again for Bedlam Part II, but don’t count the Mountaineers out of it yet.

West Virginia has improved their conference finish every season since they joined the Big 12 in 2012. They finished 7-6, eighth in the conference that season. Since then they’ve finished eighth again in 2013, then sixth in 2014, fifth in 2015 and third in 2016. If the trend is to be believed, the Mountaineers next step on the ladder would be a second place finish.

To get there they would have to upset one of the two Oklahoma schools. Oklahoma State seems the more likely of the two since they get the Cowboys at home and have to travel to Norman to play the Sooners. However they achieve it, an appearance in the championship game alone would definitely be cause for celebration in Morgantown.

Next: Ranking the top 50 players in college football in 2017

The Mountaineers could pose a legitimate threat to reach the College Football Playoff, but it’s also entirely possible that they could be the final nail in the Big 12’s coffin. What happens if an undefeated Oklahoma team is knocked off by a one loss WVU in the championship game? The committee very well might prefer a one-loss Big Ten East team to any of the Big 12 options.

No, this isn’t the year for the Mountaineers to make it to the playoff. But a Big 12 Championship game appearance is nothing to scoff at either.

Home/West Virginia Mountaineers