Ranking WVU’s non-conference football opponents (13-7)
With numerous non-conference opponents scheduled for the future, West Virginia has a wide variety when it comes to its early season matchups for the next few seasons.
WVSports.com takes a look at these non-conference matchups and ranks them. Today we start from No.'s 13-7.
13. Indiana State (2021 in Morgantown)
Indiana State is coming off an 0-11 season under head coach Curt Mallory, who is now entering his second season at the helm. The Sycamores have gone just since 18-41 2013 with their lone winning season during that span coming in 2014 which ended with a 35-14 loss to No. 8 Chattanooga in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
This matchup is still three years away, but for now, this contest has a similar feel as last season’s did leading up to the Delaware State game.
12. Eastern Kentucky (2020 in Morgantown)
Eastern Kentucky lost to Indiana State in the first round of the FCS playoffs in 2014 and like Indiana State, the Colonels haven’t been back to the postseason ever since. The team posted a 6-5 record in 2015, but have suffered two straight losing seasons since then, finishing with a combined 7-15 record.
The Colonels have room to improve under head coach Mark Elder who will be entering his third year this season, but Eastern Kentucky doesn’t pose a threat to the Mountaineers for the time being.
11. Youngstown State (2018 in Morgantown)
In Bo Pelini’s second season at the helm, the Penguins gave West Virginia a scare in the first half during the 2016 contest as the two teams went into halftime tied at 14. Youngstown State racked up over 400 yards against Tony Gibson’s defense, but Skyler Howard and the Mountaineers outscored the Penguins, 24-7, in the second half to earn a 38-21 victory.
Pelini helped lead the Penguins to the FCS National Championship Game that season, but the team took somewhat of a step back last season, finishing with a 6-5 record. It’s certain that Pelini will have his team ready for this battle again as West Virginia now knows not to take FCS teams like the Penguins lightly.
10. East Carolina (2026 in Greenville, North Carolina)
The Pirates still look to be in rebuilding mode heading into Scottie Montgomery’s third season with the team. East Carolina posted an 8-5 record in 2014 and the season ended with a 28-20 loss to Florida in the Birmingham Bowl, but the Pirates haven’t had a winning season since, going just 11-25 in the past three seasons combined.
That 2014 season was the last with offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley who is now the head coach at Oklahoma.
This game between West Virginia and East Carolina is still eight years away and the two programs could be very different then, but the matchup isn’t too intriguing considering West Virginia’s 19-3 all-time record against the Pirates which includes last season’s 56-20 rout at Mountaineer Field. Keep in mind too that these teams also had an eight-year gap prior to last season’s matchup.
9. Missouri (2019 in Columbia, Missouri)
Missouri had a three-win improvement from head coach Barry Odom’s first season in 2016 to last season, but the Tigers struggled against top competition and carved out a 7-0 against teams who missed out on bowl games and 0-6 record against those that didn’t.
The Tigers will have a bit of a new look on offense under new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley with potential first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft, Drew Lock, returning as well.
By the time 2019 comes, the Mountaineers won’t have to worry about facing Lock, but facing Missouri on the road will still present a challenge to the Mountaineers, especially if the Tigers can continue to progress under Odom. Missouri will see where it’s at next season in an SEC East Division that will most likely improve after a weak showing from teams like Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt last year.
8. Maryland (2020 in Morgantown, 2021 in College Park Maryland)
The Terrapins have accumulated a 10-15 record under head coach D.J. Durkin that has consisted of a bowl appearance in 2016 and 4-8 record this past season, but Maryland is looking to turn the corner this season with former LSU offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, joining the coaching staff, but there are numerous questions and voids to fill on both sides of the ball.
This matchup in 2020 between the two teams will be the first since the 2015 season and renews a cross-border rivalry that has mainly been one-sided with the Mountaineers winning nine of the last 10 contests dating back to 2004. West Virginia leads the all-time series with a 28-22-2 record.
7. James Madison (2019 in Morgantown)
Prior to West Virginia’s matchup against East Carolina last season, head coach Dana Holgorsen made a bold statement regarding FCS power James Madison, who had beaten the Pirates by 20 points the week before.
“James Madison could beat about anybody in the country right now,” he said.
Given the Dukes’ dominance in the past two seasons, Holgorsen may not be far off. James Madison has racked up four straight FCS playoff appearances which includes a National Title in 2016 and another appearance in the National Championship game this season, losing to North Dakota State, 17-13.
Like the Youngstown State game, this matchup presents a unique challenge to the Mountaineers against one of the FCS’s best teams and doesn’t come across as a throwaway game when you look at James Madison’s track record.
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