Rich Rodriguez is set to return as head coach of the Mountaineers, hoping to build off a 60-26 record during his first tenure at West Virginia.

We rank the top ten games under Rodriguez for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia hit the road late in the season to face No. 13 Virginia Tech. Earlier that season, West Virginia lost to No. 1 Miami and this was the second game against a ranked opponent that year. Quincy Wilson scored a 42-yard touchdown, but the defense came up big in the closing moments. Grant Wiley had a clutch tackle on a goal line stop and then Brian King had an interception in the end zone, sealing the win for the Mountaineers. This would lead WVU to be ranked for the first time in the 2002 season.

The following week, West Virginia had another road test against a rival, this time facing No. 17 Pitt. In front of what was the biggest home crowd for the Panthers in over 60 years, it ended in a sore sight for Pitt fans' eyes. Pitt turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions as the Mountaineers took a 24-10 lead, including a Rasheed Marshall 79-yard pass to help open up the lead. WVU would hold on to beat Pitt, earning consecutive ranked victories for the first time since 1994.

In 2003, No. 3 Virginia Tech rolled into Morgantown, and it was a complete victory for Rodriguez's squad. The Mountaineers punked the Hokies, and this was the last time West Virginia fans rushed the field at Milan Puskar Stadium. The Mountaineers scored 14 points in the first quarter and another 14 in the third quarter, allowing the Hokies to score just once all game. One of the scores in the third was a 93-yard pass from Rasheed Marshall to Travis Garvin. The win was the second of seven straight for the Mountaineers.

Another ranked team at home and West Virginia had their way against Pitt. A game that was tied 24-24 at halftime quickly turned into a route for the home team. West Virginia scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and led 52-24 in the fourth before the Panthers scored a late touchdown. Quincy Wilson ran for 208 yards and four touchdowns, and is just one of four Mountaineers to ever rush for at least 200 yards in a game and score four touchdowns as well.

After losing 41-7 to Maryland in the Gator Bowl to close the 2003 season, West Virginia had another crack at the Terrapins in the 2004 season. No. 7 West Virginia hosted No. 21 Maryland, and the Mountaineers won in overtime as Rasheed Marshall found Chris Henry for a touchdown. WVU led 10-3, but Maryland scored ten unanswered points until WVU tied the game with 6:24 to go. Maryland missed a field goal in the final two minutes before WVU's potential game-winning kick was blocked, sending the game to overtime.

The following season, West Virginia made a return trip to College Park to face Maryland, as they were trying to get to 3-0 on the season. WVU was successful in that endeavor, beating the Terps 31-19. West Virginia led 21-6 before Maryland cut the lead to 21-19. That's as close as they would get, though, as the Mountaineers pulled away. West Virginia ran for 301 yards, and they started the season 4-0. WVU lost five of six to Maryland from 1999-2004 but won back-to-back against the Terps, sparking a streak of seven straight wins for West Virginia.

At home against Louisville, West Virginia trailed 24-7. Starting quarterback Adam Bednarik was injured and in stepped Pat White. White ultimately led West Virginia to a triple-overtime victory over the Cardinals, passing for 49 yards and rushing for another 69. Steve Slaton scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help send the game to overtime, including a score with a minute remaining. Slaton scored three more in overtime, helping West Virginia beat Louisville 46-44. Slaton's five touchdowns scored is only the third time a Mountaineer has accomplished such a feat, and him doing it was the first time any player in a West Virginia uniform had done it since 1924.

Later that season, No. 11 West Virginia faced No. 8 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. There, WVU raced out to a 28-0 lead with 14:10 to play in the second quarter before the Bulldogs fought back. Georgia came within three points in the third and fourth quarter but were able to hold onto the ball for the final 5:13 of the game to help seal the victory. Steve Slaton ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns while Pat White rushed for 77 yards and passed for 120. Two of Slaton's touchdown runs came from 52 yards as the Mountaineers finished the 2005 season ranked No. 5 in the country.

West Virginia hosted No. 13 Rutgers and won a 41-39 triple overtime thriller over the Scarlet Knights. West Virginia led 20-10 midway through the third quarter before Rutgers scored the next 13 points to take a 23-20 lead. Pat McAfee made a 30-yard kick with under a minute to go, sending the game into overtime. McAfee then made a 42-yard kick in the first overtime session, before both teams traded touchdowns in the second. WVU then scored and went for two, before Rutgers scored a touchdown but were stopped on their two-point try.

Following their win over Rutgers, WVU faced No. 23 Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl, having to come from behind in the second half to pull out the victory. WVU trailed 35-17 with 13:48 to play in the third quarter. WVU would on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Pat White, a 14-yard touchdown pass from White, and then a game-winning 15-yard rush from White. The win helped WVU cap off an 11-win season, one of only five times that has happened in West Virginia history.

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