The Shotgun/Throwdown (8/19/25): Big Ten’s CFP power grab could reshape WVU’s playoff path

Welcome to The Shotgun/Throwdown, your daily West Virginia sports roundup (that we didn’t already talk about in another article) with some sophomoric humor and daily distractions thrown in for good measure. And if there’s something we missed, be sure to talk about it in the comments.

BIG TEN POWER GRAB

The Big Ten has thrown college football into another round of chaos, floating a plan to expand the just-approved 12-team playoff into a 24- or even 28-team field. The leak blindsided other commissioners, with one CFP

executive blasting the process as making them look like “immature children throwing garbage against the wall.” Even the SEC — usually aligned with the Big Ten — was frustrated the idea went public before serious talks wrapped.

On paper, the Big Ten’s draft model gives the Big 12 five automatic bids, more than the league has under the current setup. That would, in theory, improve access for programs like West Virginia. But the trade-offs are significant: no conference championship game in December, a postseason that starts earlier on campus sites, and a structure designed with the Big Ten and SEC at the center. The two power leagues already hold decisive voting control, and if they don’t agree on a new format, the playoff simply stays at 12.

For WVU, the picture is murky. A larger bracket might create more opportunity, but it also risks diluting what those playoff berths actually mean and shifting revenue streams away from leagues without the deepest pockets. With a Dec. 1 deadline looming to set the 2026 format, the question isn’t just how big the playoff gets — it’s whether schools like West Virginia will truly benefit from the shake-up, or simply watch the sport’s richest conferences tighten their grip on the postseason.

MOUNTAINEER ROUNDUP

Like past coaches’ shows, The Rich Rodriguez Show will be at Kegler’s this fall. WVU’s head coach will join Tony Caridi live on Monday nights during game weeks from 6–8 p.m., starting Aug. 25 and running through Nov. 24. The shows will air on the Mountaineer Sports Network, giving fans a weekly look inside Rich Rod’s first season back on the sideline in Morgantown.
John Antonik took a deep dive into the history of Hail, West Virginia! after a team video went viral of players learning the fight song. He traced the locker room tradition back to Don Nehlen in 1980, when the Hall of Fame coach made memorizing and singing the song part of rebuilding Mountaineer pride — a tradition that carried through to Rich Rod’s first stint and now into his return.
Dan Stratford has no interest in lowering the bar for WVU men’s soccer. He’s counting 40 straight unbeaten home matches if you include spring and preseason, and he expects that run to keep rolling when the No. 16 Mountaineers open against Manhattan on Thursday. The bigger challenge comes in blending 15 newcomers with a strong returning core that includes preseason All-Sun Belt picks Carlos Hernando, Isaac Scheer, and Marcus Caldeira — the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Stratford admits it may take six to nine games to find this team’s true identity, but he also knows that WVU’s best seasons have started with double-digit unbeaten runs.
Nikki Izzo-Brown knows the importance of stacking home wins early after her team couldn’t knock off No. 15 Virginia in the opener. WVU women’s soccer continues its season-opening homestand Thursday night against Akron, with the veteran coach emphasizing the need to capitalize in Morgantown before the heavy travel stretch hits.
A program-record 17 Mountaineers were named Scholastic All-Americans by the WCGA, with six earning perfect 4.0 GPAs. WVU gymnastics also posted a 3.69 team GPA in 2024–25, ranking No. 28 nationally among NCAA programs.

MOUNTAINEERS IN THE PROS

Beanie Bishop earned a starting role as an undrafted rookie with the Steelers last year, but after a busy offseason at cornerback, his roster spot isn’t guaranteed. Bishop says he embraces the underdog fight, reminding himself daily that he “wasn’t drafted” and still has to prove he belongs. One more preseason game will go a long way in deciding if he sticks in Pittsburgh.
Victor Scott has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain. The Cardinals outfielder was hurt Saturday when he collided with the center-field wall in an attempt to bring back Aaron Judge’s home run. An MRI confirmed the sprain, forcing Scott out after 116 games this season, where he’s batting .223 with five homers, 35 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases.
John Means is working his way back toward the majors. The lefty, now with Cleveland, is on a rehab assignment and expected to be stretched to about 50 pitches in his next outing. According to The Athletic, the Guardians plan to fold him into their rotation in September as they chase an AL wild card spot. Means, who made an All-Star team with Baltimore in 2019, has only started 10 games over the past three seasons because of injuries, but he posted a 2.75 ERA in those appearances.

AROUND THE LEAGUE (AND BEYOND)

No Mountaineers in Joel Klatt’s projected 2025 College Football Playoff field, but the Big 12 does get a rep. The Fox Sports analyst picked Kansas State to win the league and grab the No. 8 seed, with a first-round home matchup against Alabama.
Oklahoma is cashing in on fan access with a new “Sooner Magic Memories” program that sells postgame press conference seats. Two fans can watch the media session live for $692 when Michigan visits or $576 for the SEC opener against Auburn. Even the $461 Illinois State opener package is already sold out. Other buy-ins include a pregame 50-yard line photo, high five tunnel, and game ball delivery as athletic departments scramble for new revenue in the NIL and House settlement era.
Texas Tech took a major hit over the weekend with projected starting running back Quinten Joyner going down with a season-ending knee injury in a scrimmage. The USC transfer rushed for 478 yards on just 63 carries as a freshman in 2023 before heading home to Texas, where he was expected to take over for Tahj Brooks.

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