We still have a lot of football to play this season. One third to be exact. That 8 game in a row stretch felt long, and that might have to do with it including more highs and lows than you would experience in a full season some years. We were riding high after the Virginia win. We wanted to burn it all down after losing 3 straight. Now that we have won the last 2, I think we are somewhere in the middle. As for me, I would say I’m slightly optimistic.
How will we finish the season? Everyone has always
looked at these final four games as the roughest stretch of the season for us, and it looks like it will indeed play out that way. 3 of the 4 games will be against ranked teams. Let’s break down the potential results from Amazing, Great, Good, Bad, and Yikes.
4-0
Amazing! We finish 9-3 with multiple ranked wins and a 6 game winning streak. We would undoubtedly be ranked for the first time since 2018. I have to think this means our defense has played not just better, but good for the end of the season. It’s clear the Rich Rod still has the sauce, and the program is finally heading in the right direction.
3-1
Great! If it plays out this way I say it’s most likely that we beat Texas Tech, Houston, and Kansas with the lone loss coming to Utah. This is still really encouraging and a strong finish to the year. 2 more ranked wins, we might be sniffing the top 25 and we would get a nice bowl game. For this to happen the defense has to make a drastic improvement and show so signs of encouragement that the rough stretch earlier this season is not going to be the norm. Let’s retain our talent, pick up a few portal pieces in the offseason, and win the Big 12 championship next year!
2-2
Good. This scenario is what many are saying is most likely. It would probably be the result of beating Texas Tech and Kansas while losing to Houston and Utah. Finishing 7-5 in year 2 is definitely a step in the right direction. I would even call it encouraging. This isn’t by any means a given. We would still have to beat one really good team, and Kansas is not a gimme with the way our defense has played this year. This result couple with a nice showing in a bowl and a good offseason would be enough for me to believe anything is possible next year.
1-3
Bad. Going 1-3 in these 4 games isn’t necessarily bad in itself, it’s probably what “should” happen. We will be underdogs in 3 of them for sure. But going 6-6 in year 2 is not good, and I think you would have to call the season as a whole bad. You have one of the best offenses in the country and only get to 6 wins? One of the best single seasons for QB in WVU history and this is all we get? If this happens, my guess is that the defense doesn’t play much better, which means we might have to make a change in the offseason and that comes with a lot of questions. We don’t want to be rebuilding one side of the ball in year 3. Winning a bowl game could take the sting out of it slightly by getting to 7 wins, or it could be another punch in the gut to end the season.
0-4
Yikes. This result would make me question pretty much everything regarding the trajectory of the program. No bowl game. Only one more win that that disaster that was last year. So much offensive talent, just wasted. If this happens all eyes will be on whether Rich Rod can retain any of this talent for next year. If that answer is no and we enter another season with over 60 new players, it puts Rich Rod on the hot seat without a doubt.
But that’s not going to happen. We got this. I think we go 2-2 and surprise someone. Maybe it’s Texas Tech this weekend!
Which scenario do you think is most likely? Let me know if the comments.
