The West Virginia Mountaineers have already given their fans plenty to celebrate this season, but their latest victory is now generating an entirely different conversation.
Despite improving to 3-0 with an impressive win over No. 25 Virginia, WVU remains outside the AP Top 25. That decision has caught the attention of The Pat McAfee Show, where Tone Digz believes the Mountaineers delivered one of college football’s most impressive performances of the weekend.
During a discussion about which teams deserved the most recognition for their latest victories, Digz suggested West Virginia belonged near the very top of the conversation. Ole Miss had just defeated LSU in a highly anticipated SEC matchup, but Digz was quick to bring up another program that had knocked off a ranked opponent.
His reaction to West Virginia’s absence from the rankings should resonate with plenty of Mountaineers fans.
“Guess what? Second-best win of the weekend. It could have been the West Virginia Mountaineers. I’m surprised the West Virginia Mountaineers aren’t ranked this week,” Digz said.
Pat McAfee Show Questions WVU’s AP Top 25 Snub
West Virginia entered its matchup against Virginia as a double-digit underdog before leaving Charlotte with a convincing 38-27 victory. The Mountaineers overcame early deficits of 7-0 and 14-7 before taking control behind quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. The Oklahoma transfer accounted for all five West Virginia touchdowns, throwing for 190 yards and two scores while adding 123 rushing yards and three more touchdowns.
That performance helped WVU improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2018, giving Rich Rodriguez’s program an early signature victory. However, the Mountaineers received just 93 points in Sunday’s AP poll, finishing behind unranked Washington and Kentucky. Meanwhile, two-loss-free records were not enough to separate every team, with Oregon and Texas A&M remaining ranked despite already suffering defeats.
Digz’s comments add another recognizable voice to the conversation surrounding West Virginia’s early-season success. His argument centered on the quality of the Mountaineers’ latest victory rather than simply their undefeated record. Beating a ranked opponent by double digits at a neutral site gave WVU a result that deserved consideration alongside the weekend’s other notable performances.
Michael Hawkins Jr. Gives WVU Another Opportunity to Make Its Case
The Mountaineers have quickly become one of college football’s more intriguing early-season stories, with Hawkins drawing praise from several prominent football personalities. Former NFL coach Jon Gruden recently awarded him one of his weekly helmet stickers, describing the quarterback as poised, fearless and clutch. McAfee has also expressed excitement about the possibility of bringing ESPN’s College GameDay to Morgantown.
West Virginia now has an opportunity to strengthen its résumé even further when Oklahoma State visits Milan Puskar Stadium on Saturday. The Big 12 opener presents another important test for a program attempting to build on its first three victories. A win would give the Mountaineers another result to point toward when the next AP poll arrives.
There is still plenty of football left, and September rankings ultimately mean far less than the results teams produce throughout an entire season. However, the Mountaineers have already done enough to make their absence from the Top 25 a legitimate talking point. With an undefeated record, a victory over a ranked opponent and a quarterback earning national recognition, WVU is building a résumé that deserves attention.
Digz’s comments reflect the growing excitement surrounding a program that entered the season with plenty to prove. Now, Rodriguez and the Mountaineers have another opportunity to strengthen their case against Oklahoma State.
If West Virginia keeps winning, AP voters might have a much harder time overlooking what is happening in Morgantown.
Pat McAfee Show Questions Why WVU Is Still Unranked After Huge Virginia Win