The annual release of the WVU football season during the cold, winter months forces one to long for the warm (sometimes hot) tailgates outside of Milan Puskar Stadium in late August or early September.
Not only does the early part of the 2021 Mountaineers’ slate promise better weather than we’ve had in Morgantown over the last few weeks, but September will mix a perfect blend of old and new for fans.
WVU will face two regional rivals in nonconference play and will cap the month off with a road game at the traditional Big 12 powerhouse. With a veteran group returning in Year 3 under head coach Neal Brown, expectation will be ramped up for the Mountaineers, and though we’re still 6-1/2 months from kickoff and spring practice hasn’t even started, let’s take a look at the schedule and a way too early prediction for each game, assuming we at least get a semblance of a normal college football gameday atmosphere:
At Maryland, Sept. 4
The series with the Terps was supposed to be renewed last year on Mountaineer Field, but COVID-19 forced the cancellation of all nonconference games between Power 5 programs. Instead, for the first time since 2015, WVU and Maryland will face each other, this time at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md.
The Terps may not be on the same level as Pitt or Virginia Tech, but as someone who grew up in the Eastern Panhandle, this is a fun rivalry with a good bit of hate sprinkled in. WVU has sorely missed regional games since joining the Big 12 and this is a game that needs to be played on a regular basis … even if the Mountaineers hold an 9-1 advantage in the last 10 meetings.
Maryland is coming off a bad 2020 in a shortened Big Ten season, going 2-3 with one win including a 1-point overtime victory over Minnesota.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
Long Island University, Sept. 11
Admittedly, there isn’t much to say about LIU at the moment. Many weren’t happy to see this game on the slate, especially as the home opener, but the last time WVU did not play an FCS school in a season was 2007.
The Sharks joined FCS in 2019 and had their 2020 season postponed to this spring, opening March 7 against Bryant.
A local highlight is Ben Waibogha, a 2017 graduate of Morgantown High who is in the Sharks roster and could get a homecoming this fall.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
Virginia Tech, Sept. 18
This game is the highlight of the 2021 season, personally. As previously mentioned, this is a Tier 1 rivalry for the Mountaineers, and to get the Hokies at Milan Puskar Stadium for the first time since 2005 could be special.
Both teams played one another at FedEx Field outside of Washington, D.C., in 2017, as VT was able to keep the Black Diamond Trophy it’s held since 2004.
2020 was not friendly to the Hokies, to the point the school needed to announce coach Justin Fuente would return after finishing with a 5-6 mark and an 8th-place in the ACC Coastal.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
At Oklahoma, Sept. 25
Coming off an emotional home game against VT, the Mountaineers will welcome conference play with a road game against a team that will likely be ranked in the top 5 nationally in the Sooners. Oklahoma went 9-2 last year and capped off the year with a big win over Florida in the Cotton Bowl.
WVU did not get a chance to host OU last year after the game was cancelled twice due to COVID-19 outbreaks at each school. OU is also the only Big 12 school the Mountaineers have not beaten since joining the conference in 2012. I don’t expect that to change in 2021.
Way-too-early winner: Oklahoma
Texas Tech, Oct. 2
For whatever reason, the Red Raiders have been a thorn in the side of WVU coach Neal Brown the last two seasons. Texas Tech has gone a combined 8-14 overall (5-13 Big 12) combined in 2019 and 2020, but the Mountaineers are two of those five conference wins.
Red Raiders coach Matt Wells appears to have the program moving in a positive direction, and although this will be a home game for WVU, Wells seems to have something figured out against Brown. This is the first upset pick of the season.
Way-too-early prediction: Texas Tech
At Baylor, Oct. 9
It was a rocky road for Dave Aranda in his first year as head coach at Baylor, replacing Matt Rhule. The Bears went 2-7, with their only wins coming against the state of Kansas, against KU and Kansas State.
The Mountaineers narrowly escaped last season with a double-OT home win, but Baylor will need to break in a new quarterback after Charlie Brewer decided to transfer to Utah.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
At TCU, Oct. 23
The Horned Frogs have been down in the dumps the last few seasons, but there isn’t a coach in the Big 12 I trust more to turn a program around — and quickly — than Gary Patterson.
After finishing 6-4 in 2020, quarterback Max Duggan will be one of the most experienced in the Big 12 and could take the next step as a passer. The Mountaineers have won three straight in the series, but as a road game, this could be one of the closest of the season.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
Iowa State, Oct. 30
While fans probably circled the Virginia Tech game as the “must attend” — if allowed — game on the 2021 schedule, the Halloween weekend game against the Cyclones is the biggest and most important.
Under Matt Campbell, ISU has turned into a championship contender and finished 9-3, including a thumping of Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. Brock Purdy is back as arguably the best quarterback in the league, as is Breece Hall, arguably the best running back in the entire country.
WVU hasn’t beaten Iowa State since 2017, and on the surface, that won’t change.
Way-too-early winner: Iowa State
Oklahoma State, Nov. 6
This one is always interesting between the Cowboys and Mountaineers. OSU is as talented as the top programs in the Big 12, but could never put it together enough to compete with Oklahoma.
Things are no different for the 2021 team, which will bring back one of the best defenses in the conference, as well as quarterback Spencer Sanders.
WVU hasn’t beaten the Cowboys since 2014, but this upset for WVU will balance out the home loss to Texas Tech.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
At Kansas State, Nov. 13
The Wildcats took a pretty significant step back in Year 2 under Chris Klieman, finishing 4-6, including a 37-10 loss to WVU in Morgantown.
The Wildcats haven’t beaten the Mountaineers since 2015, but getting KSU late in the season could spell trouble for WVU as the team gains more experience. Similar to TCU, this could be a toss-up, but I’m sticking with the same trend.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
Texas, Nov. 20
Senior Day against Texas? A few Mountaineers have already expressed their excitement of playing the Longhorns on what could be their last game on Mountaineer Field.
Under new coach Steve Sarkisian, Texas will bring a new high-flying offense that was successful in the Pac-12 and at Alabama, but will need to replace quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who elected not to return. The ground game could also be a problem with Bijan Robinson, who ran for 183 yards in the Alamo Bowl as a freshman.
Is Texas back? Not yet, and WVU seniors will have a fond memory in their last game in Morgantown, their first win over Texas since 2018.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
At Kansas, Nov. 27
I don’t know if you all know this, but Kansas hasn’t been very competitive on the gridiron. Coach Les Miles hasn’t had the success many hoped in his two years and there isn’t much hope things will get better. Mountaineers roll.
Way-too-early winner: WVU
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