After a decade in the Big 12 Conference, WVU is finally returning to some sort of normal when it comes to scheduling in 2022. For the first time in what seems like a lifetime, the Mountaineers will be playing both the Pitt Panthers and the Virginia Tech Hokies – both within the first month of the season.
For fans, this will give them the opportunity to relive some of the feelings of the old classics against their rivals, while also creating new memories that will last a lifetime. While it is refreshing to see so much familiarity returning to the schedule, I can’t help but think of the other teams I would like to see make an appearance, or re-appearance, on WVU’s schedule.
Today, I have made a list of four teams I would like to see the Mountaineers add to their non-conference schedule sometime in the future.
Without further ado, here are the opponents I would like to see travel to Milan Puskar Stadium at some point in the future…
(No future Big 12 members will be included on the list, or anyone currently on the schedule)
- Marshall – Before you keyboard warriors get to typing, just remember that last year the Mountaineers announced a home-and-home series with the Ohio Bobcats. If we are willing to travel to Athens, Ohio, there is no reason we shouldn’t be willing to travel to Huntington to take on the Herd. Even though the Mountaineers hold a 12-0 advantage all-time, there is still a lot of bad blood between the two fanbases. Opening annually with a WVU-Marshall matchup would also get people talking and increase the excitement level going into the season.
- Louisville – Back in the Big East days, you didn’t find much more excitement than WVU-Louisville. Some of the most exciting games in Mountaineer Football history have happened when these two met on the gridiron. With the Cardinals being in the ACC, it would also provide another Power 5 team to WVU’s schedule. You can bet that Mountaineer Field would be rocking if these two met up in Morgantown again.
- Army – Call me crazy for wishing the triple-option on the Mountaineer defense, but the 2020 Liberty Bowl matchup was a lot of fun. And who doesn’t love Army? Even if they aren’t your team, most still root for them when they come across their television on a cool fall Saturday. This would also be a great opportunity for WVU to pull out their annual Veteran’s Day helmet a little earlier in the season.
- Rutgers – Greg Schiano is once again running the show for the Scarlett Knights. In just two full seasons back on the job, he has already put together a better effort than the program had for the previous decade. While the Mountaineers own with a decisive 33-4-2 edge, these two would still come together for some of the best matchups in the now dead Big East Conference. This has the potential to quietly be a solid contest should it resurface on the schedule.
