With WVU set to ease up on scheduling, who are some teams they should add to their non-conference slate?
Morgantown, WV – West Virginia’s future football schedules have been at the forefront of discussions as of late. Both AD Wren Baker and Neal Brown have been adamant on moving away from playing 11 Power Five opponents, and rightfully so.
Baker and Brown have both pitched the idea of the Mountaineers playing one Power Five, one Group of Five, and one FCS opponent moving forward. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of schools that West Virginia should consider adding to their future schedules.
Here are FIVE schools that Wren Baker and the university should get in contact with about a potential future series:
- Coastal Carolina – The Chanticleers are one of the best teams in the Group of Five. Given he relationship that many West Virginians have with Myrtle Beach, this could be an entertaining two-for-one series for the Mountaineers. WVU and Coastal Carolina have met once before in 2010, with the Mountaineers emerging victorious 31-0.
- Tulane – The Mountaineers and Green Wave have played six times before, last meeting up on the gridiron in 1979. West Virginia owns the series with a 4-2 advantage. A two-for-one here would be interesting as it would at least pose a stiff test for WVU even as they look to schedule easier. Seeing West Virginians invade the New Orleans area could also be very entertaining.
- Jacksonville State – The Gamecocks are making the move to the FBS this season, so keep that in mind. A one game contract here would give the Mountaineers an opportunity to go up against Rich Rodriguez for the first time since he departed Morgantown. Even with it being a lesser opponent, you can almost bet Mountaineer Field would be sold out to see what would be a revenge game. However, this game would be risky to schedule – who knows how long Rodriguez will stay with the program before leaving for another job?
- Kentucky – West Virginia and Kentucky have all of the makings of a solid rivalry. Despite being neighbors, the two sides have only met 20 times, with the Wildcats leading the series 11-8-1. Both teams have a similar fanbase, and travel would be easy. This would also be an interesting game if Neal Brown is still at WVU. He is both a Kentucky native and a former coach and player for the Wildcats.
- North Carolina – Another game that has all of the makings of a solid rivalry. The Mountaineers and the Tar Heels last met in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl, and the results were exciting. West Virginia won a tightly contested matchup, 31-30, and they have yet to meet on the gridiron since. Though there isn’t a lot of history here (two total meetings, series tied 1-1), fun banter between the fans could be expected.
Who are some teams you would like to see WVU add to their schedule? Let us know on our social media pages!
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
