West Virginia product Pat McAfee is doing everything he can to get people talking about the West Virginia Mountaineers this fall. It paid off during yesterday’s College GameDay show on ESPN when guest picker Sheamus picked the Mountaineers to win the Big 12, perhaps with a little nudge from McAfee.
But he wasn’t the only one to give WVU the preseason crown. Fellow ESPN college football commentator Marty Smith also picked West Virginia to win the league, albeit on his own initiative.
Okay, folks. We are half an hour away from the start of the 2024 CFB season. Let’s see how cold our @CFBPlayoff Predictions coming in December! 😂
My top 4 (P4 conference champions) are:
4. @WVUfootball
3. @ClemsonFB
2. @OhioStateFB
1. @GeorgiaFootballWho do you all have? …
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) 24 August 2024
Much of the Big 12 discussion usually starts and ends with Utah and Oklahoma State, and rightfully so. They’ve been the two most consistent programs over the last decade and have a ton of talent returning in 2024. The next teams considered by many to be in the running are Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and even Arizona. Even though WVU has won more or as many games as any of them and returns all the talent they have, they’re left out. Why? No one really knows.
Opinions on the Mountaineers will change drastically if they put together a solid performance in Week 1 against No. 8 Penn State, even if they don’t emerge victorious.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Where WVU ranks in ESPN’s Preseason College Football Tier System
Pat McAfee on College GameDay: “The Big 12 runs through Morgantown, West Virginia”
Two WVU newcomers among the top 100 transfers
UConn resumes talks about joining the Big 12
