It’s hard to believe, but we’re officially less than 60 days away from the start of the 2022 college football season. This time of year, predictions are being made for win totals, game-by-game odds, and more. The ESPN FPI (Football Power Index) recently released its initial predictions for each team.
Below you’ll find what ESPN FPI thinks about West Virginia and their chance to win each game. I also jotted down some thoughts explaining why the percentage is what it is or why it should be different.
Note: The percentage next to the game is WVU’s chances of winning the game.
9/1 at Pitt – 21.9%
I have to admit, I’m a little shocked by this. Pitt lost a ton from that ACC championship team from a year ago. No Kenny Pickett or Jordan Addison? Yes, 21% seems pretty low, especially considering how tough Jordan Lesley’s defense is.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
9/10 vs Kansas – 86.4%
What are you waiting for? It’s Kansas…Yeah, they’re getting a little better under Lance Leipold so this isn’t in the 90s, but it should definitely be a win for Neal Brown’s team.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
9/17 vs Towson – 94.8%
The only non-Power Five/FBS opponent on West Virginia’s schedule 2022. This will be a good week to rest a lot of guys. Get three points and sail the rest of the way. No need to push the boys for the remainder of the season.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
9/22 at Virginia Tech – 56.3%
Virginia Tech is a tough place to play. I thought the Hokies would be slightly favored, although their roster isn’t in as good shape as West Virginia’s. Thursday night’s game in Blacksburg and they will be looking to avenge last year’s loss. VT should be favored by a hair.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
10/1 in Texas – 11.5%
Once again, ESPN FPI is buying all the hype surrounding the Longhorns. They’re not the only ones getting into it. Everyone does and it’s hard not to when you have so much talent on a yearly basis. You would think that at some point, they would actually “come back”. All that said, 11.5% is completely too low for a team that has a lot of question marks in itself and not to mention, lost to Kansas last year.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
10/13 vs Baylor – 37.8%
If there’s a great spot for an upset on West Virginia’s schedule, it’s right here against the defending Big 12 champions. They’ll have two weeks to prepare for Dave Aranda’s Bears, and if you give Jordan Lesley that much time to formulate a game plan, something special could happen. 37% seems about right, but that’s a good spot for WVU.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
10/22 at Texas Tech – 32.9%
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Neal Brown is 0-3 in his career against Texas Tech. For whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to figure out the Red Raiders. Until he beats them, you gotta side with the trend, right?
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
10/29 vs. TCU – 52%
FPI hit this right on the money. This game is about 50/50 as they come. The rosters are in similar spots and there are a lot of question marks about how these two offenses will perform in 2022. Flip a coin on that.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
11/5 at Iowa State – 25.3%
The Cyclones didn’t land a very talented roster in 2021. I know Ames is a tough place to play, but that seems unlikely. Honestly, I felt this would be somewhere around 50/50 with a slight Iowa State edge.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
11/12 vs. Oklahoma – 27%
Oklahoma remains undefeated against WVU in Big 12 play, but that almost changed last fall until the Mountaineers’ offense completely collapsed late in the game. With this game in Morgantown and OU under new leadership, this could be their best shift to finally get their first conference win over the Sooners.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
11/19 vs Kansas State – 51.7%
K-State has some dynamic weapons on the offensive side of the ball, but the quarterback position could be a problem for them this season. Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez has fallen consistently every year since he was a freshman. This should swing more in WVU’s favor.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? No.
11/26 at Oklahoma State – 17.1%
OSU has been the other pain in the neck for WVU in recent years. They nearly made the College Football Playoff a year ago with a team that wasn’t expected to do much. They have a lot of key pieces back and should make another push for the Big 12 title. This looks like a long shot for WVU.
Do you agree with ESPN FPI? Yes.
PROJECTED RECORD: 5-7
PROJECTED BIG 12 RECORD: 3-6
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