Brown believes there is still disdain for the Mountaineers….

Last year, the West Virginia football team nursed a persistent grudge due to the disrespect they received during the 2023 preseason.

The Mountaineers’ vote total of “14,” which placed them last in the then-14-team Big 12 Conference, served as WVU’s rallying cry from the minute the ’23 preseason poll was released.

Regarding the slight, WVU head coach Neal Brown stated, “There’s no question we rallied around that,” at the recent Big 12 Media Days this year. “When we were selected in 14th place a year ago, I stood here and swore we wouldn’t end there. And our group validated my assertion.

After the smoke settled in 2023, WVU had a 9-4 overall record, a 6-3 league record, and a tie for fourth place in the conference. The Mountaineers had a successful campaign finale, winning five of their final six games and defeating North Carolina 30–10 in the Duke Mayo Bowl.