The West Virginia Mountaineers college football team competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing West Virginia University in the Big 12 Conference. West Virginia has played their home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia since 1980. [1] [2]
From 1891 to 1949, West Virginia competed as a football independent. The Mountaineers saw modest success during this period and made appearances in bowl games in both 1922 and 1948. From 1950 to 1967, West Virginia was a member of the Southern Conference and won the conference championship nine times. The membership of the SoCon fluctuated wildly at times during West Virginia's tenure, and by 1968 they chose to leave the conference and become a football independent once more. Between 1968 and 1990, the Mountaineers again competed as an independent and played in ten separate bowl games under three head coaches: Jim Carlen, Bobby Bowden and Don Nehlen. From 1991–2011, West Virginia competed in the Big East Conference, winning seven conference championships, and appearing in four Bowl Coalition and Bowl Championship Series games. Since 2012, West Virginia has competed as a member of Big 12 Conference. Through the 2022 season, West Virginia has compiled an official overall record of 769 wins, 513 losses, 45 ties and has appeared in 39 bowl games, with its most recent appearance coming in the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick L. Emory (Independent)(1891) | |||||||||
1891 | Frederick L. Emory | 0–1 | |||||||
1892 | No team | ||||||||
F. William Rane (Independent)(1893–1894) | |||||||||
1893 | F. William Rane | 2–1 | |||||||
1894 | F. William Rane | 2–2 | |||||||
Harry McCrory (Independent)(1895) | |||||||||
1895 | Harry McCrory | 5–1 | |||||||
Thomas Trenchard (Independent)(1896) | |||||||||
1896 | Thomas Trenchard | 3–7–2 | |||||||
George Krebs (Independent)(1897) | |||||||||
1897 | George Krebs | 5–4–1 | |||||||
Harry Anderson (Independent)(1898) | |||||||||
1898 | Harry Anderson | 6–1 | |||||||
Louis Yeager (Independent)(1899) | |||||||||
1899 | Louis Yeager | 2–3 | |||||||
John Hill (Independent)(1900) | |||||||||
1900 | John Hill | 4–3 | |||||||
Louis Yeager(Independent)(1901–1902) | |||||||||
1901 | Louis Yeager | 3–2 | |||||||
1902 | Louis Yeager | 7–4 | |||||||
Harry E. Trout (Independent)(1903) | |||||||||
1903 | Harry E. Trout | 7–1 | |||||||
Anthony Chez (Independent)(1904) | |||||||||
1904 | Anthony Chez | 6–3 | |||||||
Carl Forkum (Independent)(1905–1906) | |||||||||
1905 | Carl Forkum | 8–1 | |||||||
1906 | Carl Forkum | 5–5 | |||||||
Clarence W. Russell (Independent)(1907) | |||||||||
1907 | Clarence W. Russell | 6–4 | |||||||
Charles A. Lueder (Independent)(1908–1911) | |||||||||
1908 | Charles A. Lueder | 5–3 | |||||||
1909 | Charles A. Lueder | 4–3–2 | |||||||
1910 | Charles A. Lueder | 2–4–1 | |||||||
1911 | Charles A. Lueder | 6–3 | |||||||
William P. Edmunds (Independent)(1912) | |||||||||
1912 | William P. Edmunds | 6–3 | |||||||
Edwin Sweetland (Independent)(1913) | |||||||||
1913 | Edwin Sweetland | 3–4–2 | |||||||
Sol Metzger (Independent)(1914–1915) | |||||||||
1914 | Sol Metzger | 5–4 | |||||||
1915 | Sol Metzger | 5–2–1 | |||||||
Mont McIntire (Independent)(1916–1920) | |||||||||
1916 | Mont McIntire | 5–2–2 | |||||||
1917 | Mont McIntire | 6–3–1 | |||||||
1918 | No team | ||||||||
1919 | Mont McIntire | 8–2 | |||||||
1920 | Mont McIntire | 5–4–1 | |||||||
Clarence Spears (Independent)(1921–1924) | |||||||||
1921 | Clarence Spears | 5–4–1 | |||||||
1922 | Clarence Spears | 10–0–1 | W East-West | ||||||
1923 | Clarence Spears | 7–1–1 | |||||||
1924 | Clarence Spears | 8–1 | |||||||
Ira Rodgers (Independent)(1925–1930) | |||||||||
1925 | Ira Rodgers | 8–1 | |||||||
1926 | Ira Rodgers | 6–4 | |||||||
1927 | Ira Rodgers | 2–4–3 | |||||||
1928 | Ira Rodgers | 8–2 | |||||||
1929 | Ira Rodgers | 4–3–3 | |||||||
1930 | Ira Rodgers | 5–5 | |||||||
Greasy Neale (Independent)(1931–1933) | |||||||||
1931 | Greasy Neale | 4–6 | |||||||
1932 | Greasy Neale | 5–5 | |||||||
1933 | Greasy Neale | 3–5–3 | |||||||
Charles Tallman (Independent)(1934–1936) | |||||||||
1934 | Charles Tallman | 6–4 | |||||||
1935 | Charles Tallman | 3–4–2 | |||||||
1936 | Charles Tallman | 6–4 | |||||||
Marshall Glenn (Independent)(1937–1939) | |||||||||
1937 | Marshall Glenn | 8–1–1 | W Sun | ||||||
1938 | Marshall Glenn | 4–5–1 | |||||||
1939 | Marshall Glenn | 2–6–1 | |||||||
Bill Kern (Independent)(1940–1942) | |||||||||
1940 | Bill Kern | 4–4–1 | |||||||
1941 | Bill Kern | 4–6 | |||||||
1942 | Bill Kern | 5–4 | |||||||
Ira Rodgers(Independent)(1943–1945) | |||||||||
1943 | Ira Rodgers | 4–3 | |||||||
1944 | Ira Rodgers | 5–3–1 | |||||||
1945 | Ira Rodgers | 2–6–1 | |||||||
Bill Kern(Independent)(1946–1947) | |||||||||
1946 | Bill Kern | 5–5 | |||||||
1947 | Bill Kern | 6–4 | |||||||
Dudley DeGroot (Independent)(1948–1949) | |||||||||
1948 | Dudley DeGroot | 9–3 | W Sun | ||||||
1949 | Dudley DeGroot | 4–6–1 | |||||||
Art Lewis (Southern Conference)(1950–1959) | |||||||||
1950 | Art Lewis | 2–8 | 1–3 | 14th | |||||
1951 | Art Lewis | 5–5 | 2–3 | 10th | |||||
1952 | Art Lewis | 7–2 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
1953 | Art Lewis | 8–2 | 4–0 | 1st | L Sugar | 13 | 10 | ||
1954 | Art Lewis | 8–1 | 3–0 | 1st | 12 | ||||
1955 | Art Lewis | 8–2 | 4–0 | 1st | 17 | 19 | |||
1956 | Art Lewis | 6–4 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
1957 | Art Lewis | 7–2–1 | 3–0 | 2nd | |||||
1958 | Art Lewis | 4–5–1 | 4–0 | 1st | |||||
1959 | Art Lewis | 3–7 | 2–2 | 6th | |||||
Gene Corum (Southern Conference)(1960–1965) | |||||||||
1960 | Gene Corum | 0–8–2 | 0–2–1 | 9th | |||||
1961 | Gene Corum | 4–6 | 2–1 | 4th | |||||
1962 | Gene Corum | 8–2 | 4–0 | 2nd | |||||
1963 | Gene Corum | 4–6 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
1964 | Gene Corum | 7–4 | 5–0 | 1st | L Liberty | ||||
1965 | Gene Corum | 6–4 | 4–0 | 1st | |||||
Jim Carlen (Southern Conference)(1966–1967) | |||||||||
1966 | Jim Carlen | 3–5–2 | 3–0 | 2nd | |||||
1967 | Jim Carlen | 5–4–1 | 3–0–1 | 1st | |||||
Jim Carlen(Independent)(1968–1969) | |||||||||
1968 | Jim Carlen | 7–3 | |||||||
1969 | Jim Carlen | 10–1 | W Peach | 17 | |||||
Bobby Bowden (Independent)(1970–1975) | |||||||||
1970 | Bobby Bowden | 8–3 | |||||||
1971 | Bobby Bowden | 7–4 | |||||||
1972 | Bobby Bowden | 8–4 | L Peach | ||||||
1973 | Bobby Bowden | 6–5 | |||||||
1974 | Bobby Bowden | 4–7 | |||||||
1975 | Bobby Bowden | 9–3 | W Peach | 17 | 20 | ||||
Frank Cignetti (Independent)(1976–1979) | |||||||||
1976 | Frank Cignetti | 5–6 | |||||||
1977 | Frank Cignetti | 5–6 | |||||||
1978 | Frank Cignetti | 2–9 | |||||||
1979 | Frank Cignetti | 5–6 | |||||||
Don Nehlen (Independent)(1980–1990) | |||||||||
1980 | Don Nehlen | 6–6 | |||||||
1981 | Don Nehlen | 9–3 | W Peach | 18 | 17 | ||||
1982 | Don Nehlen | 9–3 | L Gator | 19 | 19 | ||||
1983 | Don Nehlen | 9–3 | W Hall of Fame Classic | 16 | 16 | ||||
1984 | Don Nehlen | 8–4 | W Bluebonnet | 18 | |||||
1985 | Don Nehlen | 7–3–1 | |||||||
1986 | Don Nehlen | 4–7 | |||||||
1987 | Don Nehlen | 6–6 | L Sun | ||||||
1988 | Don Nehlen | 11–1 | L Fiesta | 5 | 5 | ||||
1989 | Don Nehlen | 8–3–1 | L Gator | 21 | |||||
1990 | Don Nehlen | 4–7 | |||||||
Don Nehlen(Big East Conference)(1991–2000) | |||||||||
1991 | Don Nehlen | 6–5 | 3–4 | [n 1] | |||||
1992 | Don Nehlen | 5–4–2 | 2–3–1 | [n 1] | |||||
1993 | Don Nehlen | 11–1 | 7–0 | 1st | L Sugar | 6 | 7 | ||
1994 | Don Nehlen | 7–6 | 4–3 | T–3rd | L Carquest | ||||
1995 | Don Nehlen | 5–6 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
1996 | Don Nehlen | 8–4 | 4–3 | 4th | L Gator | ||||
1997 | Don Nehlen | 7–5 | 4–3 | T–3rd | L Carquest | ||||
1998 | Don Nehlen | 8–4 | 5–2 | T–2nd | L Insight.com | ||||
1999 | Don Nehlen | 4–7 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
2000 | Don Nehlen | 7–5 | 3–4 | T–5th | W Music City | ||||
Rich Rodriguez (Big East Conference)(2001–2007) | |||||||||
2001 | Rich Rodriguez | 3–8 | 1–6 | 7th | |||||
2002 | Rich Rodriguez | 9–4 | 6–1 | 2nd | L Continental Tire | 20 | 25 | ||
2003 | Rich Rodriguez | 8–5 | 6–1 | T–1st | L Gator | ||||
2004 | Rich Rodriguez | 8–4 | 4–2 | T–1st | L Gator | ||||
2005 | Rich Rodriguez | 11–1 | 7–0 | 1st | W Sugar † | 6 | 5 | ||
2006 | Rich Rodriguez | 11–2 | 5–2 | T–2nd | W Gator | 10 | 10 | ||
2007 | Rich Rodriguez [n 2] | 11–2 [n 2] | 5–2 | T–1st | W Fiesta † | 6 | 6 | ||
Bill Stewart (Big East Conference)(2007–2010) | |||||||||
2008 | Bill Stewart | 9–4 | 5–2 | T–2nd | W Meineke Car Care | 23 | |||
2009 | Bill Stewart | 9–4 | 5–2 | T–2nd | L Gator | 22 | 25 | ||
2010 | Bill Stewart | 9–4 | 5–2 | T–1st | L Champs Sports | ||||
Dana Holgorsen (Big East Conference)(2011) | |||||||||
2011 | Dana Holgorsen | 10–3 | 5–2 | T–1st | W Orange † | 18 | 17 | ||
Dana Holgorsen(Big 12 Conference)(2012–2018) | |||||||||
2012 | Dana Holgorsen | 7–6 | 4–5 | T–5th | L Pinstripe | ||||
2013 | Dana Holgorsen | 4–8 | 2–7 | T–7th | |||||
2014 | Dana Holgorsen | 7–6 | 5–4 | T–4th | L Liberty | ||||
2015 | Dana Holgorsen | 8–5 | 4–5 | 5th | W Cactus | ||||
2016 | Dana Holgorsen | 10–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | L Russell | 17 | 18 | ||
2017 | Dana Holgorsen | 7–6 | 5–4 | T–4th | L Heart of Dallas | ||||
2018 | Dana Holgorsen | 8–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | L Camping World | 22 | 20 | ||
Neal Brown (Big 12 Conference)(2019–present) | |||||||||
2019 | Neal Brown | 5–7 | 3–6 | T–7th | |||||
2020 | Neal Brown | 6–4 | 4–4 | 6th | W Liberty | ||||
2021 | Neal Brown | 6–7 | 4–5 | 6th | L Guaranteed Rate | ||||
2022 | Neal Brown | 5–7 | 3–6 | 9th | |||||
2023 | Neal Brown | 9–4 | 6–3 | T–4th | W Duke's Mayo | 25 | |||
Total: | 768-513-45 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
|
Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium is an American football stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia, on the campus of West Virginia University. It opened in 1980 and serves as the home field for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team. On the day the stadium opened, at an opening ceremony, John Denver touched down on the field in a helicopter, performed the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads," and then immediately departed by helicopter. The facility is named for Milan Puskar, a Morgantown resident and founder of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. who donated $20 million to the university in 2004. The playing surface retains the stadium's original name of Mountaineer Field, which was also the name of WVU's previous football stadium. The stadium’s design was inspired by Jack Trice Stadium, which opened a few years earlier at Iowa State University.
The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-annually and may also be used to refer to other athletic competitions between the two schools. It is a registered trademark for both universities, and refers to the close proximity of the two universities, separated by 75 miles (105 km) along Interstate 79.
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams that represent West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. The Mountaineers have been a member of the Big 12 Conference since 2012. The men's soccer team now competes as an affiliate member in the Sun Belt Conference.
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football. West Virginia plays its home games at Milan Puskar Stadium on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won or shared a total of 15 conference championships, including eight Southern Conference titles and seven Big East Conference titles. The Mountaineers compete in the Big 12 Conference and are led by head coach Neal Brown.
Edward Pastilong is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at West Virginia University from 1989 to 2010.
The 2003 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. They were led by head coach Rich Rodriguez and played their home games at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2010 West Virginia Mountaineer football team represented West Virginia University in the college football season of 2010. The Mountaineers were led by head coach Bill Stewart and played their home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. They were members of the Big East Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 5–2 in Big East play to share the conference title with Connecticut and Pittsburgh. They were invited to the Champ Sports Bowl where they were defeated by North Carolina State 7–23.
The 2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the Big East Conference. The Mountaineers were led by Dana Holgorsen, who was in his first season as head coach. West Virginia played their home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. They finished the season 10–3, 5–2 in Big East play to earn a share of the Big East Conference championship with Cincinnati and Louisville. The Mountaineers, in their final season in the Big East before moving to the Big 12 the following season, earned the league's automatic berth in the BCS due to being the highest ranked of the Big East champions in the final BCS rankings. They were invited to the Orange Bowl for the first time ever where they defeated Clemson 70–33. This was the third victory for West Virginia in three BCS games played in the BCS era, while the 70 points in the Orange Bowl set a record for most points scored in a bowl game.
The 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Mountaineers' first season as members of the Big 12 Conference. In addition, the 2012 season was the first for the team since 1942 without a Backyard Brawl matchup against their top rival Pittsburgh due to their exit from the Big East Conference after the 2011 season. The Mountaineers were led by Dana Holgorsen in his second season as head coach. Joe DeForest and Keith Patterson served as co-defensive coordinators in their first season at WVU, while Shannon Dawson was elevated to offensive coordinator after serving as the team's receivers coach in the 2011 season. West Virginia played its home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2013 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Playing as a member of the Big 12 Conference, the team was led by head coach Dana Holgorsen, in his third year. West Virginia played its home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. The team finished the season at 4-8, and as a result, they failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since going 3-8 in 2001.
The 2014 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Playing as a member of the Big 12 Conference, the team was led by head coach Dana Holgorsen, in his fourth year. West Virginia played its home games at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. They finished the season 7–6, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a three way tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Liberty Bowl where they lost to Texas A&M.
The 2015 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Playing as a member of the Big 12 Conference, the team was led by head coach Dana Holgorsen, in his fifth year. West Virginia played its home games at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. They finished the season 8–5, 4–5 in Big 12 play to finish in a three way tie for fifth place. They were invited to the Cactus Bowl where they defeated Arizona State
The 2016 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played as members of the Big 12 Conference and were led by head coach Dana Holgorsen, in his sixth year. West Virginia played its home games at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. 2016 was the 125th season of West Virginia football. They finished the season 10–3, 7–2 in Big 12 play to finished in a tie for second place. They received an invitation to the Russell Athletic Bowl where they lost to Miami.
The 2017 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played their home games at the Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, in Morgantown, West Virginia, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by seventh-year head coach Dana Holgorsen. They finished the season 7–6, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Heart of Dallas Bowl where they lost to Utah.
The 2019 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played their home games at the Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, in Morgantown, West Virginia, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Neal Brown, who previously coached at Troy University. They finished the season 5–7, 3–6 in Big 12 play to finish in a tie for seventh place.
The 2020 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played their home games at the Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, in Morgantown, West Virginia, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Neal Brown.
The 2021 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University during the current 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played their home games at the Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. The team was led by third-year head coach Neal Brown.
The 2022 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers played their home games at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Neal Brown.
The 2023 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by fifth-year head coach Neal Brown and played their home games at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2024 West Virginia Mountaineers football team will represent West Virginia University as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They are led by Neal Brown in his sixth year as their head coach. The Mountaineers play home games at Milan Puskar Stadium located in Morgantown, West Virginia.