2012 West Virginia Mountaineers football team

The 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2012 college 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. They finished the season 7–6, 4–5 in Big 12 play to finish in a four way tie for fifth place. They were invited to the Pinstripe Bowl where they were defeated by Syracuse.

Big 12 media poll

 * 1) Oklahoma (32), 396
 * 2) West Virginia (7), 339
 * 3) Texas 291
 * 4) Oklahoma State, 267
 * 5) (1), 260
 * 6) Kansas State (1), 257
 * 7) Baylor, 162
 * 8) Iowa State, 121
 * 9) Texas Tech, 116
 * 10) Kansas, 46

Awards candidates

 * '''Heisman Trophy
 * Tavon Austin
 * Geno Smith


 * Fred Biletnikoff Award
 * Tavon Austin
 * Stedman Bailey


 * Walter Camp Award
 * Tavon Austin
 * Geno Smith


 * Lou Groza Award
 * Tyler Bitancurt


 * Paul Hornung Award
 * Tavon Austin


 * Lombardi Award
 * Joe Madsen


 * Manning Award
 * Geno Smith


 * Maxwell Award
 * Geno Smith
 * Tavon Austin


 * Davey O'Brien Award
 * Geno Smith


 * Rimington Trophy
 * Joe Madsen


 * Johnny Unitas Award
 * Geno Smith