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]
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 and won seven conference championships. Through the 2011 season, West Virginia has compiled an official overall record of 701 wins, 457 losses, 45 ties and has appeared in 31 bowl games, with its most recent appearance coming in the 2012 Orange Bowl.
Seasons[]
| Conference Champions † | Bowl game berth ^ |
| Season | Head Coach[2] |
Overall Record[2] | Conference Play[2] | Bowl Result[2] | Final Ranking[2] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T[A 1] | Affiliation | W | L | T | Finish | AP [A 2] |
Coaches' [A 3] |
BCS[A 4] | |||
| West Virginia Mountaineers Football Seasons | |||||||||||||
| 1891 | Frederick Lincoln Emory | 0 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1892 | West Virginia did not field a football team for the 1892 season | ||||||||||||
| 1893 | F. William Rane | 2 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1894 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1895 | Harry McCrory | 5 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1896 | Thomas Trenchard | 3 | 7 | 2 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1897 | George Krebs | 5 | 4 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1898 | Harry Anderson | 6 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1899 | Louis Yeager | 2 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1900 | John Hill | 4 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1901 | Louis Yeager | 3 | 2 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1902 | 7 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1903 | Harry E. Trout | 7 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1904 | Anthony Chez | 6 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1905 | Carl Forkum | 8 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1906 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1907 | Clarence W. Russell | 6 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1908 | Charles Augustus Lueder | 5 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1909 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1910 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1911 | 6 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1912 | William P. Edmunds | 6 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1913 | Edwin Sweetland | 3 | 4 | 2 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1914 | Sol Metzger | 5 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1915 | 5 | 2 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1916 | Mont McIntire | 5 | 2 | 2 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1917 | 6 | 3 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1918 | West Virginia did not field a football team for the 1918 season due to World War I | ||||||||||||
| 1919 | Mont McIntire | 8 | 2 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1920 | 5 | 4 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1921 | Clarence Spears | 5 | 4 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1922 | 10 | 0 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won East-West Bowl against Gonzaga Bulldogs, 21–13 ^ | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1923 | 7 | 1 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1924 | 8 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1925 | Ira Errett Rodgers | 8 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1926 | 6 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1927 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1928 | 8 | 2 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1929 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1930 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1931 | Greasy Neale | 4 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1932 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1933 | 3 | 5 | 3 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1934 | Charles Tallman | 6 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1935 | 3 | 4 | 2 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1936 | 6 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1937 | Marshall Glenn | 8 | 1 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Sun Bowl against Texas Tech, 7–6 ^ | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1938 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1939 | 2 | 6 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1940 | Bill Kern | 4 | 4 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1941 | 4 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1942 | 5 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1943 | Ira Errett Rodgers | 4 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1944 | 5 | 3 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1945 | 2 | 6 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1946 | Bill Kern | 5 | 5 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1947 | 6 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1948 | Dudley DeGroot | 9 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Sun Bowl against Texas Western, 21–12 ^ | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1949 | 4 | 6 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | |
| 1950 | Art Lewis | 2 | 8 | 0 | SoCon | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14th | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1951 | 5 | 5 | 0 | SoCon | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10th | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1952 | 7 | 2 | 0 | SoCon | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1953 | 8 | 2 | 0 | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost Sugar Bowl to Georgia Tech, 42–19 ^ | 10 | 13 | N/A | |
| 1954 | 8 | 1 | 0 | SoCon | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | 12 | — | N/A | |
| 1955 | 8 | 2 | 0 | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | 19 | 17 | N/A | |
| 1956 | 6 | 4 | 0 | SoCon | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1957 | 7 | 2 | 1 | SoCon | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1958 | 4 | 5 | 1 | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1959 | 3 | 7 | 0 | SoCon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1960 | Gene Corum | 0 | 8 | 2 | SoCon | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9th | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1961 | 4 | 6 | 0 | SoCon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1962 | 8 | 2 | 0 | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1963 | 4 | 6 | 0 | SoCon | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1964 | 7 | 4 | 0 | SoCon | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost Liberty Bowl to Utah, 32–6 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1965 | 6 | 4 | 0 | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1966 | Jim Carlen | 3 | 5 | 2 | SoCon | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1967 | 5 | 4 | 1 | SoCon | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1st† | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1968 | 7 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1969 | 10 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Peach Bowl against South Carolina, 14–3 ^ | 17 | 18 | N/A | |
| 1970 | Bobby Bowden | 8 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1971 | 7 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1972 | 8 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Lost Peach Bowl to NC State, 49–13 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1973 | 6 | 5 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1974 | 4 | 7 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1975 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Peach Bowl against NC State, 13–10 ^ | 20 | 17 | N/A | |
| 1976 | Frank Cignetti | 5 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1977 | 5 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1978 | 2 | 9 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1979 | 5 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1980 | Don Nehlen | 6 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1981 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Peach Bowl against Florida, 26–6 ^ | 17 | 18 | N/A | |
| 1982 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Lost Gator Bowl to Florida State, 31–12 ^ | 19 | 17 | N/A | |
| 1983 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Hall of Fame Classic Bowl against Kentucky, 20–16 ^ | 16 | 15 | N/A | |
| 1984 | 8 | 4 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Won Bluebonnet Bowl against TCU, 31–14 ^ | — | 18 | ||
| 1985 | 7 | 3 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1986 | 4 | 7 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1987 | 6 | 6 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Lost Sun Bowl to Oklahoma State, 35–33 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1988 | 11 | 1 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Lost Fiesta Bowl to Notre Dame, 34–21 ^ | 5 | 5 | N/A | |
| 1989 | 8 | 3 | 1 | Independent | — | — | — | — | Lost Gator Bowl to Clemson, 27–7 ^ | 21 | — | N/A | |
| 1990 | 4 | 7 | 0 | Independent | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1991 | 6 | 5 | 0 | Big East | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1992 | 5 | 4 | 2 | Big East | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5th | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1993 | 11 | 1 | 0 | Big East | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost Sugar Bowl to Florida, 41–7 ^ | 7 | 6 | N/A | |
| 1994 | 7 | 6 | 0 | Big East | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | Lost Carquest Bowl to South Carolina, 24–21 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1995 | 5 | 6 | 0 | Big East | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1996 | 8 | 4 | — | Big East | 4 | 3 | — | 4th | Lost Gator Bowl to North Carolina, 20–13 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1997 | 7 | 5 | — | Big East | 4 | 3 | — | 3rd | Lost Carquest Bowl to Georgia Tech, 35–30 ^ | — | — | N/A | |
| 1998 | 8 | 4 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | 2nd | Lost Insight.com Bowl to Missouri, 34–31 ^ | — | — | — | |
| 1999 | 4 | 7 | — | Big East | 3 | 4 | — | 4th | — | — | — | — | |
| 2000 | 7 | 5 | — | Big East | 3 | 4 | — | 5th | Won Music City Bowl against Ole Miss, 49–38 ^ | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | Rich Rodriguez | 3 | 8 | — | Big East | 1 | 6 | — | 7th | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 9 | 4 | — | Big East | 6 | 1 | — | 2nd | Lost Continental Tire Bowl to Virginia, 48–22 ^ | 25 | 20 | 15 | |
| 2003 | 8 | 5 | — | Big East | 6 | 1 | — | T-1st† | Lost Gator Bowl to Maryland, 41–7 ^ | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | 8 | 4 | — | Big East | 4 | 2 | — | T-1st† | Lost Gator Bowl to Florida State, 30–18 ^ | — | — | — | |
| 2005 | 11 | 1 | — | Big East | 7 | 0 | — | 1st† | Won Sugar Bowl against Georgia, 38–35 ^ | 5 | 6 | 11 | |
| 2006 | 11 | 2 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | 2nd | Won Gator Bowl against Georgia Tech, 38–35 ^ | 10 | 10 | 13 | |
| 2007 [A 5] |
11 | 2 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | T-1st† | Won Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma, 48–28 ^ | 6 | 6 | 9 | |
| 2008 | Bill Stewart | 9 | 4 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | 2nd | Won Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina, 31–30 ^ | 23 | — | — |
| 2009 | 9 | 4 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | 2nd | Lost Gator Bowl to Florida State, 33–21 ^ | 25 | 22 | 16 | |
| 2010 | 9 | 4 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | T-1st† | Lost Champs Sports Bowl to NC State, 23–7 ^ | — | — | 22 | |
| 2011 | Dana Holgorsen | 10 | 3 | — | Big East | 5 | 2 | — | T-1st† | Won Orange Bowl against Clemson, 70–33 ^ | 17 | 18 | 23 |
| 2012 | 7 | 6 | — | Big 12 | 4 | 5 | — | T-5th | Lost Pinstripe Bowl to Syracuse, 38–14 ^ | — | — | — | |
| 57 | 13 | 2 | (Southern Conference Record) | ||||||||||
| 93 | 51 | 1 | (Big East Conference Record) | ||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | - | (Big 12 Conference Record) | ||||||||||
| 694 | 445 | 45 | (Record in Regular Season) | ||||||||||
| 14 | 18 | 0 | (Record in Bowl Games) | ||||||||||
| 708 | 463 | 45 | (Overall Record) | ||||||||||
Notes[]
- ↑ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[3]
- ↑ The Associated Press began conducting a weekly college football poll in 1936.[4]
- ↑ The college football coaches' poll has been sponsored by multiple organizations since its creation in 1950. Its current sponsor is USA Today[5]
- ↑ The Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998.[6]
- ↑ Bill Stewart served as interim head coach for the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.[7]
References[]
- ↑ "Facilities: Milan Puskar Stadium". MSNsportsNET.com. http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?section=7920. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Joe Swan, ed. (2010). "All-time Scores". 2010 West Virginia University Football Guide. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. pp. 172–183.
- ↑ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-24-overtime_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
- ↑ Associated Press (Writers and Broadcasters) Final Polls Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records, NCAA. July 2008. pp. 96–99 Accessed 2008-09-27.
- ↑ USA Today/ESPN (Coaches) Weekly Poll Leaders Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records, NCAA. July 2008. pp. 101–105 Accessed 2008-09-27.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ "In Stewart, WVU's successor to Rodriguez right under their nose". ESPN.com news services. ESPN.com. January 4, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3178538. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
| |||||||||||||||||