The MRI
2026 · Week 11
MRI Champion · 1 football title 2007

West Virginia

Big 12 · 5–4 · 2–4 in conference · MRI Classic #83

Power-0.8#74 of 138
Résumé+0.72#54 · wins above average
Playoff chance<0.1%out of the picture
Trendrating by week

Who to root for this week

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Best winTCU (24–20)
Worst lossIowa State (42–45)
Schedule faced-1.0 avg opponent
Schedule ahead+11.4 avg opponent
Roster talent#48 of 127 · worth +1.3, rated -0.8: in line with it
Returning production14% of last year's · #107 of 128 · counted against its preseason rating
Home field+3.6 pts · 19th of 131

How this rating is built

Power = w × (average margin counted + average opponent rating) + (1 − w) × preseason prior, where w = games ÷ (games + 4). After 9 games, w is 69%, so the preseason prior is 31% of this rating. Every game played shrinks that share.

PartValueWeightAdds
Margin counted+1.4 avg× 69%+1.0
Opponents faced-1.0 avg× 69%-0.6
Preseason prior-3.8× 31%-1.2
Power-0.8

This explains how the model reached the number. The opponent ratings come out of the same fitted model, so it is not independent proof that the rating is right.

Results

Expected is the margin the model's ratings imply for that matchup and site. Perf is how far the actual margin beat it — the result against expectation. Adds is a different question: how many points of Power the game contributes, counting its margin and the strength of the opponent together. A game can beat expectation and still add little, or the reverse. Adds, plus the preseason prior, sum to Power (figures are rounded so the column adds up). Hover an Adds figure for its arithmetic.

WkOpponentResult ExpectedPerfAdds
1 vs Coastal Carolina W 31–24 +15.8 -8.8 -0.5
2 vs UT Martin FCS W 52–7 +35.9 +9.1 +0.3
3 N Virginia W 38–27 -1.1 +12.1 +1.2
4 vs Oklahoma State L 24–41 -4.9 -12.1 -1.3
5 at Iowa State L 42–45 -5.3 +2.3 +0.0
6 vs Arizona L 31–52 -10.2 -10.8 -1.3
7 vs Cincinnati W 45–42 +1.7 +1.3 +0.1
8 at TCU W 24–20 -10.1 +14.1 +1.1
10 at Texas Tech L 48–53 -18.0 +13.0 +0.8
Preseason prior (31% of the rating)-1.2
Power-0.8

Remaining schedule

WkOpponent ProjectedWin prob
11 vs Kansas +1.1 53%
12 vs Houston -10.2 27%
13 at Utah -24.6 7%

Coaches

Mean added leaves out 1978–1980, the first seasons rated, which have no preseason prior to measure against.

CoachYearsRecordMean added
Frank Cignetti1978–19797-15–
Don Nehlen1980–2000149-93-4+2.5
Rich Rodriguez2001–200760-26+5.1
Bill Stewart2008–201027-12-0.1
Dana Holgorsen2011–201861-41+2.6
Neal Brown2019–202437-35-0.6
Rich Rodriguez2025–20269-12+1.2

Season by season

Best finish: #1 in 2007. 48 seasons rated. The two columns' numbers are not comparable; the rank within each is. Season links open that year's game log.

25 1 150 2003 (MRI Classic): #37 of 117 (8-5)2004 (MRI Classic): #32 of 117 (8-4)2005 (MRI Classic): #11 of 119 (11-1)2006 (MRI Classic): #9 of 119 (11-2)2007 (MRI Classic): #1 of 120 (11-2)2008 (MRI Classic): #28 of 120 (9-4)2009 (MRI Classic): #40 of 120 (9-4)2010 (MRI Classic): #21 of 120 (9-4)2011 (MRI Classic): #19 of 120 (10-3)2012 (MRI Classic): #72 of 124 (7-6)2013 (MRI Classic): #99 of 126 (4-8)2014 (MRI Classic): #58 of 128 (7-6)2015 (MRI Classic): #37 of 128 (8-5)2016 (MRI Classic): #35 of 128 (10-3)2017 (MRI Classic): #71 of 130 (7-6)2018 (MRI Classic): #25 of 130 (8-4)2019 (MRI Classic): #109 of 130 (5-7)1978 (MRI 2.0): #130 of 138 (2-9)1979 (MRI 2.0): #106 of 138 (5-6)1980 (MRI 2.0): #52 of 138 (6-6)1981 (MRI 2.0): #21 of 136 (9-3)1982 (MRI 2.0): #19 of 105 (9-3)1983 (MRI 2.0): #19 of 105 (9-3)1984 (MRI 2.0): #22 of 106 (8-4)1985 (MRI 2.0): #36 of 106 (7-4)1986 (MRI 2.0): #61 of 105 (4-7)1987 (MRI 2.0): #30 of 104 (6-6)1988 (MRI 2.0): #9 of 104 (11-1)1989 (MRI 2.0): #19 of 106 (8-4)1990 (MRI 2.0): #51 of 107 (4-7)1991 (MRI 2.0): #48 of 107 (6-5)1992 (MRI 2.0): #29 of 107 (5-6)1993 (MRI 2.0): #19 of 106 (11-1)1994 (MRI 2.0): #42 of 107 (7-6)1995 (MRI 2.0): #46 of 108 (5-6)1996 (MRI 2.0): #31 of 111 (8-4)1997 (MRI 2.0): #35 of 112 (7-5)1998 (MRI 2.0): #26 of 112 (8-4)1999 (MRI 2.0): #45 of 114 (4-7)2000 (MRI 2.0): #50 of 116 (7-5)2001 (MRI 2.0): #65 of 117 (3-8)2002 (MRI 2.0): #37 of 117 (9-4)2003 (MRI 2.0): #32 of 117 (8-5)2004 (MRI 2.0): #34 of 117 (8-4)2005 (MRI 2.0): #16 of 119 (11-1)2006 (MRI 2.0): #9 of 119 (11-2)2007 (MRI 2.0): #1 of 119 (11-2)2008 (MRI 2.0): #20 of 120 (9-4)2009 (MRI 2.0): #39 of 120 (9-4)2010 (MRI 2.0): #25 of 120 (9-4)2011 (MRI 2.0): #22 of 120 (10-3)2012 (MRI 2.0): #44 of 124 (7-6)2013 (MRI 2.0): #69 of 125 (4-8)2014 (MRI 2.0): #37 of 128 (7-6)2015 (MRI 2.0): #29 of 128 (8-5)2016 (MRI 2.0): #25 of 128 (10-3)2017 (MRI 2.0): #39 of 130 (7-6)2018 (MRI 2.0): #16 of 130 (8-4)2019 (MRI 2.0): #66 of 130 (5-7)2020 (MRI 2.0): #40 of 128 (6-4)2021 (MRI 2.0): #54 of 130 (6-7)2022 (MRI 2.0): #65 of 131 (5-7)2023 (MRI 2.0): #39 of 133 (9-4)2024 (MRI 2.0): #59 of 134 (6-7)2025 (MRI 2.0): #83 of 136 (4-8) MRI 2.0Classic 1978 2025

Finishing rank, best at the top, on an axis running to 150 — this team's own range, not the size of the field. Two lines where both ratings cover a season - MRI 2.0 in red, Classic in grey. Hover a point for the season.

SeasonRec MRI 2.0MRI Classic
2025 4–8 #83 of 136 · -4.03 –
2024 6–7 #59 of 134 · 2.52 –
2023 9–4 #39 of 133 · 6.95 –
2022 5–7 #65 of 131 · 1.45 –
2021 6–7 #54 of 130 · 4.48 –
2020 6–4 #40 of 128 · 5.86 –
2019 5–7 #66 of 130 · -0.32 #109 of 130 · -21.74
2018 8–4 #16 of 130 · 14.44 #25 of 130 · 57.25
2017 7–6 #39 of 130 · 6.97 #71 of 130 · 18.66
2016 10–3 #25 of 128 · 10.50 #35 of 128 · 46.88
2015 8–5 #29 of 128 · 10.66 #37 of 128 · 49.69
2014 7–6 #37 of 128 · 8.86 #58 of 128 · 31.75
2013 4–8 #69 of 125 · -2.52 #99 of 126 · -14.12
2012 7–6 #44 of 124 · 6.07 #72 of 124 · 16.51
2011 10–3 #22 of 120 · 10.59 #19 of 120 · 61.11
2010 9–4 #25 of 120 · 11.19 #21 of 120 · 63.46
2009 9–4 #39 of 120 · 7.14 #40 of 120 · 40.14
2008 9–4 #20 of 120 · 11.55 #28 of 120 · 49.84
2007 11–2 #1 of 119 · 24.34 #1 of 120 · 118.16
2006 11–2 #9 of 119 · 17.72 #9 of 119 · 89.85
2005 11–1 #16 of 119 · 15.12 #11 of 119 · 80.64
2004 8–4 #34 of 117 · 7.67 #32 of 117 · 51.47
2003 8–5 #32 of 117 · 8.92 #37 of 117 · 48.86
2002 9–4 #37 of 117 · 7.28 –
2001 3–8 #65 of 117 · 0.18 –
2000 7–5 #50 of 116 · 4.39 –
1999 4–7 #45 of 114 · 3.55 –
1998 8–4 #26 of 112 · 11.74 –
1997 7–5 #35 of 112 · 6.23 –
1996 8–4 #31 of 111 · 9.60 –
1995 5–6 #46 of 108 · 3.51 –
1994 7–6 #42 of 107 · 4.04 –
1993 11–1 #19 of 106 · 13.82 –
1992 5–6 #29 of 107 · 6.40 –
1991 6–5 #48 of 107 · 1.65 –
1990 4–7 #51 of 107 · 0.14 –
1989 8–4 #19 of 106 · 13.58 –
1988 11–1 #9 of 104 · 21.27 –
1987 6–6 #30 of 104 · 7.96 –
1986 4–7 #61 of 105 · -2.00 –
1985 7–4 #36 of 106 · 5.94 –
1984 8–4 #22 of 106 · 9.38 –
1983 9–3 #19 of 105 · 12.81 –
1982 9–3 #19 of 105 · 13.54 –
1981 9–3 #21 of 136 · 13.82 –
1980 6–6 #52 of 138 · 2.36 –
1979 5–6 #106 of 138 · -7.28 –
1978 2–9 #130 of 138 · -15.30 –