CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1986 West Virginia

4–⁠7, coached by Don Nehlen.

Schedule and results

West Virginia in 1986, game by game: won vs. Northern Illinois 47–14; won at East Carolina 24–21; lost vs. Maryland 3–24; lost at Pittsburgh 16–48; lost at Virginia Tech 7–13; lost vs. No. 1 Miami 14–58; lost vs. Boston College 10–19; lost vs. No. 2 Penn State 0–19; won at Rutgers 24–17; won at Louisville 42–19; lost vs. Syracuse 23–34+33−44Won 47–14 vs. Northern Illinois+33Northern Illino…Won 24–21 at East Carolina+3East CarolinaLost 3–24 vs. Maryland-21MarylandLost 16–48 at Pittsburgh-32PittsburghLost 7–13 at Virginia Tech-6Virginia TechLost 14–58 vs. No. 1 Miami-44No. 1 MiamiLost 10–19 vs. Boston College-9Boston CollegeLost 0–19 vs. No. 2 Penn State-19No. 2 Penn StateWon 24–17 at Rutgers+7RutgersWon 42–19 at Louisville+23LouisvilleLost 23–34 vs. Syracuse-11Syracuse
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 6vsNorthern IllinoisW 47–⁠1477%
Sep 13atEast CarolinaW 24–⁠2171%
Sep 20vsMarylandL 3–⁠2448%
Sep 27atPittsburghL 16–⁠4846%
Oct 4atVirginia TechL 7–⁠1336%
Oct 11vs1MiamiL 14–⁠5827%
Oct 25vsBoston CollegeL 10–⁠1954%
Nov 1vs2Penn StateL 0–⁠1923%
Nov 8atRutgersW 24–⁠1733%
Nov 15atLouisvilleW 42–⁠1965%
Nov 22vsSyracuseL 23–⁠3459%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Syracuse 34–⁠23; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 76th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 124 on file).

Record
4–⁠7
Conference
1–⁠4 7th in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
Unranked
Points
210–⁠286
Coach
Don Nehlen
Elo
1478 −89 this season
SP+ rating
-3.1 No. 61 of 101; offense No. 58, defense No. 69
SRS
−2.3 No. 57 of 105 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
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