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1989 West Virginia

8–⁠3–⁠1, coached by Don Nehlen, finished No. 21 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

West Virginia in 1989, game by game: won vs. Ball State 35–10; won at Maryland 14–10; won vs. South Carolina 45–21; won at Louisville 30–21; tied vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh 31–31; lost vs. Virginia Tech 10–12; won vs. Cincinnati 69–3; won at Boston College 44–30; lost at No. 16 Penn State 9–19; won vs. Rutgers 21–20; won at Syracuse 24–17; lost vs. No. 14 Clemson 7–27+66−20Won 35–10 vs. Ball State+25Ball StateWon 14–10 at Maryland+4MarylandWon 45–21 vs. South Carolina+24South CarolinaWon 30–21 at Louisville+9LouisvilleTied 31–31 vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh0No. 10 PittsburghLost 10–12 vs. Virginia Tech-2Virginia TechWon 69–3 vs. Cincinnati+66CincinnatiWon 44–30 at Boston College+14Boston CollegeLost 9–19 at No. 16 Penn State-10No. 16 Penn StateWon 21–20 vs. Rutgers+1RutgersWon 24–17 at Syracuse+7SyracuseLost 7–27 vs. No. 14 Clemson-20No. 14 Clemson
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsBall StateW 35–⁠1074%
Sep 9atMarylandW 14–⁠1069%
Sep 16vsSouth CarolinaW 45–⁠2175%
Sep 23atLouisvilleW 30–⁠2165%
Sep 30vs10PittsburghT 31–⁠3171%
Oct 7vsVirginia TechL 10–⁠1284%
Oct 21vsCincinnatiW 69–⁠390%
Oct 28atBoston CollegeW 44–⁠3078%
Nov 4at16Penn StateL 9–⁠1953%
Nov 11vsRutgersW 21–⁠2085%
Nov 23atSyracuseW 24–⁠1748%
Dec 30Bowls & playoffvs14ClemsonGator BowlL 7–⁠2747%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Clemson 27–⁠7 in the Gator Bowl; No. 21 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 9th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 124 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 17
  2. Wk 2: 17
  3. Wk 3: 12
  4. Wk 4: 9
  5. Wk 5: 9
  6. Wk 6: 9
  7. Wk 7: 20
  8. Wk 8: 18
  9. Wk 9: 15
  10. Wk 10: 13
  11. Wk 11: 19
  12. Wk 12: 18
  13. Wk 13: 17
  14. Wk 14: 17
  15. Wk 15: 17
  16. Wk 16: 17
  17. Final: 21

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1989.

Heisman voteMajor Harris, third

Record
8–⁠3–⁠1
Conference
3–⁠1–⁠1 3rd in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
No. 21 peak No. 9
Points
339–⁠221
Coach
Don Nehlen
Elo
1666 +18 this season
SP+ rating
13.2 No. 24 of 103; offense No. 34, defense No. 24
SRS
8.7 No. 28 of 106 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offense
Option

Drafted in 1990

The 1990 draft
Rd 1Renaldo Turnbull DENew Orleans Saints
Rd 2Reggie Rembert WRNew York Jets
Rd 2Mike Fox DTNew York Giants
Rd 7Basil Proctor LBNew York Jets