Is WVU Bowl eligible? Mountaineers' playoff picture in 2023 explored

The West Virginia Mountaineers had their best finish to a regular season since 2019 under coach Neal Brown.

With a 31-24 win over Baylor in week 13, WVU ended the regular season schedule with an 8-4 overall record (6-3 in the Big 12). They are fourth in the conference, behind Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

So, is this performance enough for WVU to qualify to partake in the post-season bowl games? Are the West Virginia Mountaineers making a bowl appearance this year?

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Is WVU bowl eligible?

The Mountaineers became bowl-eligible earlier this month when they beat the BYU Cougars 37-7.

According to NCAA rules, a team needs to have at least six wins to be eligible for bowl games. The win over the Cougars was West Virginia's sixth win for the season, which made them qualify for the bowl games after the regular season.

During the game against BYU, the Mountaineers were in control right from the first quarter. CJ Donaldson scored two touchdowns for West Virginia as they secured a 14-0 lead. The Mountaineers offense continued to shine in the second quarter, making it difficult for BYU to counter.

Michael Hayes scored two field goals along with a TD pass by WVU quarterback Garrett Greene to further extend the lead to 27-0.

In the third quarter, Hayes scored another incredible 23-yard field goal after which Greene put the finishing touches with a TD pass to Kole Taylor. The Mountaineers were up 37-0 by the end of the third quarter.

The only time that BYU put themselves on the scoreboard was in the fourth quarter. Running back Aidan Robbins made a 10-yard run for a touchdown, which helped the Cougars avoid a whitewash.

However, the Cougars could not recover enough as they went on a three-game losing streak to end the regular season with a 5-7 record. That brought an end to their hopes of being eligible for bowl games.

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WVU beat Baylor in a nail-biting week 13 clash

The West Virginia Mountaineers ended their regular season on a strong note with a 34-31 win over Baylor in a tough contest.

Both teams were on equal footing from the start. However, the Bears took a one-point lead in the third quarter, thanks to a Dominic Richardson TD run.

In the fourth quarter, Isaiah Hankins extended that lead for Baylor with a 39-yard field goal as the score read 31-27.

However, in the dying moments of the game, Garrett Greene came in clutch for WVU, making a 29-yard TD pass to Jahiem White and securing the game for the Mountaineers.