West Virginia projected to shake up College Football Playoff field

West Virginia might just be lurking in the shadows, waiting to spring a surprise on college football in 2024 — one that ends with them in the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

The Mountaineers were listed among the top CFP sleepers headed into 2024 by 2 47Sports despite being left out of the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll. West Virginia was one of two "sleeper" teams listed from the Big 12 Conference alongside No. 24 Kansas.

West Virginia gets one of the marquee games in the nation to start the season on Aug. 31 when they host No. 9 Penn State .

WVU quarterback Garrett Greene was recently placed on the Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch list.

From 247Sports: “Armed with a budding superstar at quarterback and one of the most productive backfield duos in the country and widespread returning talent on a defense that ranked inside the top-tier of the Big 12 last season, there's a lot to like about Neal Brown's lineup at West Virginia. The Mountaineers open with a mammoth home game against playoff-hopeful Penn State, a landmark opportunity at a momentum-changing victory that would change early narratives nationally.”