Big 12 Football: 3 teams that would benefit from leaving the conference

3) Teams that would benefit from leaving the Big 12: West Virginia

Two of the teams on this list aren’t here necessarily due to the lack of success across the board in athletics since joining the Big 12, but mostly due to geographic reasons. A team like the West Virginia Mountaineers might be best served elsewhere in the Power Five conferences instead of playing in the Big 12.

West Virginia is more regionally located to be an ACC school. That would keep the natural geographic rivalries between the Mountaineers and the Pittsburgh Panthers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Virginia Cavaliers, and the Louisville Cardinals. But instead West Virginia’s closest geographic rival in the Big 12 is the Iowa State Cyclones.

After parting ways with former head coach Dana Holgorsen (now with the Houston Cougars football program), West Virginia finds itself in a difficult spot. They are a rebuilding program under former Troy Trojans head coach Neal Brown (who is now in his second year in Morgantown). It could take a while before they are back up and running at the level they were under Skyler Howard in his senior year or under Will Grier.

Making the move from the Big 12 to the ACC could also give West Virginia it’s natural geographic recruiting pipeline, which could lead to more success over the long haul on the gridiron. Last season, West Virginia finished off with a record of 5-7. They only have one double-digit win season since joining the Big 12 back in 2012.