LAWRENCE, Kan. — For the first time in more than three years, a Big 12 coach had to explain a loss to Kansas. And for the first time in 14 seasons as a Division I coach, Dana Holgorsen’s team won’t be going to a bowl game.
“I guess this would be an all-time low,” the coach said after Saturday’s 31-19 loss at Kansas eliminated West Virginia from bowl contention.
The Mountaineers (4-7, 2-6) face a long bye week before wrapping up the season against Iowa State on Nov. 30. But Senior Day in Morgantown won’t hold the same fervor without a postseason berth coming up.
“We’ll have a lot of coaches and players sitting at home over the holidays and say, ‘Boy, everybody on TV’s having a good time going to a bowl game. Sure would be nice to do that,'” Holgorsen said. “But what do you do? You work harder. You recruit better. You stay the course. You develop your players. You buy in.”