File photo WVU coach Rich Rodriguez is shown during a game from earlier this season.

MORGANTOWN — After WVU’s win over Houston, there were hopes that WVU had a chance to make a bowl game. The team broke the losing streak and was 3-6 on the year. The next test was against a winnable Colorado team, which WVU beat, so all that stood in the way was Arizona State and Texas Tech.

The Sun Devils didn’t have quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was done for the season, and although it was a tough hill to climb against the Red Raiders, the game is at home. There was the thought that there was a chance.

The dream stopped before it could really have some legs.

WVU fell to Arizona State 25-23 in crushing fashion, losing on a late fourth-quarter field goal. Just like that, the Mountaineers had their seventh loss of the season, moving them out of bowl contention.

The Mountaineers made it close at least. It was looking bleak in the second quarter when ASU scored 15 unanswered, and if it weren’t for the long Jeff Weimer touchdown, WVU would’ve been down 22-3 at the half.

On a couple more big plays, WVU came all the way back and took the lead. Then, the Mountaineers let quarterback Jeff Sims get into field goal range to win the game.

Making a bowl game was a long shot to begin with, especially after losing five straight Big 12 games and most by 20-plus points. It was an exciting two weeks since the Houston win, but reality set in real quick with the loss to the Sun Devils.

After losing all those games, WVU didn’t deserve a bowl game. There were too many bad losses for a team looking to play postseason football. The Mountaineers lost to Ohio, who is 6-4 on the year, and WVU lost the first five Big 12 games, with one of those losses in blowout fashion against UCF, who was in a similar scenario to Rich Rodriguez and WVU.

For most, the goal of Rodriguez’s first season back was to be competitive and be a top team in the Big 12. That wasn’t realistic with all the turnover, the new players, the coaching staff and a new scheme. A more realistic goal was to make a bowl game, but still, that seemed pretty hard.

There were favorable games, looking ahead, but after the season went on, the Mountaineers’ schedule was pretty difficult. It had Pitt, Utah, BYU, Houston, Arizona State, and Texas Tech all on there. All six of those teams were, and some are still ranked in the top 25.

The expectation that athletic director Wren Baker had of just creating some momentum in Year 2 was more realistic. So far, it feels like Rodriguez has done that.

Ever since the UCF loss, WVU has won or been competitive enough to have a chance in winning, and some of those games were against the top teams in the Big 12. That’s encouraging for the years to come under Rodriguez.

WVU is on a bye this week and then gets Texas Tech at home. The Red Raiders are the best team in the Big 12, and will most likely be a 20-point favorite. WVU has a slim chance of winning. But how about just making the game competitive? Give the WVU fans a reason to stay until the fourth quarter.

That’ll give fans a reason to be excited for Year 2 of Rodriguez.