West Virginia has added a Big Ten opponent to its 2027 football schedule, with athletics director Wren Baker announcing Tuesday morning that Purdue will come to Morgantown.
The date for the game will be announced later, once the rest of the non-conference schedule is finalized. Baker said the matchup gives the Mountaineers a needed boost in their Power 4 count and brings a regional Big Ten team to Milan Puskar Stadium.
“We are looking forward to hosting Purdue in Morgantown next season for the first time since 1995,” Baker said. “It is an important addition for us, because it now gives us 10 Power 4 games on our schedule, which is a requirement in the expanded College Football Playoff.
It also gives us a regional Big Ten opponent visiting Milan Puskar Stadium, which I know Mountaineer Nation will be excited about. With the addition of Purdue, we will have further announcements on our 2027 schedule as we finalize everything in the coming days."
The addition matters because West Virginia had only nine Power Four games scheduled for next year. When the College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams, every Power Four school must have at least 10 Power Four opponents on its schedule.
The Mountaineers’ Big 12 slate already includes home games against Arizona State, BYU, Iowa State and UCF, along with road trips to Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.
That still leaves West Virginia needing to adjust its non-conference lineup. The Mountaineers are expected to cancel one of the three games currently listed, and VMI would seem the most likely to remain because it gives WVU an FCS opponent. The home game against Ohio is part of a 2-for-1 arrangement, with the other home date against the Bobcats set for 2029.
If Ohio is the game that gets dropped and the schedule can’t be reshuffled, opening the season against a Power Four opponent could be on the table.
Purdue’s non-conference schedule for now includes games against UAlbany on 8/28, at Notre Dame on 9/4, and Miami Ohio on 9/11.
The 2027 meeting will be the third all-time between West Virginia and Purdue. The series is tied 1-1, with Purdue winning 26-24 in Morgantown in 1995 and West Virginia returning the favor with a 20-6 win in West Lafayette the next season.
In Other News...
West Virginia Gets A Needed Boost At Texas Tech
West Virginia is set to get a welcome lift for its trip to Texas Tech, with wide receiver Armoni Weaver-Bomar, defensive lineman Corey McIntyre Jr. and cornerback Jason Chambers all expected back in the mix. Weaver-Bomars return is especially notable after he underwent surgery for a fractured finger earlier in the season, and the Mountaineers are hoping he can be available if his recovery continues on schedule.
The timing matters because Texas Tech brings its own dangerous passing-game threat, with Kenny Johnson still the Red Raiders player to watch as their leader in receptions and receiving yards. For West Virginia, getting bodies back on both sides of the ball could help against a team that can stress a defense quickly, and it adds some needed depth to a roster that has been managing absences for much of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Honor Huffs Eligibility Fight Just Became A Real West Virginia Story
Honor Huffs eligibility case has moved from a legal argument to a live roster issue for West Virginia, after a Monongalia County circuit court judge granted him a preliminary injunction that allows him to compete in the 2026-27 NCAA Division I mens basketball season. The ruling blocks the NCAA from enforcing its eligibility rules against Huff for now, giving him the green light as he prepares to enter the transfer portal.
For the Mountaineers, the significance is bigger than one players paperwork. Huff had been seeking an additional year after sitting out a season under transfer rules, and his case centered on whether NCAA rule changes should apply to him. With the court siding with him at this stage, West Virginia now has a real offseason storyline to follow, even if the broader fight is far from over. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Faces An Early Test Of Ross Hodges New Identity
West Virginias three-game homestand continues with a matchup against Stetson, and it comes with a familiar face on the other bench in Donnie Jones. The Hatters have opened their season with losses to Clemson and South Carolina, but they still bring a veteran presence through senior forward Collin Kuhl, who has been their leader in scoring and rebounds.
For the Mountaineers, the bigger story is how Ross Hodges first team keeps building on the season-opening win over Niagara. West Virginia had multiple players score in double figures in that one, and Hodge came away encouraged by the groups depth and defensive intensity, two traits that will get another early test as the homestand rolls on. [Read more 🡒]