West Virginia’s Week 3 date with Virginia in Charlotte already looked like a real test. After the Cavaliers opened with a 34-8 demolition of NC State, it looks even tougher.
Virginia entered the season with the best year in school history behind it and the most experienced roster in college football, but there were still real questions hanging over the offense. How would the Cavaliers replace quarterback Chandler Morris and lead running back J’Mari Taylor? And was last season a one-off, or the start of something more durable?
The opener didn’t answer everything, but it did settle one thing: Virginia is for real. The Cavaliers looked clean, physical and disruptive in every phase against NC State, and they left little doubt that 2025 was not some fluke.
CJ Bailey was supposed to be one of the offseason’s bigger quarterback talking points, at least outside the biggest national names. Virginia made him look uncomfortable from the start.
He finished 12-of-23 for 84 yards with an interception, and the Cavaliers shut down anything downfield, holding him to just 2-for-9 on throws of 10-plus yards. The pressure never let up either, as Virginia got to him 17 times, piling up 13 hurries, two QB hits and two sacks.
NC State couldn’t get anything going on the ground, either. Bailey actually led the Wolfpack with 33 rushing yards on 10 carries, while backup quarterback Will Wilson added 21.
Jayden Scott managed just 20 yards. That kind of run-game struggle can make everything else harder, and it’s one area West Virginia may not need to worry about as much.
Cam Cook and company should be able to produce on the ground; the bigger question is whether Mike Hawkins and the receivers can match that production.
Virginia’s own backfield showed plenty in the opener. Beau Pribula, the Missouri quarterback transfer, completed 9 of 11 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 110 yards.
That dual-threat ability is exactly what makes him such a problem. If he can hurt a defense with his legs, everything else opens up.
The part West Virginia will be watching most closely is the passing game. Because Virginia leaned on the run against NC State and has Norfolk State next, there may not be much of a tape trail for what Pribula looks like when he has to throw the ball more often.
That’s the wrinkle that stands out. If Zac Alley can force him into 25-plus pass attempts, the matchup starts to look more favorable for the Mountaineers.
Virginia’s backs also did their part. Jekail Middlebrook and Xavier Brown combined for 104 yards and a touchdown behind an old, physical offensive line.
That front could be a problem for West Virginia, especially with the Mountaineers still lacking experience and size up front. If WVU can hold its own against that group, some of the early doubts about the defensive line will ease, at least for now.
None of that means the Charlotte game is automatically a loss for West Virginia. The Mountaineers haven’t even played yet, and there’s still room for them to look better than expected, even if the opponent in front of them is inferior. Mountaineer Nation will show out in the Queen City, and by Week 3, WVU should have had enough time to clean up some issues and give itself a real shot at the upset.
In Other News...
Virginia Just Turned A West Virginia Rivalry Nerve Into Something Bigger
Virginias season opener against North Carolina State brought more than a win, because the postgame scene quickly drifted into familiar territory for anyone around the Mountaineers. Fans sang along to John Denvers Country Roads, the song forever tied to West Virginia in college sports culture, and with it came a reminder that this rivalry has long carried a strange mix of music, memory and misplaced claims.
The backdrop matters because the song has been at the center of previous flashpoints involving the University of Virginia, including past pep band references that crossed the line into derogatory shots at West Virginia and eventually prompted complaints and apologies. So even in a game that had nothing to do with the Mountaineers on the field, Virginia managed to reopen a nerve that still feels bigger than a one-night crowd singalong. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Frontcourt Uncertainty Is Putting Real Pressure On The 2026 Rotation
West Virginias frontcourt picture for 2026 is already looking shaky because Javan Buchanan and Brenen Lorient are still tied up in NCAA eligibility cases, with a ruling expected in September. Until that clears up, the Mountaineers are left planning for a rotation that may or may not include two players who could loom large in the middle of the roster, which makes the coming months feel especially important for a team trying to map out its next step.
For now, the uncertainty is forcing WVU to think through alternative paths, from potential starters to the depth behind them if those forwards are unavailable. It also leaves the staff with the option of dipping into the junior college market if the numbers in the frontcourt do not come together the way they need to, and that is the sort of roster pressure that can shape a season long before the first game is played. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Just Got An Early Read On A Few Future Threats
West Virginia got a useful midseason snapshot of whats coming next on the schedule, and some of the early signs are pretty clear. The recent games involving future opponents offered a little of everything, from sharp defensive outings to teams that were forced into grinding, uneven afternoons. For a Mountaineers staff trying to game-plan ahead, these results matter because they show not just who won, but how each team is trying to win right now.
Virginias latest outing stood out for how efficiently it handled business, while TCUs trip overseas offered a very different kind of reminder about how thin the margin can be against quality competition. Between those two games and the rest of the slate, West Virginia is getting a better feel for which upcoming opponents are thriving, which ones are still sorting things out, and where the most dangerous matchups may be hiding. [Read more 🡒]