West Virginia’s opener offered both a burst of hope and a blunt warning.
The good part came immediately. Running back Cam Cook opened the 2026 season with a 72-yard run and scored on the next snap, giving the Mountaineers exactly the kind of start they could have dreamed up.
By halftime, they were up 24-0 and looked ready to cruise. If QB Mike Hawkins Jr. doesn’t fumble through the back of the end zone, that lead becomes 31-0, and the whole afternoon changes shape.
Instead, the second half turned into a mess.
West Virginia’s defense gave up 373 passing yards to redshirt freshman QB Deuce Bailey, and there weren’t many signs of a fix from Zac Alley. Bailey was talented, sure, but the Mountaineers made life too easy for him.
Players missed their angles in the pocket, which let him extend plays and keep drives alive. The linebackers also struggled in coverage, a concern that was already there before kickoff.
They weren’t just losing matchups - they were arriving late, chasing routes, and getting exposed.
That kind of performance brought back some unpleasant memories, too. It had echoes of UAlbany QB Myles Burkett throwing for 306 yards against WVU back in 2024, a game that turned out to be a preview of how badly that defense could struggle against the pass.
There was one clear positive on that side of the ball: the defensive line. It produced 25 pressures on Bailey, which at least gave the unit something to hang onto.
Offensively, the bigger question was balance - or the lack of it. Rich Rodriguez called just 14 passes, even though Hawkins completed 11 of them and showed enough to suggest the passing game could have done more.
He also hit Armoni Weaver-Bomar for a 49-yard touchdown. Still, West Virginia ran the ball 61 times, and when the offense wasn’t blocking it well and everyone in the stadium knew the ball wasn’t coming out on 1st or 2nd down, the plan stopped being sneaky and started being predictable.
Eight of Hawkins’ 14 throws came on third down. That’s a hard way to live.
There was also the question of whether Rodriguez was holding things back for Virginia. That theory has been floating around, but the logic is shaky.
The Mountaineers were trying to win a game, and basic quick-game and RPO concepts aren’t exactly secret weapons in college football anymore. If the offense needs to grow, it has to show more than one gear.
And with UT Martin up next, there’s a real need to get Hawkins and the receivers more live reps before the Virginia game arrives.
Rodriguez said it plainly after the fact: WVU “stunk in the second half.”
He wasn’t wrong. Penalties piled up, execution slipped on both sides of the ball, and the final 30 minutes were ugly.
But one rough opener doesn’t close the book on this team either. The roster is almost entirely new - more than 80 newcomers and zero returning defensive starters - and that showed.
The talent level looks better, the depth looks better, and that usually matters more once a team starts stacking games together.
That doesn’t excuse what happened Saturday. It just helps explain it.
Week 1 around college football was full of weird results and shaky performances anyway. Western Michigan and Michigan had eyebrow-raising outings.
Texas Tech beat Abilene Christian 33-10. Oklahoma State, the preseason favorite in a lot of minds, lost to Tulsa.
Rutgers lost to UMass. Michigan State beat Toledo by 10.
Northwestern was pushed for three quarters by South Dakota State. Baylor, Auburn, Colorado, Georgia Tech, TCU, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt all had offenses that looked stuck in the mud in their openers.
That context doesn’t make West Virginia’s second half acceptable. It just reinforces the larger point: Week 1 isn’t what it used to be. With rosters full of transfers and very little continuity, some teams are going to look disjointed right away.
If there’s a reason not to panic yet, that’s it.
In Other News...
WVU Passing Game Takes An Early Hit Before The Opener
West Virginias passing game will open the season without one of its key pieces, as wide receiver Prince Strachan is set to miss the opener against Coastal Carolina because of a shoulder injury. Rich Rodriguez said Strachan is expected to be sidelined for a couple of weeks, which forces the Mountaineers to make an early adjustment at a position group that was already worth watching heading into Week 1.
Jaden Bray has been moved into the X role, while John Neider will start at Z, giving the staff a different look right out of the gate. For a WVU offense trying to find rhythm early, the setback is a reminder that the first depth-chart decisions of the season can change fast, and the opener may offer a first glimpse at how the receivers respond to the shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Suddenly Has A Big Darius Wiley Concern
West Virginias season opener against Coastal Carolina brought an early defensive concern when Darius Wiley left the field injured and had to be carted off. The extent of the issue was not immediately clear afterward, and the Mountaineers still had not offered an official diagnosis by the end of the game.
Wiley entered the 2026 season as a notable addition to West Virginias defense, which makes the uncertainty around his status especially important for a unit that was counting on him to help set the tone up front. For now, the Mountaineers are left waiting for more clarity on a player who was supposed to be part of their defensive answer this fall. [Read more 🡒]
Pat White Is About To Get A West Virginia Honor Fans Love
West Virginia is set to add another name to its wall of honors before the 2026 season opener against Coastal Carolina, with Pat Whites jersey number being retired in a ceremony that figures to hit home for a fan base that still remembers his days as the face of the program. White will become the seventh Mountaineer football player to have his number retired, a fitting marker for a quarterback whose college career included plenty of the kind of big-game moments that made him one of the most beloved players in school history.
There is also a modern wrinkle attached to the tribute, with senior wide receiver Jaden Bray wearing No. 5 this season with Whites permission. It gives the number a current presence while the school prepares to formally honor one of its most iconic players, and it adds a little extra intrigue to a fall that already has a ceremonial feel around Morgantown. [Read more 🡒]