This is when the Rich Rodriguez era should get up to speed.
RichRod returned to where he had so much success in the early 2000s, and the 4-8 first season wasn’t nearly as bad as the record. Now he has the right pieces from the transfer portal, and if it works, the Mountaineers will have one of the most dynamic offenses in college football.
Coastal Carolina is restarting under new head man Ryan Beard, who did a great job getting Missouri State going in its first season as an FBS program. The Chanticleers will soon have a high-powered attack of their own with a dangerous passing attack.
- West Virginia hasn’t beaten an FBS team in the season opener since rocking Tennessee 40-14 to start 2018.
- Coastal Carolina hasn’t beaten a power conference team since it took down Kansas early in 2021. It has lost two of its last three season openers.
- The Chanticleers get Fordham next week before going to Delaware for what should be a shootout. The Mountaineers play UT Martin in Week 2.
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET
TV: TNT
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WV
– CFN Week 1 Schedule, Predictions
The only chance anyone has of slowing down the West Virginia offense when it’s rolling is to get big things out of the linebacking corps. There might be several changes across the board for Coastal Carolina, but its linebackers are fantastic, led by veterans Tray Brown and Se’Von McDowell.
Offensively, quarterback Deuce Bailey comes over from Missouri State and will start throwing and keep throwing – the Chanticleer offense will need to keep up the pace.
– Coastal Carolina 2026 Preview
The West Virginia offense … LOOK … OUT.
Running back Cam Cook ran in the same style of offense at Jacksonville State last year – Rich Rodriguez’s old school – and tore off 1,659 yards and 16 scores. He can move, former Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins is dangerous, and all the pieces are there to take things to a whole other level.
– West Virginia 2026 Preview
Be disappointed if there aren’t a whole lot of points. West Virginia will hit several home runs, but Coastal Carolina won’t be afraid to keep the pressure on the Mountaineer secondary.
The Chanticleers will end up being better this season against the running game, but it won’t be this week. Last year, the team gave up more than 200 yards seven times and had a few total meltdowns. West Virginia will push for close to 300.
West Virginia 47, Coastal Carolina 23
Latest Consensus Line: West Virginia -21.5, o/u: 56.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 3
Must See Rating (out of 5): 3
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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