# West Virginia defeats Coastal Carolina in season opener

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/west-virginia-vs-coastal-carolina-football-matchup
> Updated: 2026-09-05T12:00:00.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

West Virginia University opened its 2026 college football season with a 31-24 victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Milan Puskar Stadium. 

The Mountaineers established early dominance, building a 24-0 lead by halftime. The offensive surge was driven by running back Cam Cook, who recorded 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and new starting quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who accounted for 132 passing yards and 103 rushing yards, including a late touchdown. The game also featured a pregame ceremony retiring the No. 5 jersey of former quarterback Pat White.

Coastal Carolina, led by head coach Ryan Beard, mounted a significant second-half rally fueled by redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey, who threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns. The Chanticleers outscored West Virginia 24-7 in the final two quarters. Despite a late field goal by Nico Cavanillas Alti that narrowed the deficit, Coastal Carolina was unable to complete the comeback following a failed onside kick.

Following the win, West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the team’s performance drop-off, stating, “In the second half, we stunk and didn't do anything good.” The victory, while successful, highlighted defensive inconsistencies and growing pains for a roster containing 88 new players.

## Claims

- West Virginia defeated Coastal Carolina 31-24 in their season opener. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- West Virginia held a 24-0 lead at halftime. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- West Virginia defeated Coastal Carolina 31-24. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Michael Hawkins Jr. is an Oklahoma transfer. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The game was played at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Cam Cook scored two touchdowns during the game, including a 72-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. (single source)
- Coastal Carolina scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to narrow the lead. (single source)
- Coastal Carolina quarterback Deuce Bailey recorded 373 passing yards and three touchdowns. (single source)
- West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. scored a late touchdown to secure the victory. (single source)
- West Virginia's offense recorded only 77 yards of total offense in the second half. (single source)
- Ryan Beard served as the new head coach for Coastal Carolina during the game. (single source)
- Michael Hawkins Jr. passed for 132 yards and ran for 108 yards. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-05: West Virginia defeats Coastal Carolina 31-24 in season opener

West Virginia defeated Coastal Carolina 31-24 in their 2026 season opener, overcoming a late second-half rally after building an early 24-0 lead.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/west-virginia-mountaineers-defeat-coastal-carolina-31-24-in-season-opener

### 2026-09-03: West Virginia defense faces preparation challenges against Coastal Carolina

West Virginia defensive coordinator Zac Alley faces preparation challenges for the Coastal Carolina game due to the Chanticleers' massive roster turnover and coaching changes.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/west-virginia-defense-faces-preparation-challenges-against-coastal-carolina

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Cite as: West Virginia defeats Coastal Carolina in season opener. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/west-virginia-vs-coastal-carolina-football-matchup