[REVISION HISTORY]

West Virginia defeats Coastal Carolina in season opener

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-06 01:44 UTC → 2026-09-07 11:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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.

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