With the anticipation over and the 2026 season finally here, there’s a lot riding on the season opener against Coastal Carolina. From it being a needed victory, to the honoring of Pat White, West Virginia will look to set the tone for an important season early. However, there are several keys storylines to watch for throughout the game.

Rich Rodriguez Adds to Hype for 2026 Season, Confirms Belief in Team

Any coach can hype up a new season, but doing it after a 4-8 year campaign can be risky. West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez believes his hype, and so much so that he added to it days ahead of the kicking off his second season of his second tenure in Morgantown.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Rodriguez consistently brought up his team’s depth and experience, even if not all collectively from time together.

For Rodriguez, the talent isn’t even what gives him the most confidence. He believes in his team because of the way they’ve been working and how motivated and engaged they all seem.

“I like the way they work and I think they’re ready to play a game,” he said as why he knows they’re ready for Week 1.

What Did Coastal Carolina HC Ryan Beard Say About West Virginia?

Coastal head coach Ryan Beard is actually among those buying into the WVU hype ahead of his season opening matchup with the Mountaineers on Saturday afternoon. He detailed his feelings about the team Rich Rodriguez has put together and his track record as a head coach during his weekly press conference to preview the matchup.

“We understand the opportunity that West Virginia presents,” said Beard. “Tremendously coached football team. Got a ton of respect for Rich Rod and those guys. I think Coach [Rick] Trickett, the guy that runs their run game, he’s been coaching football longer than I’ve been alive. So I have a ton of respect for those guys and the way they run their program and the opportunity it presents for our Chanticleers,” he added.

WVU Football Sits as Heavy Favorite to Win Big in Season Opener

The pageantry of honoring Pat White only adds to the “must-win” nature of the WVU football season opener. Fortunately for West Virginia fans, the major sportsbooks aren’t expecting the Mountaineers to be on upset come Saturday afternoon.

DraftKings and FanDuel both have Rich Rodriguez’s team kicking off his second season of his tenure with a convincing win. Both premiere books have WVU as at least a 21-point favorite. FanDuel even has the spread as high as -21.5 in favor of West Virginia.

West Virginia will kickoff the 2026 season at home against Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will follow a pregame ceremony to honor program legend and member of the current coaching staff Pat White.

Find more coverage of Rich Rodriguez and the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.