Way-too-early 2026 opponent preview: Will the first trip to Charlotte be Virginia’s last?

The Cavaliers face West Virginia, and need to avoid any scares

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott greets players during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Sept. 19 marks Virginia’s first return to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. since a 27-20 heartbreaking loss in the ACC Championship game to Duke. This year, in the regular season rendition, the Cavaliers play a different duke — the Duke’s Mayo Classic against West Virginia. It will be a primetime 7:30 p.m. affair on ACC Network.

It is a game the Cavaliers cannot afford to lose.

A win keeps Virginia afloat, a loss would stain its resume 

The Mountaineers finished 2025 as the third-worst team in the Big 12, going 4-8 with a 2-7 mark in conference play. To their credit, they did steal a win on the road at then-No. 21 Houston, but overall, 2025 was disastrous.

West Virginia’s defense allowed 35-plus points in half of its games — including a 49-0 home loss to Texas Tech in the final game of the regular season. Offensively, the Mountaineers only scored 30-plus three times all year, including just once after Sept. 14. 

If Virginia is to return to Charlotte for the ACC Championship game again, this is not a game it should be losing. Even though West Virginia conducted an aggressive rebuild over the past few months, it would be a bad look for the Cavaliers to lose against a recent Big 12 bottom-feeder. 

In an ideal scenario for Virginia, it dispatches the Mountaineers with ease — and returns to Bank of America Stadium a few months later to win on that field a second time in 2026.

Examining the matchup

West Virginia’s first two games are against Coastal Carolina and Tennessee-Martin. It is likely that the Mountaineers will perform well against those opponents, but on the other hand, Virginia presents a far greater challenge than those first two matchups could possibly produce. The Cavaliers at least face NC State in their first game — a true Power Four test. 

To rebuild a team that went 4-8 last season, Coach Rich Rodriguez hit the portal hard this offseason. West Virginia has at least 16 new projected starters in 2026. The question is, what will this Mountaineers team look like by the time they face the Cavaliers? 

At running back, Rodriguez pulled in Cam Cook — formerly of product Jacksonville State and TCU — who was one of the best running backs available in the portal. He led the nation in rushing with 295 carries for 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns last year.

As a result, Cook was a finalist for the Earl Campbell Award and a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. Joining Cook in the backfield is Kayden Luke, a fullback transfer from Arizona.

West Virginia’s projected starter at quarterback is Michael Hawkins Jr., a redshirt sophomore who was previously a backup at Oklahoma. Hawkins is a dual-threat QB with some upside — he helped the Sooners win his first-ever start at Auburn in 2024 — but Hawkins has only started four games in his career. He will face an experienced Virginia defense at a neutral site.

It is clear that the Mountaineers hope to win through the run game — they field an experienced offensive line of maulers, but not much to write home about at the wide receiver position. Cook and Hawkins present a great challenge for any opposing defense on the ground, though.

Key battles

Can West Virginia win at the line of scrimmage?

This could be an in-the-trenches, classic brawl of a football game. Both teams love to run the football, and the offensive line is a mutual area of strength. However, that is where the similarities end. 

On the defensive line, Virginia returns two high-level starters in Fisher Camac and Jason Hammond, plus the veteran Anthony Britton. West Virginia does not feature any notable returners on the defensive line. To remedy that situation, the Mountaineers looked towards the transfer portal — where they reeled in mid-major options. The difference is, Virginia did the same and found options with more starts, production and performance against Power Four opponents.

Can the Mountaineers hinder the Cavaliers’ passing attack?

Last season, once opponents established the run, they threw all over West Virginia’s defense. Given that this is often how Des Kitchings attacks opposing defenses, the Mountaineers are going to have to prove that they can make plays with the ball in the air — and keep up with speedy Virginia wideouts.

If the Cavaliers are having their way in the run game and can also throw the ball all over the field, West Virginia could sink into an inescapable hole in the first half of play. The Mountaineers need to contain a potent Virginia offense — the best way to do that might be to hope the action stays close to the line of scrimmage, where West Virginia’s veteran transfers can potentially make plays.