Wren Baker Predicts WVU Takeover in Charlotte vs. Virginia — Home Game Vibe?

There should be a whole lot of gold in the Queen City this weekend.

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers fans cheer during the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest alumni bases for West Virginia, and it's also a place where many West Virginia natives move to, myself included.

Every time the Mountaineers play in Charlotte, a sea of gold takes over the streets surrounding Bank of America Stadium. The most impressive showing by the fans was WVU's last trip down here in 2023 for the Duke's Mayo Bowl against North Carolina. WVU fans made up about 80% of the crowd IN North Carolina's own backyard.

On top of the thousands of West Virginians in the Carolinas, it's also an easy trip down for those still residing in the Mountain State, particularly those in the southern half who can get to the Queen City in just a few hours.

When asked about how the ticket sales have gone for WVU on 3 Guys Before the Game, athletic director Wren Baker said, “When we’ve talked to the folks in Charlotte, they’ve been very pleased with the Mountaineer turnout. They’re concerned about the Virginia contingent. I’ll be shocked if it’s not a heavy pro-Mountaineer crowd. Look forward to seeing people there. Let’s go, Mountaineers!”

If this does indeed turn out to be a home game away from home for the Mountaineers, it will significantly boost their chances of pulling off the upset if it's a tight ballgame late in the fourth quarter. The crowd will become a factor, and when you have that on your side, the game can tilt in your favor.

This trip to Charlotte is one that the Mountaineers are scheduled to make at least two more times in the near future. West Virginia is slated to open the 2028 season against Tennessee at Bank of America Stadium and then will return in 2032 for another clash with the Virginia Cavaliers.

"We’ve made an emphasis on the Charlotte area, for instance," Baker said back in the spring. "It’s always a place we do really well, so that’s a place we have really tried to plant our flag. You want to do what’s right by the state and community, but certain neutral-site games give you an opportunity to draw revenue, to hit a broader audience, to play an opponent that maybe doesn’t have it in their schedule to do two games."

The men's basketball team will also travel to Charlotte this year for a huge game against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Black Friday, as part of the Dick Vitale Invitational.