MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia opened the 2026 football season by honoring one of the most accomplished players in program history before surviving a late rally from Coastal Carolina for a 31-24 victory Saturday.
Before kickoff, the Mountaineers retired former quarterback Pat White’s No. 5 in an on-field ceremony at Milan Puskar Stadium. White became the seventh West Virginia football player to have his number retired and the eighth to have his name displayed on the stadium’s wall honoring the program’s all-time greats.
White, who is now a member of West Virginia’s coaching staff, was honored in fitting fashion as the Mountaineers immediately turned the opening drive into a touchdown.
West Virginia needed just two plays and 47 seconds to travel 75 yards and take an early lead. The Mountaineers continued to control the game offensively, putting together touchdown drives of 92 and 86 yards before settling for a field goal to take a 24-0 advantage into halftime.
The first half belonged almost entirely to West Virginia.
The Mountaineers finished the opening 30 minutes with 336 yards of total offense, while Coastal Carolina managed just 114 yards. West Virginia also controlled the clock, holding the ball for 18:42 compared with 11:18 for the Chanticleers.
Coastal Carolina finally broke through in the third quarter.
Quarterback Deuce Bailey engineered a 99-yard, 12-play drive that consumed 7:13. The possession ended with a 34-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Clayton Coppock Jr. with 3:57 remaining in the quarter. Nico Cavanillas-Alti added the extra point, cutting the deficit to 24-7.
West Virginia’s offense struggled to create separation in the fourth quarter, allowing Coastal Carolina to hang around.
After both teams traded punts, the Chanticleers put together another big scoring drive. Bailey connected with wide receiver Colton Hinton for a 13-yard touchdown with 12:56 remaining. The three-play, 71-yard possession brought Coastal Carolina within 24-14 after another successful extra point from Cavanillas-Alti.
The Mountaineers responded when quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. broke loose for an 11-yard rushing touchdown with 2:58 remaining. Jack Cassidy converted the extra point, capping a five-play, 35-yard drive that took roughly three minutes and pushed West Virginia’s lead to 31-14.
Coastal Carolina refused to go quietly.
Just 1:51 remained when Coppock hauled in his second touchdown of the afternoon, this time on a 37-yard pass from Bailey. Cavanillas-Alti’s extra point made it 31-21.
The Chanticleers then recovered some additional momentum with another possession, and Cavanillas-Alti connected on a 32-yard field goal with 32 seconds remaining to make it a one-score game at 31-24.
Coastal Carolina attempted an onside kick following the field goal, but West Virginia recovered. The Mountaineers were then able to run out the remaining seconds by taking a knee, securing the victory.
West Virginia finished the afternoon 1-0, although the final quarter provided an uncomfortable finish after the Mountaineers had built a 24-point halftime cushion.
The victory came in front of 53,755 fans, giving the Mountaineers a successful opening to the 2026 campaign while providing an emotional backdrop with White’s No. 5 officially retired.
For West Virginia, the challenge now will be turning an impressive first-half performance into a complete four-quarter effort as the season moves forward.
