CHARLOTTE, N.C. — West Virginia is 2-0, and now the Mountaineers are getting their first ranked test of the season.
West Virginia will take on No. 25 Virginia Saturday night in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Mountaineers opened the season with a 31-24 win over Coastal Carolina before putting together a much more complete performance against UT Martin, winning 52-7.
Virginia has also started the season 2-0, beating NC State 34-8 before taking down Norfolk State 59-3.
So, something has to give in Charlotte. Read more: Setting the Scene: WVU, Virginia meet again with Charlotte setting the stage.
A long time coming
It has been 24 years since these two teams last played.
The last meeting came in the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl, which was also played at Bank of America Stadium. Virginia won that game 48-22, with Rich Rodriguez in his second year of his first stint as West Virginia’s head coach.
The last regular-season meeting was even further back. The two teams played in 1985, when Virginia won 27-7 in Charlottesville.
Now, they meet again.
West Virginia and Virginia have played 23 times since the series began in 1898, with the Cavaliers holding a 12-10-1 advantage. Saturday will be the seventh neutral-site meeting between the programs.
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The two schools are also scheduled to meet again in Charlotte in 2032.
For West Virginia, this will be the sixth trip to Charlotte and the third regular season game the Mountaineers have played at Bank of America Stadium. The last one came in 2018, when WVU beat Tennessee 40-14.
This time, though, there is more on the line than just a trip to Charlotte.
Both teams are undefeated, and Virginia comes in ranked No. 25.
Two teams coming in hot
West Virginia has been able to lean on its running game early this season.
The Mountaineers have rushed for 597 yards through two games, with Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook leading the way. Hawkins has 199 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Cook has 194 yards and three touchdowns.
Important: Everything you need to know: WVU faces No. 25 Virginia
Hawkins also broke off a 71-yard touchdown run against UT Martin last week.
That has been a big part of West Virginia’s offense so far, with the Mountaineers rushing on 112 of their 138 offensive plays through the first two games.
And it is not just the running game.
Hawkins has completed 16 of 21 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
“We haven’t thrown much because we haven’t had to,” Rodriguez said. “We’re confident that we can throw the ball.”
That could be important Saturday against a Virginia defense that has not given up much so far.
Virginia has not given up much
The Cavaliers have allowed just 11 points through their first two games.
NC State scored eight against Virginia, while Norfolk State managed just three.
Virginia has also been able to stop the run, allowing just 2.4 yards per carry so far this season.
That will be something to watch against a West Virginia team that has made running the football a major part of its identity through two games.
The Cavaliers have also been able to run the ball themselves.
Virginia is averaging 247.5 rushing yards per game, with Xay Davis and Noah Vaughn both already over 100 yards this season.
Quarterback Beau Pribula has added 102 yards on the ground while completing 21 of 25 passes for 317 yards and five touchdowns.
“You have to account for all 11 guys on offense with Pribula,” Rodriguez said.
That is part of what makes Saturday different for West Virginia. The Mountaineers are going up against a team that can hurt them in a few different ways.
A different kind of test
Virginia has plenty of experience, too.
Rodriguez called the Cavaliers one of the most experienced teams West Virginia will see this season, pointing specifically to an offensive line that includes multiple fifth-, sixth- and seventh-year players.
“They’re playing with a bunch of grown men, and it shows on film,” Rodriguez said. “They’re an experienced team that doesn’t make many mistakes.”
That experience has shown up early.
Virginia has not turned the ball over much and has been able to control games on both sides of the football.
Related: Keys to the game: WVU one win away from first non-conference sweep in 10 years
West Virginia, meanwhile, is still working through a roster that has more than 80 new players from the transfer portal, junior college, and high school ranks.
The Mountaineers have already shown some things they can do well.
Now they get to see how that translates against a ranked opponent.
The real deal
There is no need to make Saturday bigger than it already is.
West Virginia is 2-0.
Virginia is 2-0.
Virginia is ranked No. 25.
And the two teams have not played each other in 24 years.
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For West Virginia, this is the first power-conference test of the season. It is also a chance to see how a new-look roster handles a team that has already proven it can play at a high level.
Rodriguez knows what his team is walking into.
“They don’t make any mistakes,” Rodriguez said. “I saw a quote from [Norfolk State head coach] Michael Vick after they played them that said they make you earn every blade of grass that you get with how disciplined they are, and they are.”
That is the challenge for West Virginia.
The Mountaineers have started fast in 2026.
Now they have to do it against a ranked team.
