A full guide to WVU football vs. No. 25 Virginia: How to watch, series history, odds

The West Virginia Mountaineersare undefeated after two weeks of the regular seasonfor the first time since 2018. Now, they're looking to make their first 3-0 start in a decade as they head to Charlotte for a showdown with No. 25 Virginia in the Duke's Mayo Classic.

The Mountaineers are set to face their toughest challenge this season, as Virginia is coming off double-digit wins and a trip to the ACC Championship game last year, and already has a decisive win over NC State this season. West Virginia, meanwhile, is still looking for answers against a similar level of competition to just how much they've improved in Rich Rodriguez's second season back in charge.

It will bea true measuring stick gamefor the Mountaineers, and will set the tone for West Virginia heading into conference play. Here's everything you need to know to keep up with the action this week.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. No. 25 Virginia Cavaliers

Date: Saturday, September 19

Time: 7:30 P.M. EST

Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

How to Watch: ACC Network, ESPN+

Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network/Varsity Network

WVU Record: 2-0

Virginia Record: 2-0

Virginia-West Virginia: A bitter, but underplayed, rivalry

The Virginia Cavaliers and the West Virginia Mountaineers don't play often, but it is a bitter rivalry. They historically call Missouri and Kansas "The Border War," but that's an apt decscriptor for this game too.

The rivalries are similar in many regard. You're dealing with two border states that used to be one, before West Virginia seceded from Virginia and joined the Union during the Civil War. Virginians often look down upon West Virginians as "hillbillies" while West Virginia sees those down in Charlottesville as too aristocratic and elite.

The last time the two played in the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl, which is the forerunner to the current Duke's Mayo Bowl – organized by the same group that is putting on this week's Duke's Mayo Classic. During that game (at the same stadium as this week's showdown), the Cavaliers beat the Mountaineers 48-22.

During that game,the Virginia pep band mocked West Virginiansas barefooted hillbillies during an unapproved skit in their halftime performance: it was the final straw that eventually saw the Virginia pep band disbanded and replaced by a more traditional marching band. During the prior most recent meeting between the two teams in Charlottesville in 1985, the Virginia pep band pulled a similar halftime stunt to mock West Virginians before beating the Mountaineers 27-7.

Ironically, current West Virginia head coach was on the sideline for both those games: he was the WVU's head coach in his first stint in that role in 2002, and as a student assistant in 1985. The most recent meeting before those two, which was a 1984 loss for West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium, was Rodriguez's senior season as a player for the Mountaineers.

Rodriguez will surely have revenge on his mind, and so will the entire state of West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 10-12-1 overall against the Cavaliers, and will hope to get some payback while taking another step toward evening the historical series.

Betting Odds

The Mountaineers are entering this week as 10.5-point underdogs against the Cavaliers. The over/under is currently set at 53.5 points.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Injuries

The Mountaineers will be likely getting a key piece of their offense back this week as wide receiver Prince Strachan is trending toward a return, according to head coach Rich Rodriguez. And fans already know that Darius Wiley is out for the season along the defensive line. Running back Chris Talley is not back into action yet either.

The big update for the Cavaliers is that they wil be missing starting defensive tackle Jason Hammond, who went down with an injury last week and is expected to miss significant time.

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