WVU's betting odds in season-opener against Coastal Carolina suggest easy 2026 start

The West Virginia Mountaineers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 4-8 finish in Rich Rodriguez's return to the helm in Morgantown. But with a rebuilt roster that welcomes over 80 new players for the second consecutive season, it could take some time to make sure things gel for WVU football.

Luckily for West Virginia, there schedule helps them out a bit in that regard. The Mountaineers have the front half of their schedule front-loaded with what could be some of their easiest opponents in 2026, and that starts in Week 1 as the Coastal Carolina visits Milan Puskar Stadium.

Opening odds suggest Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia will make easy work of Chanticleers in Week 1

The first look at the betting odds for West Virginia's season-opener against Coastal Carolina puts the Mountaineers at 20.5-point favorites. It's clear the Vegas oddsmakers are expecting WVU to handle the Chanticleers without much struggle – and it's hard to disagree with them.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Despite West Virginia's disappointing 2025 campaign, Rodriguez and his staff seem to be much more satisfied to this point with the roster they have assembled. And while it might be foolish to have too high of expectations for the Mountaineers this season, there is certainly the possibility for the team to post a significant turnaround.

Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina is embarking under a coaching change, firing Tim Beck after back-to-back 6-7 finishes and welcoming former Missouri State head coach Ryan Beard to the job. The Chanticleers haven't been super competitive in recent seasons, and with the usual challenges presented by a coaching change, they aren't likely to be a major threat in Week 1 against a Power 4 opponent.

The Mountaineers will open the season against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, September 5 at Milan Puskar Stadium, with kickoff set for Noon EST.

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