by Rod Pearson
Thursday, Sep 17, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, September 19, 2026
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Where to Watch: ACC Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: WVU +10.5, UVA -10.5; Over/Under: 53.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: WVU +10.5, UVA -10.5; Over/Under: 53.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: WVU +10.5, UVA -10.5; Over/Under: 53.5 points
Season Record
West Virginia Mountaineers: 2-0 (0-0) (2nd place, Big 12)
Virginia Cavaliers: 2-0 (1-0) (1st place, ACC)
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Recent Form
West Virginia Mountaineers: won their last game at home against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks 52-7.
Virginia Cavaliers: won their last game at home against the Norfolk State Spartans 59-3.
West Virginia Mountaineers vs Virginia Cavaliers Preview and Analysis
West Virginia is entering this game with a 2-0 record overall and they have a 0-0 record in their conference games too. They are 2-0 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season where they will be in this game. They won their last game against UT Martin 52-7. Michael Hawkins Jr. was the starting QB and he completed 5/7 passes for 155 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Michael Hawkins Jr. led the team in rushing yards with 96 and 2 TDs. DJ Epps led the receivers with 112 receiving yards on 2 receptions and 1 TD. Isaiah Patterson led the defense in that game with 8 tackles while Ezekiel Durham-Campbell and Ashton Woods each led the defense in sacks with 1. Ashton Woods came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Virginia is entering this game with a 2-0 record overall and they have a 1-0 record in their conference games too. They are 2-0 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season where they will be for this game. They won their last game against Norfolk State 59-3. Beau Pribula was the starting QB and he completed 12/14 passes for 162 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Xay Davis led the team in rushing yards with 107. Jacquon Gibson led the receivers with 36 receiving yards on 2 receptions and 2 TDs. Jacobie Henderson led the defense in that game with 7 tackles while Nnanna Anyanwu led the defense in sacks with 1. Brandyn Hillman came away with 2 interceptions for them while Justin Rowe came away with 1 INT in that one.
West Virginia vs Virginia Prediction
The current betting odds have Virginia listed as a 10.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Virginia has looked great in their games this season with their 2-0 record overall and their 1-0 conference record. They haven't played in any neutral site games though and will be playing their 1st of the season here. Meanwhile, West Virginia has looked good in their games this season with their 2-0 record overall so far. They haven't played in any neutral site games either and will be playing their 1st of the year here. West Virginia didn't have the best 1st season with Rich Rod back at the helm, but the season did have some bright spots and they will be looking to improve this year. They are coming off a 52-7 win over UT Martin in their last one and their offense has looked great in both games, but they haven't really been challenged in either game. They had a tough time beating Coastal Carolina in their season opener, winning 31-24 in the end, and their defense blew a pretty big lead in the 4th quarter as they were up 24-0 at halftime. Virginia has been rolling in their 2 games this season and they look like they could be a contender in the ACC. They had a really good season last year, but they have gotten even better this year and will be looking to get back to the ACC Championship. They are coming off a 59-3 win over Norfolk State in their last one and they weren't really challenged in that one, but they did get a big test in week 0 with a conference game to start the year and they destroyed NC State who definitely isn't a bottom dweller in the ACC. West Virginia is still trying to get their act together in this 2nd season with Rich Rod while Virginia is a team that is a lot more talented and looking to contend this year. The best way to place a bet here is on Virginia to cover the spread in this game.
West Virginia Virginia Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, September 19, 2026 (7:30 pm ET start time) is Virginia 38 West Virginia 14.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
West Virginia Mountaineers: 17-26 ATS against ACC opponents. 6-12 ATS as a neutral field underdog. 2-10 ATS on a neutral field where the total is between 49.5 and 56. 27-19 OVER after a 2 game home stand.
Virginia Cavaliers: 26-15 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points. 10-5 ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56. 9-4 ATS after playing a game at home. 6-3 OVER on a neutral field where the total is between 49.5 and 56.
Key Injuries
West Virginia Mountaineers: C. Talley (RB) Out - Hamstring. P. Strachan (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. C. Ball (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. A. Devine (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed.
Virginia Cavaliers: J. Hammond (DL) Out - Undisclosed. D. Newton-Short (WR) Questionable - Hamstring. T. Hamann (K) Questionable - Undisclosed. R. Flores Jr. (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. L. Ungar (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Stevens (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed. T. Ward (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed.
Notable Quotes
“I thought he saw the field well. I thought he was really sharp.” - Rich Rod after his team’s win against UT Martin in their last game.
“I'm excited about the pieces we have.” - Tony Elliott after his team’s win against Norfolk State in their last game.
Starting Lineups
West Virginia Mountaineers
WR Bray, Jaden
WR Neider, John
WR Epps, DJ
TE Sapp, Josh
QB Hawkins Jr., Michael
RB Cook, Cam
Virginia Cavaliers
WR Coleman, Ty'Lyric
WR Gibson, Jacquon
WR Courtney, Kameron
TE Twitty, Dakota
QB Pribula, Beau
RB Middlebrook, Jekail
Statistical Leaders
West Virginia Mountaineers
Passing: Michael Hawkins Jr. (287)
Rushing: Michael Hawkins Jr. (199)
Receiving: DJ Epps (148)
Touchdowns: Michael Hawkins Jr. (3)
Virginia Cavaliers
Passing: Beau Pribula (317)
Rushing: Xay Davis (120)
Receiving: Da'Shawn Martin (74)
Touchdowns: Da'Shawn Martin (2)
Coaches:
West Virginia Mountaineers: Rich Rodriguez (2nd season)
Virginia Cavaliers: Tony Elliott (5th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
