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· collected 2026-09-05 · by John Raby The Associated Press
Cam Cook rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns, while Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for one score and passed another TD, as West Virginia secured a 31-24 win over Coastal Carolina in their season opener. The Mountaineers dominated early but struggled in the second half, allowing Coastal Carolina to rally from a 24-0 deficit with 27 seconds left. Coastal Carolina's Nico Cavanillas Alti kicked a 32-yard field goal to cap the comeback, but an onside kick went out of bounds and West Virginia held on. Hawkins had a standout debut, passing for 132 yards and rushing for 103 yards.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
West Virginia's Mountaineers defeated Coastal Carolina's Chanticleers 31-24 in their season opener, which was also a celebration of record-setting quarterback Pat White's jersey number retirement. The game saw standout performances from Cam Cook and Michael Hawkins Jr., with Cook rushing for 142 yards and two touchdowns, including a 72-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, and Hawkins throwing for one score and passing for another TD. Despite dominating the game early, West Virginia struggled in the second half, allowing Coastal Carolina to rally from a 24-0 deficit to within seven points. The Mountaineers' defense was criticized for its performance, with the team having 88 new players on the roster contributing to the struggles. However, they were able to survive after Coastal Carolina's Nico Cavanillas Alti kicked a 32-yard field goal with only 27 seconds left, and the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds.
Written for “West Virginia Football Score” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 4760 · logged 2026-09-05
Cam Cook rushed for 142 yards and two short touchdowns, Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for one score and passed for another TD, and West Virginia held on for a 31-24 win over Coastal Carolina in the teams’ season opener Saturday.
asserted
Virginia → rush → opener
On a day in which West Virginia retired the No. 5 jersey of record-setting quarterback Pat White, the Mountaineers dominated the game early but looked disheveled on both sides of the ball for much of the second half.
asserted
Mountaineers → retire → half
Coastal Carolina’s Nico Cavanillas Alti kicked a 32-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to cap the Chanticleers’ rally from a 24-0 deficit.
asserted
Alti → kick → deficit
But the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds and West Virginia survived.
asserted
Virginia → ensue → bounds
With 88 new players on the roster, it’s going to take some time for West Virginia to work the kinks out, especially on defense.
asserted
Virginia → go → defense
At least they’re set with two marquee positions on offense.
asserted
they → set → offense
Cook ran 72 yards up the left sideline on the first play from scrimmage to set up his 3-yard TD run.
asserted
Cook → run → run
The transfer from Jacksonville State, who led the nation with 1,659 rushing yards last season, went over 100 yards early in the second quarter.
asserted
who → lead → quarter
Hawkins, a transfer from Oklahoma, had a stellar debut on the ground with 103 yards on 20 carries.
asserted
Hawkins → have → carries
Hawkins led scoring drives on three of West Virginia’s first four possessions.
asserted
Hawkins → lead → possessions
West Virginia had 336 total yards in the first half and raced to a 24-0 lead.
asserted
Virginia → have → lead
But the Mountaineers punted on their first four possessions of the second half and were limited to 77 yards after halftime.
asserted
Mountaineers → punt → halftime
Hawkins had an 11-yard TD run late in the game after a Coastal Carolina punt went out of bounds at its 35-yard line.
asserted
punt → have → line
Hawkins also threw a 49-yard scoring toss in the first quarter to Armoni Weaver-Bomar.
asserted
Hawkins → throw → Bomar
Hawkins’ only hiccup came when he fumbled while reaching for the pylon and the ball went through the end zone for a touchback early in the second quarter.
asserted
ball → come → quarter
Hawkins finished 11-of-14 passing for 132 yards.
asserted
Hawkins → finish → yards
West Virginia’s defense surrendered just five first downs in the first half, then looked porous after halftime.
asserted
defense → surrender → halftime
Redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey threw three touchdown passes for Coastal Carolina, which outgained West Virginia 425-413.
asserted
which → throw → Virginia
Bailey, a redshirt freshman who followed new coach Ryan Beard to the Chanticleers from Missouri State, had second-half TD tosses of 37 and 34 yards to Clayton Coppock and 13 yards to Colton Hinton.
asserted
who → follow → Hinton
Bailey completed 21 of 37 passes for 373 yards.
asserted
Bailey → complete → yards
Cook and Hawkins looked as good as advertised but the team’s struggles in the second half will need fixing.
asserted
struggles → look → fixing
Up Next
Coastal Carolina hosts Fordham of the Championship Subdivision on Saturday.
asserted
Carolina → host → Saturday
West Virginia hosts FCS member UT Martin on Saturday.
asserted
Virginia → host → Saturday
