WVU Football Adjusts Schedule For 2026 Season

Mountaineers' season finale against Utah moved to Friday

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:34pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a college football game in progress, with players and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the upcoming Big 12 clash between West Virginia and Utah, highlighting the strategic complexity and competitive intensity of the matchup.Morgantown Today

The West Virginia Mountaineers football team has announced a schedule change for their 2026 season, with the final game against the Utah Utes moved from Saturday, November 28 to Friday, November 27. This shift means Mountaineer fans on the East Coast will likely have to stay up late to watch the team finish their regular season against a quality Big 12 opponent.

Why it matters

The Mountaineers have never defeated the Utes in their three previous matchups, and this game could have major implications for the Big 12 title race. With Utah's longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham departing for Michigan, there are questions about how the program will fare under new leadership.

The details

The Big 12 Conference announced the schedule change on Friday, moving the WVU-Utah game from the original Saturday date to the day after Thanksgiving. No specific kickoff time has been set, but the Mountaineers can expect a similar late-night window to last season's road game against BYU.

  • The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, November 28.
  • The game will now be played on Friday, November 27.

The players

Rich Rodriguez

The head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, entering his second season back in Morgantown.

Kyle Whittingham

The former longtime head coach of the Utah Utes, who left the program this past January to take the Michigan Wolverines job.

Morgan Scalley

The new head coach of the Utah Utes, who has been the head coach in waiting for several years.

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What they’re saying

“Our game at Utah has been moved to Friday, Nov. 27.”

— West Virginia Football, Official Twitter account

What’s next

No specific kickoff time has been announced yet for the WVU-Utah game, but Mountaineer fans can expect a late-night window similar to last season's road game against BYU.

The takeaway

This schedule change for the Mountaineers' season finale against Utah adds an extra challenge, as they'll have to travel across the country on a short week to take on a Big 12 title contender. However, it also presents an opportunity for Rich Rodriguez's squad to finally break through against the Utes and end the regular season on a high note.