WVU's Results vs. Major Programs in Week 1 Over the Last 100 Years

Opening week of the season has not treated the Mountaineers kindly against stiff competition.

Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

On August 31st, the West Virginia Mountaineers will open up the 2024 season by hosting No. 8 Penn State, doing so for the first time since 1992.

The Mountaineers have not fared well against the Nittany Lions winning just nine of the 60 all-time matchups. To make matters worse, they've also really struggled in these games against Power Four opponents to open up the season over the years. Under current head coach Neal Brown, West Virginia is 0-3 in these very games, dropping to regional rivals Maryland, Pitt, and Penn State over the last three seasons.

I was curious to see how WVU performed in season openers against major college programs beyond the most recent three game, so I combed through the last 100 years of the program to find out. Keep in mind, that some of these games were played prior to a certain program joining what we now call a "Power Four" conference. However, I made sure to only include the games against schools that were considered a "major" program during that time period.

For example, WVU's 1985 matchup vs. Louisville is not included. The Cardinals were an independent and had not established top-tier status. They would eventually go to Conference-USA, the Big East, and the American before transitioning to the ACC.

Here are WVU's results against "major" college programs in Week 1.

2023: at Penn State L 15-38
2022: at Pitt L 31-38
2021: at Maryland L 24-30
2018: (Neutral) vs. Tennessee W 40-14
2017: (Neutral) vs. Virginia Tech L 24-31
2016: vs. Missouri W 26-11
2014: (Neutral) vs. Alabama L 23-33
2005: at Syracuse W 15-7
2003: vs. Wisconsin L 17-24
2001: at Boston College L 10-34
2000: vs. Boston College W 34-14
1998: vs. Ohio State L 17-34
1996: at Pitt W 34-0
1995: vs. Purdue L 24-26
1994: (Neutral) vs. Nebraska L 0-31
1991: vs. Pitt L 3-34
1982: at Oklahoma W 41-27
1981: at Virginia W 32-18
1973: at Maryland W 20-13
1971: vs. Boston College W 45-14
1966: at Duke L 15-34
1962: vs. Vanderbilt W 26-0
1960: vs. Maryland L 8-31
1959: at Maryland L 7-27
1957: vs. Virginia T 6-6
1956: vs. Pitt L 13-14
1954: at South Carolina W 26-6
1953: at Pitt W 17-7
1944: at Pitt L 13-26
1943: (Neutral) vs. Virginia L 0-6
1938: at Pitt L 0-19

By the Numbers

Overall record: 12-18-1
Home record: 4-6-1
Away record: 7-8
Neutral record: 1-4
Home streak: One win
Away streak: Lost three straight
Neutral streak: One win

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