Upcoming West Virginia Mountaineers Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The seat to buy in Morgantown
For West Virginia Mountaineers Football, aim for a west-sideline seat between the 30-yard lines, about a third of the way up the lower bowl. Milan Puskar Stadium (formally Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium) sits on WVU's Evansdale campus in Morgantown with a listed capacity of 60,000. Its field is laid out on a north–south line, which means fans on the west side keep the afternoon sun behind them.
- Second choice: the east sideline, same angle, with the sun in your face late in a day game.
- Value: the end zones, close to scoring plays and weak on plays at the opposite goal line.
- Premium: the north end's Touchdown Terrace, with club seating and suites.
- Noise: seats near the student section, the Mountaineer Maniacs.
The regular season runs from early September through November. The Mountaineers joined the Big 12 in 2012.
West sideline, east sideline and the closed ends
The stadium opened in 1980 with stands on the east and west sides only. Both ends have since been closed in: the south end zone in 1985, tied into the football offices, and the north end later, where the Touchdown Terrace premium area was built in 2004 and a big video board went up in 2017.
Sidelines
The view to buy. Middle rows beat the lowest ones, which sit behind the team areas and the people moving along the sideline. A row a little higher shows plays developing across the whole field.
End zones
Lower cost, great when the ball is near your goal line, and hard to read when it is 80 yards away.
Weather by month
In an afternoon game the sun swings west, so by the second half east-side fans are squinting and west-side fans are not. Early fall brings heat and humidity. Late fall in these hills brings cold, damp, gusty days, and the sun side may feel like the better deal.
Construction ahead
The original 1980 press box is due to come down once the 2026 season ends; a replacement press box and premium tower are targeted for 2028. Expect changes on the west side during that stretch, and check seat views closely for those years.
Your section number picks your shirt color
WVU crowds turn seating into a team sport, and your section number has a job:
- Stripe the Stadium: blue for even sections, gold for odd ones, which paints the bowl in alternating bands. Look up your section before you pack a shirt.
- Gold Rush and True Blue: one home game each season calls for all gold, another for all blue.
- The chant: the east side shouts "Let's Go" and the west side answers "Mountaineers," so your side decides your line.
The Mountaineer Maniacs are the loudest part of the building. Published section numbers for students and visitors were not available in the sources for this page; visiting fans end up scattered through resale seats, so study the map if you care who sits around you.
When the Backyard Brawl and Big 12 contenders visit
The Backyard Brawl against Pittsburgh is the rivalry that matters most. Roughly 70 miles of interstate separate the schools, and they have met since 1895. After a pause following 2011, the game returned for four seasons (2022–2025), with another run booked for 2029–2036. The Panthers hold the all-time edge, but WVU won the 2025 game 31–24 in overtime. When Pitt is on the home schedule, it is the hardest ticket in town.
- Penn State, Maryland and Virginia Tech: nearby programs that cycle back onto the schedule; the Virginia Tech series is played for the Black Diamond Trophy.
- Ranked Big 12 teams: a title contender, especially under the lights, packs the place.
- Gold Rush and True Blue dates: the themed games add atmosphere and draw a bigger crowd.
Early non-conference games are usually the easiest to get into.
Season holders first, resale second
Tickets come three ways from WVU: season plans, single games and the student allotment. Donors and season holders pick before anyone else, so the best sideline seats rarely reach the public sale, and students buy from their own allotment.
When the Panthers or a top-25 conference opponent come in, resale is the main way in, and prices tend to climb as kickoff gets closer. Early non-conference games often trade lower than fans expect. If your date is a big one, decide on your section early. With Reserved Seat, shipping is free and there are no digital transfer fees.
Coliseum parking, tailgate limits and the bag rule
As of the 2025 season, WVU's parking rules said:
- On Saturdays, the university's lots open at 7 in the morning.
- No more than 20 people may tailgate in one space.
- Kegs and open flames are prohibited, and music must be turned down by 11 p.m.
- RVs must be gone by noon the next day.
- General parking at the Coliseum is free.
Bags have been restricted since August 2017. The 2026 rule allows a single transparent bag of at most 12 by 6 by 12 inches (or a gallon freezer bag) and a clutch of up to 6 by 9 inches. Pocketless cushions or chairbacks under 16 inches wide can come in. Check WVU's football parking page and its bag rules before you go, since both change.
Country Roads, the Mantrip and the Mountaineers' big years
Plan to stay after a win. John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads has opened every home pregame since 1972; the singer performed it in person when the stadium was dedicated in 1980, and after each home victory players and fans lock arms and sing it together.
- The Mantrip: since 2011 the team has walked to the stadium through a corridor of fans and laid hands on a 350-pound lump of Upper Big Branch coal to honor West Virginia's miners. Starting in 2018 they have also waved up at the kids in the neighboring WVU Medicine Children's Hospital.
- The Mountaineer: the mascot, in a coonskin cap, shoots a musket as the team takes the field, at the end of every quarter and whenever WVU scores.
- The Pride of West Virginia: the marching band builds its pregame on a drum cadence of 220 beats per minute and spells out the Flying WV.
Football began at WVU in 1891, and the program has won or shared 15 league titles: eight from its Southern Conference days and seven from the Big East years. With no major professional teams in the state, the Mountaineers are West Virginia's team, and some say Morgantown briefly outgrows every other city in the state on a home Saturday.
- 1922: a 10–0–1 season, still the program's only unbeaten year.
- 1980: the new stadium and the arrival of Don Nehlen, whose 21 seasons produced more wins than any other WVU coach.
- 1988: a perfect regular season set up a national championship game with Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl; Notre Dame won.
- 1993: a record 70,222 saw WVU beat No. 4 Miami during another perfect regular season.
- 2005 to 2011 seasons: BCS wins in the Sugar, Fiesta and Orange Bowls, the last a 70–33 game against Clemson that set the NCAA record for points in a bowl. Pat White started and won four bowl games in a row from 2005 to 2008.
- 2007: Pitt won the 100th Backyard Brawl, knocking WVU out of the national title picture.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of Milan Puskar Stadium is in the shade for a day game?
The west sideline. With the field aligned north to south, afternoon sun lands on the east stands while the west side keeps it at their backs.
How does Stripe the Stadium work?
Even sections dress in blue, odd sections in gold. Some games are instead set as all-gold Gold Rush or all-blue True Blue games.
Is parking free for WVU football games?
As of the 2025 season, the general lot at the Coliseum cost nothing, and university lots opened early on Saturday mornings. Check WVU's parking page for current details.
When will WVU play Pitt again?
After meetings from 2022 to 2025, the Backyard Brawl is scheduled to return from 2029 through 2036.
How big a bag can you bring into a WVU game?
As of 2026, a single transparent bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches or a gallon freezer bag, and a clutch as big as 6 by 9 inches. Confirm the current rule with WVU before you go.