AWVU football tradition that started in October, 2024 will continue about three years later in Week 6 of this season. Coming off a road trip to Iowa State this coming Saturday, West Virginia will host Arizona in its annual “Coal Rush” game, as announced by the program on Monday.
WVU’s 2026 “Coal Rush” Game Will Take Place in Their Next Home Game
West Virginia will wear mostly black uniforms, going away from their tradition gold and blue color scheme, in honor of the state’s ties to the coal industry when they face Arizona at noon on Oct. 10. The game will air nationally on TNT/TRU TV.
And while this annual game theme kicked off during Neal Brown’s tenure, last season was current head coach, Rich Rodriguez’s first experience. At that time, Rodriguez, a native of West Virginia and the son of a coal miner, explained why the “Coal Rush” game is extra special for him.
The “Coal Rush” Theme is Extra Special for Rich Rodriguez
“The coal mining industry in the state of West Virginia is part of the fabric of who we are and what the state is all about. I grew up in Grant Town, which is a coal mining community,” said Rodriguez days before leading the Mountaineers into the 2025 “Coal Rush” game against TCU. “My grandfather was a coal miner when he came from overseas, and my Dad was a coal miner. My brother worked in the coal mines. Half the kids I went to high school with would go work in the coal mines.”
Rodriguez elaborated even further about why the concept makes sense and helps promote the type of program image he wants to convey.
“I have so much pride for the people that worked in that industry, Rodriguez added. “To me, like when any of our players or me start feeling like, ‘Oh, this is hard’ – it’s not nearly as hard as going way underground and crawling through there and scraping coal out for a living. That’s a hard job. This stuff is not that hard.”
West Virginia Has Yet to Win a Football “Coal Rush” Game
Ironically for West Virginia, the Mountaineers have yet to win a “Coal Rush” game, falling to in the 2024 and 2025 matchups. WVU’s 0-2 record under the theme will only intensify the pressure on Rodriguez and the 2026 team to rebound following a second half collapse to open the Big 12 schedule.
This past Saturday night, Rodriguez’s team squandered a 14-13 halftime lead to fall 41-24 to Oklahoma State, washing away the momentum built up from the previous week’s big win over Virginia in Charlotte, North Carolina.
But before WVU can worry about Arizona or the “Coal Rush” atmosphere waiting for them in Morgantown, they will travel to Ames, Iowa this week to meet the Iowa State Cyclones in hopes of evening up their conference record.
WVU Football Announces Date for Popular Annual Theme Game