Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kickoff 12:00 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max.
West Virginia opens at Milan Puskar Stadium against Coastal Carolina, and the notable thing is where you’ll find it. This game airs on TNT, with a simulcast on HBO Max — a distribution route that didn’t exist for college football until recently.
| Kickoff | 12:00 p.m. ET · 11:00 a.m. CT · 10:00 a.m. MT · 9:00 a.m. PT |
| TV | TNT |
| Streaming | HBO Max, plus Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling |
| Venue | Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia |
The TNT Wrinkle
This is the game in Week 1 most likely to be missed by people looking in the wrong place. TNT has moved into college football rights, and its games simulcast on HBO Max — which means an HBO Max subscription alone is enough to watch, with no cable package required.
That is genuinely useful for cord-cutters, and unusual: most cable-channel games need a pay-TV login. Here the streaming service stands on its own.
If you have TNT through a traditional or streaming provider, that works too.
Coastal Carolina Is Not a Pushover
Coastal has been among the more successful Sun Belt programs of the past several years, with a track record of winning games it was not expected to win. A noon road opener in Morgantown is difficult, but the Chanticleers have made a habit of these being closer than projected.
West Virginia’s Opener
Morgantown at noon is a more manageable environment than Morgantown at night, which will suit the visitors. West Virginia’s aim is a clean start before Big 12 play.
The Bottom Line
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia kicks off 12:00 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on TNT, simulcast on HBO Max. The HBO Max option means no cable subscription is needed — a rarity for a cable-channel game.