West Virginia beat Virginia 38-27 in Charlotte on Saturday. A SB Nation columnist estimated Mountaineer fans made up 85–90% of the crowd and says the lopsided turnout raises questions about Virginia's neutral-site games, despite its two wins to open the season.
The columnist notes that Virginia is set to make at least $4 million from this year's game and the 2032 matchup, but argues the payout should be weighed against the effect of poor fan support on the team's performance. The piece suggests playing a home-and-home series on campus instead.
Virginia had won 11 games the previous season and opened 2026 with two wins before the loss; West Virginia had gone 4-8 and 6-7 in its previous two seasons. The columnist also notes Virginia drew many more fans at its previous Charlotte appearance, the ACC title game.
