CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Sports Foundation (CSF) today announced that the University of Tennessee will play West Virginia University in the 2028 Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte. West Virginia will be designated the home team for the game at Bank of America Stadium. The game is set for Saturday, September 2, 2028. The kickoff time and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
This is the second regular season matchup in Charlotte between the Volunteers, from the Southeastern Conference, and the Mountaineers, from the Big 12 Conference. The two teams played at Bank of America Stadium on September 1, 2018 in front of 66,793 fans (WVU won 40-14). It was the first and only time the two schools have faced off on the gridiron.
“We are very excited to announce that Tennessee and West Virginia will be returning to Charlotte to kick off the 2028 college football season,” said Danny Morrison, Executive Director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “In 2018, Charlotte hosted the first ever meeting between the two schools in football. The atmosphere surrounding the game was tremendous, with very active, supportive fan bases. We are proud to bring this marquee matchup back to the Queen City and look forward to hosting the Volunteer and Mountaineer teams and fans again in Charlotte.”
“This should be a fun showcase game for our program in a city and venue our fans enjoy visiting,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Danny White said. “Opening our season against a quality opponent like West Virginia will serve as a valuable experience for our team prior to SEC play.
“West Virginia University has a strong alumni fan base in Charlotte and the surrounding region. Through the years, our fans have enjoyed traveling to Charlotte for our bowl and neutral site games,” WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons said. “As with the game in 2018, this gives us a chance to play a strong nonconference opponent in a city that is known for its great hospitality. Based on the attendance from 2018, this series renewal should be another fan favorite.”
“The Charlotte Sports Foundation continues to generate substantial positive events for the community,” said Johnny Harris, Board Co-Chairman of the Charlotte Sport Foundation. “The 2018 game between Tennessee and West Virginia was a great time for fans hosted by Charlotte. We look forward to thousands of Volunteers and Mountaineers visiting our great City in 2028.”
