MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Shane Lyons, in conjunction with the Big 12 Conference, has announced the 2018 football schedule. 
  
Six home dates, two Power 5 non-conference road games in the state of North Carolina and four Big 12 Conference road dates comprise the upcoming schedule.
 
Two weekday dates featured on next year's home schedule include a Thursday night contest with Baylor on Oct. 25 and a Thanksgiving Friday game against Oklahoma on Nov. 23.
 
"I think it's great that the Big 12 was able to release the schedule earlier than normal so our fans can have extra time to plan for the 2018 season," Lyons said. "Three non-conference games against strong regional opponents before we even begin Big 12 play certainly makes this schedule a challenge. With our non-conference opponents for next year along with the Big 12 slate, every week will be a great match up for our fans."
 
Two of the first three weeks will be played on the road in North Carolina. The Mountaineers open the season on Sept. 1 in the first-ever meeting with Tennessee at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. After playing host to perennial FCS power Youngstown State on Sept. 8, West Virginia travels to Raleigh to face NC State on Sept. 15 to close the non-conference portion of the schedule.
 
West Virginia's Big 12 Conference home dates are Kansas State (Sept. 22), Kansas (Oct. 6), Baylor (Thursday, Oct. 25), TCU (Nov. 10) and Oklahoma (Friday, Nov. 23).
 
Road conference games are Texas Tech (Sept. 29), Iowa State (Oct. 13), Texas (Nov. 3) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 17).
 
"Playing a neutral-site game in Charlotte against an SEC opponent, then on the road at an ACC opponent, along with Youngstown State, a quality FCS team makes this one of the toughest non-conference schedules ever," WVU Coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Along with the conference games, this shapes up to be one of the most demanding schedules we have had in quite a while. We look forward to the challenge the 2018 schedule presents."
 
The Big 12 Conference championship game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 1, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
 
The times and television schedule will be announced at a later time. All dates are subject to change.