University High rolling at 7-0, but know the job isn’t anywhere near finished
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MORGANTOWN – University High School has spent the first half of the 2026 football season making a statement. The Hawks are unbeaten through seven games, piling up points, shutting down opponents and establishing themselves as a team capable of making noise when the postseason arrives.
The Hawks’ start has been defined by an offense that has consistently found the end zone and a defense that has made life difficult for opposing teams.
University defeated Jefferson, 49-7, last week to move to 7-0.
Through those seven games, the Hawks have scored 369 points while allowing 87. That averages out to nearly 53 points per game offensively, while the defense has surrendered fewer than 13 points per contest.
Those numbers reflect a team that has found success on both sides of the ball. University has demonstrated the ability to win a shootout when necessary, as it did against Parkersburg South, while also showing it can control a game defensively, highlighted by the shutout against Wheeling Park.
The individual production has helped fuel that success.
But as impressive as the numbers have been, the challenge for the Hawks is making sure a successful start does not become a distraction from what remains ahead.
An unbeaten record can bring attention, expectations and confidence. All three can be positive, but a team that begins looking too far ahead can lose sight of the details that helped it reach this point.
Football seasons are rarely decided by what a team accomplishes in September or early October. They are shaped by how players respond when opponents have more film to study, when injuries test a team’s depth and when games become more consequential.
For UHS, keeping a level head means approaching the next practice with the same focus as the first one of the season. It means correcting mistakes even after a convincing victory, maintaining discipline when things are going well and understanding that every opponent presents a new challenge.
The Hawks’ dominant performances have earned them the opportunity to control their own destiny. They have not, however, guaranteed anything beyond their current record.
The Hawks also must be prepared for opponents to deliver their best performances. An undefeated team often becomes a measuring stick for everyone on its schedule, and the Hawks should expect teams to bring additional energy and motivation when they take the field against them.
UHS travels to visit No. 7 Spring Mills in Week 8.
“Coach (Marcus) Law is going to have himself a nice game plan,” UHS head coach Eric Snyder said. “They are always athletic, and there is a huge population pool here in the Eastern Panhandle to be able to have nice athletes no matter what school you are going to compete against.”
That makes the next stretch of the season especially important. Each game offers another opportunity to improve, build confidence, and prepare for the demands of postseason football.
The Hawks have every reason to take pride in a 7-0 start. Scoring nearly 53 points per game while allowing fewer than 13 points per game is no small accomplishment, and the results suggest a strong foundation for a successful finish.
Still, the goal is not simply to reach the final week of the regular season unbeaten. It is to be playing its best football when the stakes are highest.
Seven wins have put University in an enviable position. What the Hawks do with that opportunity will determine how far this season goes.
"We have a lot of senior leaders who are very mature and very coachable, and they listen to the things we tell them, and they never stop striving to get better and to improve," Snyder said. "At the end of the day, we have goals for a state championship and all that, but for us, we want them to play the best possible game they can. As far as the stats and all that, we are worried about our next opponent and making sure we are ready to go each week."