WVU Falls to #12 Baylor in Waco, 17-14

     

     Undefeated Baylor came away with a narrow three-point victory over the Mountaineers on Thursday. The Big 12 front runners only had a 7-0 lead at halftime as WVU came in double digit underdogs.

     Junior quarterback Charlie Brewer led the way for the bears completing 20 of 26 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns.

     For WVU, a gritty defensive performance and special teams made this game competitive. The Mountaineers racked up eight defensive sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

     A goal line stand late in the first half especially lit a fire under the squad. The group was also able to recover multiple fumbles. However, the defense experienced more attrition as senior Josh Norwood was ejected in the first quarter for targeting and safety Noah Guzman, who ended up being the lead tackler for WVU, left the game injured.

     West Virginia’s offensive struggles continued as the team rushed for just 14 yards on 26 carries. Though WVU won the turnover battle, the Mountaineers were unable to capitalize on any of Baylor’s three giveaways with points.

     The Mountaineers’ two touchdowns were on plays of 80 yards or more. The first was an 83-yard connection between Kendall and transfer receiver George Campbell in the third quarter to tie things up at seven.

     Then, after Brewer found leading receiver Denzel Mims for a 21-yard touchdown, WVU freshman Winston Wright and the kickoff team responded by taking one 95 yards to the house.

     Another special teams highlight for WVU came with less than five minutes to play, down 17-14. R.J. Sneed contacted the punted ball on a muffed fair catch and WVU defensive back Kerry Martin Jr. recovered the fumble. The offense did not capitalize with any points as Baylor blocked WVU’s field goal attempt after a four play, three yard drive that lasted just over a minute.

     Miscues abounded for WVU. They included two fumbles on botched snaps, multiple dropped passes at key points and a critical delay-of-game penalty late in the 4^th quarter. The penalty increased a 43-yard field goal attempt to a 48-yard try for freshman Casey Legg with WVU down 17-14.

     Baylor, who came in tied for 2^nd in the country in blocked kicks and had eight in their previous 11 games, swatted Legg’s attempt. Legg played his first full game of his career because junior kicker Evan Staley couldn’t go with a groin injury.

     After the game, Coach Brown took responsibility for the blunder. “I’m sitting there worrying about how we’re going to use our timeouts, and how we’re going to kickoff, and I didn’t see the clock,” Brown said.  “That’s on me,” he added.

     WVU quarterback Austin Kendall completed 20 of 39 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Important to note is that right guard Chase Behrndt, senior running back Kennedy McKoy and receiver T.J. Simmons each left the game with injuries. The EERs struggled mightily on third downs, converting just 3 of 17, while being perfect on fourth downs going 3 for 3.

     “We’re struggling for a reason,” Coach Brown said. “We got some deficiencies, we try to hide em’.”

     Defensively, despite the loss, the Mountaineers had a performance to hang their hat on moving forward.

     “That’s how we should play every game,” said senior linebacker Reese Donahue after the game. “Now we’ve set the standard,” Donahue added, emphasizing the need to continue playing at that level.

     Baylor came in averaging over 35 points per game.

     After the game, standout defensive back Darius Stills even recalled a conveyed sense of newfound respect expressed by the opposing team.

      “They (Baylor offensive players) told us a couple times ‘you guys are good, you’re better than we thought you were’,”  Stills said.

       Interestingly, after their solid performance, the Mountaineers are now tied with Baylor for first in the Big 12 in defensive sacks with 26 each and are 12th nationally.

     Stills also mentioned that he’s never taken a loss this hard but that “Our has team has a lot of fight… Coach emphasizes to just keep fighting.”

     After dropping a close game in such devastating fashion on a national spotlight coupled with a now  four game losing skid, Coach Brown still has his mindset on one major goal: “We’ve just got to focus on getting better.”

     “Every time they’ve had any adversity, they’ve answered,” Brown said. “We’ve got kids that are hurting in that locker room because they’re invested. It’ll payoff down the road, it’ll pay off at some point this season, it’ll pay off in years to come.”

     Big picture-wise, Coach Brown specifically referenced Baylor’s turnaround success and the players buying in as a signal of hope moving forward.

     “They’re in year three of a really good turnaround,” Brown said. “I don’t think their kids ever lost faith.”

     Head Coach Matt Rhule led the bears to a 1-11 record in his first year in 2017, starting 0-7. The bears followed that season up with a 7-6 finish and Texas Bowl victory in 2018 and now are sitting atop the Big 12 undefeated and ranked 12th in the country.

     “We’re in year one here,” said Coach Brown. “I think what we saw was a group of kids that laid it out on the line and invested and fought.

     Brown expressed an empathetic connection with his guys in year one.

     “I told the guys after the game I’m proud of em’ and I mean that,” Brown said. “I appreciate em’ and I love em’.”

     Junior Darius Stills remains optimistic and bought in.

     “Over time, we’re going to get better and better,” Stills said.  “As Coach Brown says, we just need to trust the climb.”

WVU Football Road to Bowl Berth

The West Virginia Mountaineers are experiencing “growing pains,” as Head Coach Neal Brown puts it. According to Brown, the team is currently playing a combined 21 freshman and sophomores.

There’s a reason the brand conceived the #TrustTheClimb moniker coming into 2019. With a new coaching staff and the loss of several key players from 2018, Coach Brown and AD Shane Lyons wanted to establish low expectations before the season started. Back in June, Lyons said “We have to be a bit realistic here.”

Currently, the Mountaineers are sitting at 3-3, with a 1-2 conference record. Having lost miserably in week two at Missouri and now back-to-back home games against Texas and Iowa State, it doesn’t get any easier for WVU.

Let’s breakdown some factors that could affect the Mountaineers’ chances to reach the six win mark and make a postseason bowl, while also taking a look at WVU’s remaining opponents.

Run the Ball Effectively

Prior to the start of the season, much hype surrounded WVU’s stable of experienced and proven running backs including Kennedy McKoy, Martell Pettaway, Leddie Brown and Alec Sinkfield.

As many have observed, the rushing attack for WVU has for the most part been abysmal. Netting just 566 yards on 183 attempts, the EERs are 114^th nationally in rushing. WVU’s lead rusher, senior Kennedy McKoy, has just 217 yards on 62 attempts and three touchdowns.

Much of the running issue can perhaps be attributed to a young offensive line. Offensive line starters this season have included James Gmiter (freshman), who moved from defensive line to o-line in the spring, Briasion Mays (freshman), John Hughes (sophomore), Chase Behrndt (junior), Kelby Wickline (senior), Josh Sills (junior) and Colton McKivitz (senior). The majority of remaining offensive lineman belong to either the freshman or sophomore class.

It’s not all on the offensive line, however. Also notable is the need for receivers and tight ends to step up in their blocking duties. Additionally, WVU’s running backs need to execute when opportunities arise. Coach Brown mentioned in his latest press conference how McKoy “has had some opportunities in the open field and hasn’t made the most of those.”

That’s not to say there hasn’t been flashes of a formidable run game. The best performances came against NC State in week three and Kansas in week four. Rushing yards for WVU were around 200 in both games with three touchdowns scored against NC State, respectively. However, WVU hasn’t even been able to crack 100 yards running the ball in either of its last two contests.

A descent run game would likely help WVU tremendously down the stretch, possibly even improving the pass.

Get Healthy/Young Guys have to Step Up

WVU has experienced some major attrition due to injuries and departures. Going back to the offseason, WVU lost two junior safeties in Derek Pitts and Kenny Robinson to transfer, both of whom were projected starters for 2019. Robinson was an All-Big 12 player who was second on the team in tackles in 2018. More recently, senior safety JoVanni Stewart made the decision to leave the team after four games presumably to take advantage of the NCAA’s new redshirt rule.

Injury wise, current situations include starting quarterback Austin Kendall (chest), who’s questionable going forward, and senior cornerback Keith Washington, who’s also questionable for week 8. Coach Brown announced Tuesday that linebacker VanDarius Cowan suffered a knee injury in the Iowa State game and will be out for the season. Receiver Tevin Bush has officially decided to enter the transfer portal after “dealing with some lingering foot and heal issues,” Coach Brown said, because he wants to be closer to home. WVU also lost defensive end Taijh Alston for the season early on. Receiver Sean Ryan is set to have surgery soon after suffering an injury in the Texas game. The list goes on.

Perhaps it’s the secondary that has experienced the worst of it. The team would welcome the return of a healthy Keith Washington, who leads the Big 12 in passes defended and is second in interceptions. Regardless, it’s going to be up to younger DBs like Nicktroy Fortune, Tae Mayo and Sean Mahone to step up at their respective positions, with senior Josh Norwood leading the way.

Coach Brown indicated that bench players who step up in their roles can also ease the burden of more experienced players tasked with carrying the load. For example, linebacker Josh Chandler has played a lot of snaps this season as the team’s leading tackler. Against Iowa State, Brown reported that Chandler played less snaps as backup Exree Loe filled in well. As a result, Brown thought Chandler “played his best game of the year.”

It will be interesting to see who, if anybody, emerges out of the shadows in place of those who are gone or sidelined.

Beat the Odds

According to ESPN FPI predictions, WVU is currently an underdog against each of its remaining opponents. The EERs actually pulled off one upset when they defeated NC State, 44-27 (had a 28.5% chance to win).

It’s a tough October and November gauntlet that features Big 12 foes Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and TCU. Four of the six games are on the road, including the next two against ranked powerhouses Oklahoma and Baylor.

If the predictions remain in the opponents’ favor as the weeks go by, WVU will have to manage three upsets to make it to a bowl game.

Winning the turnover battle, per usual, will likely be a key factor if WVU is to achieve this goal.

Next Game: Oklahoma

The Mountaineers face their tallest task in Norman on October 19^th. WVU has yet to defeat the Sooners since joining the Big 12 and there’s not much reason to believe that will change in 2019. Vegas favors undefeated OU by 33.5 points, which is “the largest opening line for a WVU team in more than a decade,” according to Chris Anderson.

5^th ranked Oklahoma has perhaps the best offense in the country, producing numbers that “look like stuff that our players play on Madden,” says Coach Brown. Led by dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts, star receiver CeeDee Lamb, and several formidable running backs, OU leads the nation in total yards per game at 622 (335 passing; 286 rushing).

Oh, and their defense is reportedly “much improved” from last year as well. The squad is led in part by nose guard Neville Gallimore, linebacker Kenneth Murray and cornerback Trey Brown.

Baylor

At a perfect 6-0, The Bears are ranked 18^th in the country and are currently tied with the Sooners for the top spot in the Big 12. The FPI currently gives the EERs about a 14% chance to win at Waco on October 31^st.

Led by junior defensive tackle James Lynch, the Bears lead the conference in sacks with 23. That’s not good news for the WVU offensive line.

Texas Tech

This is probably the most winnable game left on WVU’s schedule. The Red Raiders currently have the same record as the Mountaineers at 3-3 (1-2 in Big 12). The FPI gives WVU a 45% chance to win this home game on November 9^th.

Even still, led by junior QB Jett Duffey, Tech is second in the Big 12 in passing offense and third in total offense. Senior linebacker Jordyn Brooks leads the conference in tackles with 68 and is tied with Baylor player Lynch in the tackles for loss category. Defensive back Douglas Coleman leads the Big 12 with six interceptions.

Tech just played Baylor tight in a 33-30 overtime loss and defeated Oklahoma State beforehand.

All things said, the Mountaineers need to take advantage of the situation at home and take down the Red Raiders.

Kansas State

This likely remains the second best opportunity for a WVU win in the second half of the season. At 3-2 (0-2 in Big 12), the Wildcats are tied with Kansas for last place in the conference.

However, Kansas State is not to be taken lightly. Led by junior defensive back A.J. Parker, the Wildcats are 1^st in the Big 12 in pass defense. With senior back James Gilbert, the Wildcats are also 4^th in the conference in rushing offense.

WVU will need to play hard to come away with a win at Bill Snyder Family stadium on November 16^th.

Oklahoma State

The Cowboys have the nation’s leading rusher in sophomore Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard is already over the 1,000 yard mark through six games and has 13 touchdowns.

At 4-2 (1-2 in Big 12), Oklahoma State is scheduled to come to Morgantown on November 23^rd. It will be senior night at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Likely because of home-field advantage, FPI actually gives the Mountaineers a decent chance of pulling this one out.

Besides Hubbard, the Cowboys have junior receiver Tylan Wallace who is 5^th in the nation in receiving yards.

Behind the Sooners, Oklahoma State is second in the Big 12 in total offense.

TCU

The Mountaineers travel to Fort Worth to play the Horned Frogs for a regular season finale on Black Friday.

At 3-2 (1-1 in Big 12), TCU only has one quality win being a 21-point defeat of the Purdue Boilermakers.

But led by junior linebacker Garret Wallow, along with defenders Scott Vernon, Trevon Moehrig and Jeff Gladney, the Horned Frogs statistically have the top defense in the Big 12

Additionally, led by senior back Darius Anderson, TCU is third in the conference in rushing offense.

LIVE BLOG: #11 Texas (3-1) at West Virginia (3-1)

                                  The WVU crowd is sure to be rockin' when the Longhorns make it to Morgantown

Tune into Mountain Mama Football for live coverage as the West Virginia Mountaineers look to pull the upset against the 11th ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday, October 5th at Milan Puskar Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 and that's when the LIVE updated coverage will begin.

FINAL: Texas- 42; WVU- 31:     The Longhorns take advantage of four Mountaineer turnovers (all interceptions) and score 21 in each half. Both defenses played well throughout, but in the end Texas was too much for WVU. UT ties the head-to-head Big 12 series up with WVU at 4-4.

0:47- ONSIDE KICK ATTEMPT- Texas recovers.

0:48- TOUCHDOWN (WVU scores; Texas leads 42-31) Freshman Bryce Wheaton catches a 12-yarder from Kendall on 4th down.

1:20- Young receiver Bryce Wheaton catches a 31-yarder from Kendall to put the Mountaineers at the Texas 12. Two receivers banged up this game for WVU in Sean Ryan and Sam James.

3:03- TOUCHDOWN (Texas scores; leads 42-24): After a WVU timeout, Ehlinger runs it again for a 23-yard score.

3:57- ONSIDE KICK ATTEMPT:  Staley's kick Recovered by Texas at the WVU 47.

3:57- TOUCHDOWN (WVU scores; Texas leads 35-24): WVU goes 5 plays, 74 yards as Kendall finds Simmons for a 19-yard score. Sean Ryan caught a big 39-yard pass during the drive but was injured on that play as well.

5:27- WVU stops Texas to force a punt. EERs take it at their own 26. UT still up three scores.

9:21- WVU makes it past mid field but is stopped again. Texas takes over up three scores. 21 of Texas' 35 points have come off turnovers.

10:31- TOUCHDOWN (Texas leads 35-17): Elhinger tosses it to left tackle Samuel Cosmi (yes he's an O-lineman) who runs it in for a 12 yard score.

12:25- INTERCEPTION: Jamison has his 2nd pick of the day for Texas, and it's Kendall's 4th. UT in Mountaineer territory again up 11.

12:42- TOUCHDOWN (Texas leads 28-17): Duvernay runs it in from 13 yards out to put Texas up by two scores, capitalizing on the third WVU turnover.

13:32- INTERCEPTION: Kendall is picked off for the 3rd time today by Foster to set up Texas in the redzone.

Start of 4th Quarter: A dropped pass by Texas on 3rd down results in a punt to the 8 yard line where WVU will start. INJURY:  Top receiver Sam James is out for the game with a head injury.

END OF 3rd QUARTER (UT leads 21-17): Texas will start the final quarter near mid-field. WVU defense has come up big in the 2nd half.

1:59- FIELD GOAL (WVU adds 3; UT leads 21-17): After the UT turnover, Texas holds WVU to a 29-yard Evan Staley field goal.

3:11- INTERCEPTION: Keith Washington picks off Elhinger and returns it 39 yards into Texas territory. This is the first Longhorn turnover of the day. Then an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is called on Texas after a scruff between the two teams that puts the EERs in the redzone.

3:25- WVU goes three-and-out again after Kendall's pass is knocked down. Both defenses playing well to start 2nd half. Texas will start at their 23.

5:24- Another WVU defensive stop, this time highlighted by third-down coverage by Hakeem Bailey, forces Texas to punt it for the 3rd time in a row. EERs take over at their own 10.

8:01- WVU unable to get anything going on their 2nd offensive possession of the second half. Growden punts it to the 26 where Texas has it again.

10:08- Keith Washington comes up big defensively as the Mountaineers force another Texas punt. WVU starts at their own 28.

11:03- INTERCEPTION: After a Texas punt that set WVU up nicely at the 49, Kendall gets picked off by D'Shawn Jamison as he was trying to connect with James. Texas takes over at their own 20.

11:12- WVU defense holds Texas and forces a punt as the Longhorns take about 4 minutes off the clock

Start of 3rd Quarter- Texas starts the second half with the possession.

HALFTIME STATS:
          Total Yards: Texas-271; WVU-233
          Passing: Elhinger- 13-21, 176 yards and 2 TDs; Kendall 15-18, 163 yards 1 TD and 1 INT
          Rushing: Texas- 20 carries for 95 yards; WVU- 13 carries for 70 yards
          Turnovers: Texas- 0; WVU- 1

HALFTIME- Texas leads 21-14

0:00- MISSED FIELD GOAL- Staley misses wide right as the teams now go into the locker room.

0:04- TIMEOUT Texas. The call stands as a catch and Staley will attempt a 47-yard field goal.

0:04- Kendall completes it to James for what could be a 14-yard pass that sets up a reasonable Evan Staley field goal attempt at the 30 before halftime. Under review.

0:13- TIMEOUT WVU.  After converting on third down and a few plays that drained clock and moved the ball some, The Mountaineers are inside Texas territory though outside of field goal range at the 44.

2:12- TIMEOUT WVU. The EERs face 3rd and 4 from from their own 31 yard line.

3:28- WVU starts from their own 25 trailing for the first time today.

3:28- TOUCHDOWN (Texas leads 21-14): Elhinger runs it in from 13 yards out to complete a 6 play, 80-yard drive for the Longhorns that lasted under 3 minutes.

3:56- Texas moving the ball quickly now in the redzone after a couple of 10-plus yard rushes from Roschon Johnson and a 25-yard connection between Elhinger and Cade Brewer. A pass to Duvernay sets them up at the 13.

6:08- MISSED FIELD GOAL- WVU unable to convert 3rd down and Evan Staley with a rare miss from inside 40 yards. Texas takes over from their own 19.

6:53- TIMEOUT WVU. The EERs in the middle of a quick (bout a minute) five play, 54 yard drive after Kendall ran it and was hit on the ground (Texas called for personal foul), Petteway ran it for 11 yards, and Simmons caught a Kendall pass for 22 yards. WVU faces 3rd and 9 out of the TO at the Texas 21.

7:56- TOUCHDOWN- (Texas ties it at 14): The Longhorns finish an 11 play, 69 yard drive that lasted 5 minutes as Ehlinger finds John Burt for the 13-yard TD pass.


8:01-  TIMEOUT Texas. The Longhorns have it in the redzone at the 13 yard line. Roschon Johnson and Kirk Johnson have both stepped up for UT running the ball after the loss of Ingram.

12:55- Texas starts the drive from their own 31-yard line down 7.

12:59- TOUCHDOWN- (WVU leads 14-7): Austin Kendall fakes the handoff and runs in the one yard keeper for the Mountaineer score. That caps off a quick 1:07 drive that featured an 11-yard Leddie Brown run and a 44-yard connection between Kendall and T.J. Simmons to put WVU in the redzone.

Start of 2nd Quarter- WVU holds Texas to a three-and-out and the punt sets up the Mountaineers nicely at their own 40 yard line.

END OF 1st QUARTER-  Tied 7-7:  Injury notes- Texas running back Keaontay Ingram was injured late in the first quarter. Texas defender B.J. Foster was also injured. Both being evaluated.

0:48- WVU not able to cross the 50 after a drive that featured a holding penalty and the team's first rushing attempts of the game. Growden punts to Texas' 18 yard line where the Longhorns take over.

2:49- Kennedy McKoy runs the ball for the first time today. He goes 18 yards to the 41.

2:56- Nice defensive stand by WVU to force a Texas punt after good plays by Cowan and Norwood. WVU starts their drive from their own 23.

3:32- Ehlinger connects with Duvernay for 36 yards to get the Longhorns out of their own territory. VanDarius Cowan sacks Ehlinger on the next play for a five yard loss. Ball at Texas 32.

4:07- WVU goes three-and-out in less than two minutes. Growden punts it 55 yards and George Campbell downs the ball inside Texas' 1 yard line where the Longhorns will start their drive.

5:10- B.J. Foster hits Kennedy McKoy hard after a short pass and gets called for targeting. Foster shakes himself up play after lowering head and the targeting call is under review again.

5:44- Sam James has a nice 30-yard kickoff return. Ball at the 37 yard line where WVU will start their third drive. Texas kicker Cameron Dicker lowered his helmet to drive James out of bounds for a scary collision that was reviewed. No targeting is called.

5:52- TOUCHDOWN (Tied at 7): Texas takes advantage of the WVU turnover as Ehlinger finds Malcolm Epps for a 22-yard score.

6:26- INTERCEPTION- Austin Kendall gets picked off by Texas' Ayodele Adeoye. Ball at WVU's 27.

6:36- MISSED FIELD GOAL- As WVU is finally able to stop Texas from converting third down, Texas' Cameron Dicker misses a 42-yard field goal attempt. WVU ball now on own 25.

7:01- Quondariius Qualls sacks Ehlinger on third down for a 3 yard loss, ball on the WVU 24.

9:49- Texas converts another third down on this methodical drive as Ehlinger connects with Duvernay for 10 yards.

11:05-  Ehlinger finds Duvernay for 16 yards to convert another third down.

12:24- Sam Ehlinger converts a 3rd-and-13 on an 18-yard QB run.

13:30- Texas has their first possession, starting from their own 25.

13:31- TOUCHDOWN (WVU leads 7-0): After multiples penalties on Texas, Austin Kendall finds Sam James for a 44-yard strike to cap off a quick 77 yard drive.

14:56- West Virginia receives the kickoff to start the game and Sam James makes it to the 23 yard line.

15:00- First quarter/game begins.

I'm So Ready for WVU to Play Pitt in 2022

                                        Image by Craig Meyer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

College football rivalries are like none other. Match ups like Texas-Oklahoma, Alabama-Auburn, Michigan-Ohio State and Army-Navy get the blood pumping. But as a Mountaineer fan, there is no greater rival than Pitt.

Sure, West Virginia has other rivals, including Penn State, who's on the schedule in 2023, and Virginia Tech, who WVU will play again in 2021, but the Nittany Lions and Hokies aren't nearly as provoking as the Panthers.

The Backyard Brawl is 124 years old, being one of the oldest series in college football. A conference shift following the 2011 season resulted in a streak of  68 years (starting in 1943) of the two bitter enemies playing each other being broken.

Back in 2015, WVU Athletic Director Shane Lyons announced the return of the series a full seven years before the next game was scheduled to be played. The teams have agreed to meet for four consecutive seasons (2022-2025) and alternate between Pittsburgh and Morgantown with the first to be played at Heinz Field and the last at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Four years later, and I'm hyped about the battle that awaits. However, before looking too far ahead, it's worth taking a look back at some recent memories between the two rivals.

13-9: Pitt Squashes WVU's National Championship Hopes

Why not start off with the worst possible one? December 1st, 2007: it's a day that lives in infamy for WVU fans.

Leading up to the game, WVU was a near-perfect 10-1 and was ranked second in the country. They had just routed then-Big East rival and 20th ranked Connecticut at home the previous week, 66-21.

We had standouts Pat White, Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt. We had momentum. We we were destined for the BCS National Championship game. But multiple punts, missed field goals and turnovers later, and the game is over. Our high-profiled offense finished with just nine points to lose to our bitter rivals on our home turf in front of a national television audience. Oh, and Pitt was unranked at the time and finished the season 5-7.

This one still hurts many WVU fans. It no doubt has much to do with our continued distaste for all things Pitt, and likely contributes to our overall pessimism as well. If you're up for some sadness, watch the highlight video below.

                                                                   WVU vs. Pitt 2007

WVU Achieves Revenge in 2009 on Last-Second Field Goal

After the 13-9 game, then-coach Rich Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan and Bill Stewart took over as the new head coach. We were not able to rebound right away in 2008, losing 19-15 at Heinz Field, but the Mountaineers made sure to return the favor the following year in the teams' first meeting in Morgantown since the 2007 debacle.

Oh, and with Pitt coming in ranked ninth in the country, we were the underdogs this time.

I remember this game quite vividly. I was ten years old. It was my first time attending a Mountaineer game.

The two aspects I remember most about the experience are the pre-game mosh pit (no pun initially intended) and the final play of the game.

Prior to the game, I awaited entry to the stadium with my grandfather and a swarm of fellow WVU fans all around us. They chanted their favorite explicit phrase toward the competitors who came from just 75 miles away. It was senior day towards the end of November and very cold. What a scene it was.

Such was the game itself. Stud WVU running back Noel Devine rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown. But it was the final play from a 42-yard drive that sealed the deal. After moving the ball into a comfortable spot, Coach Bill Stewart let the clock wind down on a third-and-one to set up a field goal attempt with three seconds to go. The 43-yard attempt from Tyler Bitancurt was good as time expired. Cue Country Roads.

                                           
                                                     WVU Avenges Loss to Pitt in 2009

WVU Wins Final Backyard Brawl in Big East 

The last time the two team's met was in November of 2011, the final season before both teams left the Big East conference. As then-Coach Dana Holgorsen got his only taste of the rivarly during his tenure, WVU rallied back from a 17-7 halftime deficit to win in Morgantown, 21-20.

WVU proceeded to leave the Big East for the Big 12 while Pitt later fled to the ACC.

With that win, WVU extended their win streak against Pitt to three as the Mountaineers previously obliterated the Panthers on the road in 2010, 35-10.

We Got Next

With the excitement over the arrival of new coach Neal Brown, I view the now three-year wait to play Pitt as perfect. Hopefully by then, the coaching staff will have done some extra-quality recruiting and development that has WVU sitting pretty in the Big 12.

But even more so, when it comes to that game, on that day, we just want to focus on the task at hand by taming our long-time rivals.

And I know, WVU recently has and is scheduled to play Pitt in men's basketball. Even still, there's something about watching these two trade blows on the gridiron. The anticipation at the chance to "Beat Pitt" again and move up in the series win column has me excited.

Lord Willing, WVU will have such an opportunity in three years and I'm so ready.

As Neal Brown Era Officially Begins, WVU Holds on to Defeat JMU

Photo Credit: Ben Queen of USA Today Sports

The West Virginia Mountaineers continued their streak of winning home openers by defeating the James Madison Dukes Saturday, 20-13.

Coach Neal Brown, who was happy to win his debut as WVU’s 35^th head coach, had this to say on the AT&T SportsNet broadcast following the game: “We won the game, it was ugly at times, about 65% of our guys hadn’t been out here before.”

Though James Madison is an FCS school, they were only seven point underdogs coming into the match up with WVU, according to DraftKings. JMU was also ranked second in the STATS FCS Preseason Top 25.

Offensively, the Mountaineers were unable to mount much in the running game, rushing for just 34 total yards. Quarterback Austin Kendall completed 27 of 42 passes for 260 yards, adding two touchdowns in his WVU debut.

WVU was able to avoid turning the ball over, a key difference in the game, Brown said. Also key, according to Brown, was special teams’ play, including a blocked field goal by defensive back Darius Stills. 

✋🏾 In the trenches...@DariusStills56#HailWV pic.twitter.com/m0qTDM54S8

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) September 1, 2019

Junior receiver Tevin Bush was certainly key in the Mountaineers’ win. Bush caught four balls for 74 yards, including a 41-yard gainer in the second half that Brown called “as big a play as there was in the game.” Bush also caught one of two touchdowns on the day from Kendall, a 22-yard reception.

Little Man. BIG PLAY. #HailWV pic.twitter.com/4SlltK3QdY

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) September 1, 2019

Florida State transfer George Campbell caught the other touchdown for WVU, a 28-yard reception that put the Mountaineers ahead in the second half.

Defensively, WVU held the Dukes to 328 yards and forced three turnovers as a team. The WVU defense racked up six tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and four sacks. Dante Stills, Darius Stills, Reuben Jones and Taijh Alston each were able to bring down DiNucci.

However, dual-threat quarterback Ben DiNucci forced the Mountaineers to tighten up mid-game. DiNucci ran for 36 yards (with a long of 22) to go with 156 yards through the air.

“We just missed plays right at the line,” said Defensive Coordinator Vic Koenning, regarding various missed tackles.

Sophomore linebacker Josh Chandler led the way with 14 total tackles for WVU.

Senior cornerback Keith Washington Jr. made perhaps the biggest play on his respective side when he intercepted DiNucci in the third quarter. The pick set up the drive which would eventually give WVU a 20-10 advantage.

Regarding Austin Kendall’s performance as WVU’s starting quarterback, Brown said: “You look back on it, and he won the game,” adding, “I thought he handled the end of game situations really well.”

"We’ve got to get better at the deep ball, some of that was because he (Kendall) was so amped up he overthrew it,” Brown said.

Regarding the seemingly stagnant run game, Brown says: “We’ve got to block better, we’ve got to be creative and create space.” “We’ve got some guys up there that are playing new roles and spots,” Brown adds, regarding the offensive line.

Senior offensive lineman Colton McKivitz is one of those guys with a new role/spot, moving from right to left tackle.

“Next week is definitely a bigger challenge for us, it’s an SEC defense, it’s kind of the big boys’ time,” says McKivitiz, regarding WVU’s next game against Missouri. “We’re going to have to grow up pretty quick up front over this week and fix those things that need to be corrected,” he adds.

WVU (1-0) will travel to Missouri (0-1) next to play the Tigers on Saturday, September 7^th. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

Projecting the Top Offensive Playmakers for WVU in 2019

The 2019 College Football regular season is nearly upon us as WVU opens their season in Morgantown against the James Madison Dukes one week from today.

One aspect is certain when it comes to this year's Mountaineer squad: the team is losing a huge chunk of offensive production from last year. 2018 leading receivers David Sills and Gary Jennings, along with Heisman Trophy candidate Will Grier are all gone with new homes in the NFL. Additionally, WVU is going through a large change with the arrival of new Head Coach Neal Brown and company. That being said, let's take a look who is likely to carry the load offensively this year for WVU.

Kennedy McKoy (#6)

                                           Photo Credit: Ben Queen of USA Today Sports                                   

Senior running back Kennedy McKoy was the team's leading rusher a year ago, finishing with 802 yards and 8 touchdowns. With 1,870 total career yards rushing to go with 19 touchdowns, McKoy's production has gone up consistently each season since being with the Mountaineers. New Head Coach Neal Brown praised McKoy in his latest press conference, mentioning his "toughness" and how "he's played at a high level in this conference before." McKoy finished 8th in the Big 12th last season in rushing yards per game, averaging 66.8 yards on the ground. Oh, and he can catch the ball too.

The Other Three Running Backs (Martell Pettaway, Leddie Brown & Alec Sinkfield)

Mountaineer fans should not sleep on any of these guys. Pettaway (#32), who's also a senior, showed out in the thriller against Texas last season, finishing the game with 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Coach Brown has spoken highly of Leddie Brown (#4), mainly complimenting him as "consistent." The sky is seemingly the limit for the sophomore out of Philadelphia.

While Sinkfield (#20) has not had as many career touches as the other backs, he certainly has a chance to breakout this season. The sophomore was also listed as the punt returner in the summer depth chart and figures to be featured prominently in the passing game.

Running back should be a major strength position-wise for WVU this season. Each are returning players and each have proven they can be productive. However, inexperience at the quarterback position along with a questionable offensive line leaves uncertainty for how well this stable can perform in 2019. Even still, #6 stands to lead the pack.

Tevin Bush (#14)

He's been compared to Tavon Austin. However, many would likely agree that the junior from New Orleans, Louisiana simply isn't the same player as #1 was. But that's okay, because the 5-foot-6 athlete can still ball.

Bush experienced increases in production and playing time from his first year to the 2018 season, going from just four catches for 15 yards receiving for the former to 14 catches for 209 yards during the latter. Bush also finished last year with 103 yards rushing, including a spectacular 79-yard-run against Baylor in week nine.

Get the young man some more touches @WVUfootball WR @tevin__4 😷 pic.twitter.com/FRdwE1utf9

— WV Cinema (@TylerTreft1) May 3, 2019 

While being so high on Bush is a bit of a bold prediction, the quick and elusive junior should be utilized in Coach Brown's offense, especially in the open field. Fans should keep their 👀 out for #14 this season.

T.J. Simmons (#1)

                            Photo Credit: William Wotring of The Dominion Post & WV MetroNews

The 6-foot-2, 199-pound junior from Birmingham, Alabama is expected to lead this year's young receiving squad. Simmons was originally recruited by football powerhouse Alabama but transferred to WVU, first seeing action in 2018 after sitting out the previous year for transfer rules.

Regarding the perceived lack of star power for WVU this year, Simmons acknowledged that the team features "a lot of unknowns" compared to last year's star-studded team. "I feel like we got a lot of good players that can be great and whenever we get out on the field we're gonna show everybody that we got a team full of stars," Simmons said about this year's team.

Simmons is coming off a season where he caught 28 balls and racked up 341 receiving yards.

"I want to prove that I'm a top guy in the country, that I'm a team guy and a good leader" Simmons said, regarding what he has to prove in 2019.

Other Receivers to Watch

These include Isiah Esdale (#88), Temple transfer Sean Ryan (who just had his waiver request to play this season approved; #18), freshman Sam James (#13) and senior Florida State transfer George Campbell (#15). The quarterback and the guys up front need to do their part for this young receiving corps to excel in the passing game.

🏈 Wide Receiver Dinner 🍽 to kickoff the season! Love this Group! #LetsGo #HailWV #TrustTheClimb pic.twitter.com/JnsNsrTKiW

— Xavier Dye (@xdye21) August 23, 2019

Quarterback Play

Speaking of the quarterback, we now know who will start week 1. Graduate transfer from Oklahoma Austin Kendall (#10) earned the nod per Coach Brown this past week. While Kendall has not had the opportunity to play much football sitting behind two Heisman Trophy winners at OU, he was efficient when he took the field.

It will be interesting to see how Kendall performs. With a new coaching staff, a likely scenario sees a drop in QB production when compared to last year (an unfair comparison I know) but with two years of eligibility left for Kendall to play, development is possible.