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Mountaineers ‘welcome Penn State’ in Morgantown for the first time in 36 years

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Aug 9, 2024

Donaldson

MORGANTOWN — Penn State followers have probably shunted their team’s last trip to Morgantown during a football season to some dusty recess that can’t be reached except by those using secret codes or a drone.

The last time the Nittany Lions came calling was in 1988, when Major Harris was West Virginia University’s runnin’ and gunnin’ quarterback of some All-American note.

West Virginia won that game by a stunning, 51-30, count. But Penn State will be quick to point out that was WVU’s last win in the now-disjointed series. Mountaineer die-hards will just as quickly remind the State College/University Park people that the game featured a constantly flashing scoreboard that finally told the tale of the only game any opponent ever scored over 50 points on a Joe Paterno-coached bunch of Nittany Lions.

The two teams faced each other every season from 1947 through 1992 — a period of 46 straight seasons.

From 1956 through 1983, Penn State’s record versus the Mountaineers was 27-0-1.

Greene

The battered and faded artificial turf of old Mountaineer Field never looked brighter or more appealing than the cloud-shrouded Saturday in 1984 when West Virginia prevailed, 17-14.

After last season’s 38-15 win in loud Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions have won the last five games between the teams.

West Virginia went 9-4 a year ago, capping a satisfying season with a win in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

Penn State finished at 10-3, but left thousands of its vocal and at times testy fans still waiting for an NCAA playoff berth that leads to the national championship.

A much-watched offensive line replete with Wyatt Milum, Brandon Yates, Ja’Quay Hubbard, Tomas Rimac, Nick Malone and Xavier Bausley will be a cornerstone of any Mountaineer success this season. As will quarterback Garrett Greene and running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson, Jr.

White

The Nittany Lions will return 16 starters (seven offense, seven defense and two special teams) from that 10-win team.

Tickets on the various outlets are pricey and at times head-scratching, going for $233 to $250 each if they can be found within viewing distance of the Milan Puskar artificial turf.

Betting lines from all around the country have already generally made Penn State a 10-5 point favorite to disappoint “Mountaineers everywhere.”

If you were there in 1988, you can probably still see Major Harris make his reverse-field touchdown run . . . and forever leave an indelible impression on West Virginia fans.

The game is the season opener for both teams. The history between the schools will matter little to these players, who just want to get started and get on to winning.