Stormy weather only adds to WVU’s problems in opening loss
MORGANTOWN — Even the mid-game weather thundered down on West Virginia University in its much-ballyhooed season opener against unfazed Penn State.
An agonizing two-hour, 19 minute delay suspended play as a rain storm hung its ugly head over Milan Puskar Stadium and only added to WVU’s consternation, as the Mountaineers fell hard, 34-12, to nationally ranked Penn State.
All that was left in the aftermath of Saturday’s head-scratching loss were soggy and water-soaked remnants of the much-anticipated game.
Penn State and rain had washed away much of the luster and light-hearted attitudes found in the pre-game preparations in fan-crowded (62,084) Milan Puskar Stadium.
The eighth-ranked Nittany Lions zealously protected its quarterbacks from any meaningful rush by WVU’s defensive front seven. Drew Allard was never hurried. Not even once in a first half where he threw three TD passes as his receivers had time to find open space and then run to the scores that lifted the Nittany Lions to a 20-6 halftime lead.
And then the rains came from above. After the stings and mostly unsolved problems had come from below.
After the lengthy delay, the game finally resumed at 4:23 p.m. after starting at 12:10 p.m. Penn State would outscore the Mountaineers, 14-6, in the second half.
Both teams were hurt by early-game mistakes as even snaps from center were fumbled away or bounced off the pads of a player sent in motion in his backfield.
But Penn State always had its invincible offensive line to give Allar and his replacement time to survey the WVU secondary and then throw unimpeded by any pressure or sustained coverage for long gainers and scores.
The Nittany Lions even rushed for 222 yards, giving them 457 yards of total offense as compared to WVU’s 246 yards.
WVU, playing much of the glory-less afternoon with running back Jahiem White sidelined with a shoulder problem sustained early on, could get only 85 ground yards on 37 carries. Offensive lineman Wyatt Milum also missed the entire second half.
It was already, 27-6, when the Mountaineers scored their only touchdown of the disappointing afternoon.
By that time, much of the overflow crowd had trudged to the exits and were traipsing through the puddles to their transportation.
The game will be the last one between the two schools for some years now with no new contract in place.
Both teams have 11 games remaining on their respective schedules … but only one will carry much satisfaction with it to this week.