West Virginia football walked into Milan Puskar Stadium in Week 3 in front of a passionate home crowd, and they needed a win in a bad way against their biggest rival. The Mountaineers were up 14-3 in the third quarter before falling behind 24-14 late in the contest. But the Mountaineers put together acomback that forced overtime, and the goal posts came down in Morganton after WVU took home a 31-24 win.
In a game that was a roller coaster of emotions with numerous twists and turns, we learned more about the Mountaineers than we had through the month-and-a-half that consisted of preseason camp and the opening two weeks of the season. Here are some takeaways from WVU football's Backyard Brawl win.
The goal posts are down in Morgantown as WVU beats Pitt 31-24 in The Backyard Brawl. pic.twitter.com/gzAxvyCkKo
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Tye Edwards Is The Man At Running Back
Jahiem White is out for the season, and that means that WVU needs a reliable starting running back. And it seems it didn’t take long to figure out who was the right guy to go to.
Tye Edwards was listed as the third string tailback entering the game but was the second back to get carries after starter Clay Ash, and he showed everyone why he is likely the guy to take over the starting role as he put on an impressive effort against the Panthers. He finished the game with 25 carries, 141 yards, and three touchdowns.
The Quarterback Situation May (Or May Not) Be Solved
The Mountaineers put three quarterbacks into the game against the Panthers, and pass game never quite seemed to come together for the Mountaineers. Nicco Marchiol earned the start for the third straight week, but was benched after halftime in favor of true freshman Scotty Fox Jr. – but Fox tossed two interceptions on consecutive drives which resulted in multiple scores for Pitt as they turned a 14-3 deficit into a 17-10 lead. After that, Jaylen Henderson even made an appearance, but nothing much of note came from his time on the field.
But by the end of the game, Marchiol was back on the field and led the Mountaineers back from a ten-point deficit in the fourth quarter and connected with tight end Grayson Barnes on a game-tying touchdown with seconds to play in regulation. He finished with a stat line of 19-for-25 passing with 192 yards and one touchdown. What to expect from here on out is uncertain, but a mixture of the top three options won the game against Pitt.
WVU’s Defense Is Actually Good
WVU gave up 349 yards against Pitt, which isn’t the best game you could have. But they also kept the Mountaineers in the game for three quarters while the offense sputtered, forcing field goals on multiple possessions where Pitt had the ball in WVU territory. And then there was a late first half interception from WVU safety Darrian Lewis that prevented another potential score from the Panthers. It appears the Zac Alley hype is for real, and that’s good news for the Mountaineers.
A Much Needed Win
A loss this week in the program’s biggest rivalry to drop the Mountaineers to 1-2 after losing on the road to a MAC program in Week 2 and losing a pair of starters to injury could have sent the season into a true tailspin. Instead, the Mountaineers now enter Big 12 play with a winning record and all the momentum in the world. Not to mention, a 10-point fourth quarter comeback to get that win shows the type of adversity this team will need in conference play.