West Virginia’s Offense Falters in 17-10 Loss to Ohio
West Virginia’s hopes for an undefeated season were dashed on Saturday afternoon as they fell 17-10 to Ohio in front of a record crowd of 26,740 at Peden Stadium.
Coach Rich Rodriguez’s Reaction:
“I’m just very disappointed,” said West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez. “It starts with me. I told the guys I failed them this week. I thought we had a good week of practice, thought we were ready to play, and we weren’t. We didn’t execute.”
Early Signs of Promise Quickly Fade:
The Mountaineers began strong, with running back Jaheim White breaking off a 10-yard run on the first play of the game. However, the offense quickly stalled and was forced to punt. They regained some momentum on their second possession, moving down the field with a 16-yard end-around by junior receiver Rodney Gallagher, followed by a 31-yard pass to Cam Vaughn. This set up White for a 32-yard touchdown run, giving the Mountaineers an early 7-0 lead.
Ohio Responds:
Ohio responded with a six-play drive that reached WVU territory, but the Mountaineer defense held firm and forced a field goal attempt from the 20-yard line, which was successful, cutting WVU’s lead to 7-3. After a quick three-and-out by West Virginia, Ohio again drove into WVU territory but missed a field goal wide right.
Bobcats Take Control:
On their next possession, Ohio graduate senior quarterback Parker Navarro led the charge with three straight completions totaling 45 yards, adding a 15-yard run on third-and-seven to keep the drive alive. A defensive holding penalty on third-and-goal helped the Bobcats score a touchdown, giving them a 10-7 lead. “He’s phenomenal,” Rodriguez said of Navarro, noting his ability to make plays even when pressured.
Injury Strikes:
West Virginia’s struggles deepened when White went down with a knee injury after a horse-collar tackle along the sideline. “It didn’t look good from the sidelines,” Rodriguez said, though he had not yet spoken to the medical staff for an update on White’s condition.
Ohio Extends Lead:
With White sidelined, Ohio capitalized on a pass interference penalty and a strong performance from Navarro. The quarterback completed 3-of-3 passes for 59 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to Chase Hendricks, pushing Ohio’s lead to 17-7 as they took a 10-point advantage into halftime. Hendricks finished the game with 8 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Second Half Struggles:
The Mountaineers managed just 120 total yards in the second half, with 51 of those coming on their opening drive, which resulted in a field goal to pull within a touchdown. That drive also marked one of only three first downs in the half, with the other coming from an Ohio penalty.
Defense Provides Hope, but Offense Can’t Capitalize:
The WVU defense did its best to keep the game within reach, forcing three consecutive turnovers. However, the offense was unable to capitalize on these opportunities, as each turnover was followed by another three-and-out. Rodriguez said, “They forced turnovers – plenty of opportunities. We missed a couple tackles and gave up a few third downs, but they battled and played well enough for us to win. When you lose, everybody loses.”
Quarterback Change Yields No Results:
In an attempt to spark the offense, Rodriguez inserted backup quarterback Jaylen Henderson for two series after the turnovers. However, the change failed to provide any improvement. “We tried to get a little spark, particularly with some quarterback run plays,” Rodriguez explained. “It wasn’t Jaylen or Nicco’s fault, it’s just more mine. We’ll evaluate the film and see what went wrong.”
Game Ends in Disappointment:
West Virginia’s offense never found a rhythm as Ohio controlled the clock in the second half, securing the upset victory. “The biggest thing we’ve got to do with this loss, and wins too, is learn as much as we can from it,” said Rodriguez.
West Virginia will look to bounce back next Saturday when they host Pitt in the Backyard Brawl at 3:30 p.m. EST.
No Comment! Be the first one.