West Virginia

Greg McElroy emphasizes the importance of Penn State vs. West Virginia in Week 1

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2024

Greg McElroy emphasizes the importance of Penn State vs. West Virginia in Week 1

Week 1 college football season will feature several marquee matchups that will undoubtedly help shape this year’s College Football Playoff picture, especially now that the field has expanded to 12. ESPN’s Greg McElroy believes that the season opener showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions and West Virginia Mountaineers will be significant in how the 2024 bowl season shakes out.

“I cannot emphasize how important this game is potentially for the Big 12,” started McElroy. “For Penn State, this is just a really difficult non-conference game; it’s a really difficult non-conference opener. One, you travel into a place that’s extremely hard to play. It’s gonna be absolutely insane when you walk into Morgantown, and you got to play in that level of hostility [in] Week 1. That being said, I think back to what Penn State has excelled at in the last few years.

“They’ve been unbelievable defensively. One of the best in the country, top-three in several metrics, [they] have given up less than 14 points per game. The only two teams that have fared better than that are Michigan and Ohio State. Last year, if you look at the amount of yards given up, defensively, Penn State was at the top. So this is a defense that has been amazing. The black eye last year was the Michigan game. Overall, James Franklin has been great in games like this. He’s 80 and 18 against everyone not named Michigan and Ohio State.”

This is the second game of the Penn State-West Virginia home-and-home series. In last year’s season opener, the Nittany Lions defended their home stadium, picking up the 38-15 victory thanks to their defense’s ability to shut down the Mountaineers’ offense. It also didn’t hurt that quarterback Drew Allar put together a stellar season opener, connecting on 21-29 pass attempts for 325 yards and three passing touchdowns.

According to McElroy, not only is this Week 1 non-conference showdown huge for West Virginia’s postseason aspirations, but it is also significant for the Big 12 in general. In terms of the strength of the conference, the Big Ten and SEC are largely viewed as superior to the ACC and Big 12.

As for Penn State, this non-conference season opener will be arguably their toughest in recent history. However, it could be just what head coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions need to start the 2024 campaign off red hot. And it does help that the Penn State head coach has an impressive record against Power 5 programs not named Michigan or Ohio State.

Speaking of the Wolverines, last year, with head coach Jim Harbaugh serving a suspension, they went into Beaver Stadium and stunned Penn State on the road, winning 24-15. But what made that victory sting significantly for the Nittany Lions was Michigan finishing the matchup with nearly six times as many rushing attempts as passing attempts (46 to 8). And that is a recipe McElroy believes West Virginia might attempt to replicate.

“If you think back to the recipe that Michigan used in success against Penn State last year, it was by pounding the football. Guess what West Virginia can do,” asked McElroy rhetorically. “They can pound the football; the only team in the country with three 750-yard rushers last year. And what’s interesting is that all three are back and all three can exploit you in different ways.

“Garrett Greene is excellent as a quarterback, would like to see him continue to become more consistent throwing. We know CJ Donaldson is a hammer, 240 lbs, difficult to bring down, [and is] not a guy that you want to face in the hole in short yardage. Jaheim White, we know what he’s like when you get him out in space. The guy is ridiculous, absolutely electric.

“The Mountaineers last year averaged almost 230 rushing yards a game. That was the fourth most in the country it was the most among the power of five.”

The Mountaineers are not believed to have the big bodies up front that Michigan has had in recent history. However, they do support a very similar rushing attack with their quarterback and running back tandem. If West Virginia’s offensive line can’t stand up to the defensive front from Penn State, the mountaineers could ride the rabid atmospheric energy of their home crowd at Milan Puskar Stadium all the way to an upset victory over their Big Ten foe.

Source link

West Virginia

West Virginia Scoots Up in Top 25 Rankings After Taking Series From Kennesaw State

Published

3 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia Scoots Up in Top 25 Rankings After Taking Series From Kennesaw State

Another successful weekend for the West Virginia Mountaineers results in another slight bump up in the top 25 rankings. WVU took two of three from Kennesaw State on the road, allowing them to slide up to No. 23 in D1Baseball’s new batch of rankings.

D1Baseball’s Top 25 for Week 3

1. UCLA
2. LSU
3. Texas
4. Mississippi State
5. Georgia Tech
6. Arkansas
7. Auburn
8. North Carolina
9. Florida
10. Southern Miss
11. Georgia
12. Oklahoma
13. NC State
14. Clemson
15. Wake Forest
16. Coastal Carolina
17. TCU
18. Oregon State
19. Tennessee
20. Florida State
21. Kentucky
22. Texas A&M
23. West Virginia
24. Miami
25. UTSA

Missed opportunity

West Virginia had a 6-0 lead in game three of its series against Kennesaw State, looking well on their way to a clean three-game sweep of the Owls.

Unfortunately for Steve Sabins, the bullpen imploded following another strong five-inning outing from the big lefty Maxx Yehl. Bryson Thacker, Carson Estridge, and David Perez combined to give up four runs on five hits over the final three innings, allowing the Owls to steal Sunday’s game.

The loss frustrated West Virginia fans and rightfully so, but there’s no need to panic. The name of the game is to continue winning the series. You do that, you’ll find yourself in a position to make the NCAA Tournament and earn a high seed. Obviously, you don’t want to blow the opportunity of a sweep, especially when you’re up 6-0, but it’s not a loss that is going to ruin their resume. Losing the series, on the other hand, would have.

What’s next for the Mountaineers?

No single mid-week game this week for West Virginia. Instead, they’ll play a quick two-game series against Radford at home beginning Tuesday. They’ll get one day of rest before opening up a three-game series at home against Columbia, which will be the final series of non-conference play. WVU will have a single mid-week game against Maryland on Tuesday, March 10th, before beginning Big 12 action on the road against Baylor.

The full remaining schedule

Mar. 2-4 Radford

Mar. 6-8 Columbia

Mar 10 Maryland

Mar 13-15 at Baylor

Mar. 17 Penn State

Mar. 29-21 BYU

Mar. 24 at Marshall

Mar. 27-29 at Arizona State

Mar. 31 at Arizona

Apr. 3-5 UCF

Apr. 7 Marshall

Apr. 10-12 at Texas Tech

Apr. 15 at Penn State

Apr. 17-19 Houston

Apr. 21 Pitt

Apr. 24-26 at Cincinnati

Apr. 29 at Penn State

May 1-3 Kansas State

May 5 Marshall (Charleston, WV)

May 8-10 at Kansas

May 14-16 TCU

May 20-23 Big 12 Championship (Surprise, AZ)

Source link

West Virginia

West Virginia Surrenders Six-Run Lead, Falls in Series Finale to Kennesaw State

Published

15 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia Surrenders Six-Run Lead, Falls in Series Finale to Kennesaw State

West Virgnia built a six-run lead through five and half innings, but the Kennesaw State Owls (5-5) scored seven unanswered runs in three frames to knock off the Mountaineers (8-2) Sunday afternoon 7-6.

West Virginia captured an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first after sophomore Matt Ineich hit a leadoff single before sophomore Gavin Kelly and senior Paul Schoenfeld were issued walks to load the bases with two outs on the board. Then, redshirt freshman Ryan Maggy line a two-RBI single to centerfield in his first career start.

The Mountaineers extended their lead in the second when Kelly hit a three went opposite field for a three-run home run, his first of the season, for a 5-0 advantage.

West Virginia starting southpaw pitcher Maxx Yehl threw five scoreless innings. The redshirt junior recorded four strikeouts on the day and limited the Owls to four hits.

Kelly added a run in the sixth, clearing the centerfield wall for his second home run of the afternoon and a 6-0 WVU lead.

Redshirt sophomore Bryson Thacker took the mound in the six. After a high and wide throw on a ground ball, a walk, and with two outs, junior Cooper Williams drooped an RBI single in right field to put the Owls on the board. Then, a pitch in the dirt rolled to the backstop to add another run, closing the gap to four, 6-2.

Carson Estridge was handed the ball in the seventh. The senior right-hander gave up a leadoff double before registering the next two outs, including a strikeout, before freshman McCollum line an RBI single just out of the reach of the glove of Kelly. Senior Jackson Chirello cut the deficit one, hammering the 3-1 pitch well over the right field wall and into the Waffle House parking lot for a two-run home run.

West Virginia head coach Steve Sabins turned to the clubhouse leader in saves David Perez to get the Mountaineers out of the inning. The freshman returned to the mound in the eighth. Senior Jamarie Brooks reached after hitting a sharp ground ball over to first that went between the legs of senior Ben Lumsden. Then, Williams blasted a two-run home run and a 7-6 Owls lead.

In the ninth, senior Matthew Graveline nearly tied the game with the swing of the bat, driving 0-2 pitch off the top of the left field wall for a one-out double to put the Mountaineers into scoring position. However, redshirt senior Harry Cain sat the last two Mountaineer hitters to collect his second win of the season as the Owls completed the comeback with the 7-6 decision.

West Virginia is back in action on Tuesday for the first of a two-game series against Radford. Game one and game two (Weds) are both scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the all the action will stream on ESPN+.

Source link

West Virginia

Delegate Larry Kump, master of various catch phrases, has died – WV MetroNews

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Delegate Larry Kump of Berkeley County has died, state officials announced. Kump was 78 years old.

Larry Kump

Kump, a Republican, served in the House from 2010 to 2014, again from 2018 to 2020 and finally 2022 to the present. He had announced plans to run again in the coming electoral cycle.

“As a battle-tested and liberty minded Christian and Constitutional Conservative, my consecrated action principles of good governance remains solid and steadfast,” he wrote to supporters in January.

He had been serving in the ongoing legislative session, but had been absent in recent weeks.

The daily prayer in the House of Delegates this past Wednesday included an expression of concern for Kump: “A special prayer for Delegate Larry Kump. Lord, you know where he is in the hospital now, and I pray right now that you would send your angels there to touch him, to be with him.”

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Kump’s death on social media, calling Kump “a devoted public servant who dedicated many years of his life to improving West Virginia.

“Delegate Kump served with a deep commitment to the principles he believed would strengthen our communities and protect our freedoms.

“On behalf of the First Lady and myself, we extend our condolences to Larry’s family, friends, former colleagues, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him. His legacy of service and his love for our state will never be forgotten.”

Secretary of State Kris Warner also posted condolences to Kump’s family. “Larry was a conservative Christian and a true Mountaineer! He will be sadly missed by his friends and colleagues,” Warner posted.

The West Virginia Democratic Party also put out a statement to offer condolences, saying Kump’s work reflected a lifelong commitment to accountability, public policy, and the effective administration of government.

“Delegate Larry Kump devoted his life to his family, his community, and to his state. He brought experience, independence and thoughtfulness to his role, and he never lost sight of the people he served,” said Mike Pushkin, the Democratic Party chairman who is also a delegate from Kanawha County.

Kump was known for his turns of phrase, for example kicking off his comments on the House floor with “Great googly moogly” for emphasis. He often described his adoration for his “beloved and bodacious wife Cheryl.”

He regularly concluded interactions and written communications this way: “Meanwhile, and for sure and for certain, may God bless you all real good!”

Source link