BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – West Virginia marked a significant milestone in its digital title journey with the nationwide rollout of the country’s first Digital Vehicle Title program.

Officials said the state is setting a new standard in electronic titling systems, as the new system is not only digital but also fully transactable, which is a distinctive advancement that will revolutionize the industry.

The fully transactable digital titles allow dealers and fleet operators to better manage inventory and eliminate the need for laborious, manual matching of titles with vehicles on the lot or in their systems. They also allow for real-time updates that ensure the system of record is continually kept current.

Anytime an attribute of the title changes, whether a lien is filed, a brand is added or a new owner is listed, the digital title is immediately updated in the state’s system.

The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles has worked with Champ Titles, Inc., a leading provider of digital vehicle title, registration, and lien systems of record, and Tyler Technologies Inc., a leading public sector software and services provider, to take a revolutionary approach to modernizing the infrastructure of its statewide motor vehicle system.

West Virginia’s Digital Title and Registration Suite, which was launched in 2021, is a comprehensive vehicle title administration solution to manage titles, registrations, liens and dealer licensing, officials said.

“We are so pleased to have such a bold and forward-thinking partner in the West Virginia DMV. The state’s constituent-first approach to upgrading infrastructure continues today with the Digital Title. This technology will be a gamechanger for the country, realizing the digital efficiency that Champ Titles set out to achieve when it was founded,” said Shane Bigelow, Chief Executive Officer.

For those not immediately comfortable with using a digital title, a printed version of the West Virginia Digital Title is listed in the most current version of the J.D Power Title and Registration Textbook, officials said.

This next phase of the Digital Title project aims to encourage jurisdictions nationwide to recognize and accept Digital Title transactions.

“We are launching an educational campaign to ensure that every motor vehicle administrator across the country is familiar with and knows how to transact using the West Virginia Digital Title,” said State DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier. “We will be talking about it with motor vehicle administrators at their conferences and in their newsletters, and we will continue to work closely with our partners in industry. As other states move in this same direction, it is imperative that we support one another. It is with this support that we’ll successfully bring the Digital Title to the market.”

More information on the program, the related technologies and system security can be found at https://transportation.wv.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx.

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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.