Wheeling, W. Va. – After two weeks on the road, it was a homecoming for the Wheeling University Football team (3-4, 2-2) as they hosted West Virginia State in their annual Homecoming & Family Weekend match-up. It was a ground and pound game that saw the teams combine for 299 yards on the ground in a match-up that took more than 60 minutes to decide. In the end, the Cardinals would come out on the losing end of a 30-24 match-up, falling on a touchdown in overtime to the Yellow Jackets.
It was a tale of two halves, with both offenses starting the game strong. After the Cardinal defense shut down West Virginia State on their opening drive, Wheeling responded with the first score of the day. Wheeling would get the ball on their own 40-yard line and used a consistent running game to get downfield. A 30-yard scamper by Dawaun Green got Wheeling inside the West Virginia State 10-yard line, and it would be Landon Lutz who took the ball the final yard across the Gold Line for the first touchdown of the day. Conor Fitzpatrick would send the extra point through the uprights, and Wheeling would take an early 7-0 lead. However, the advantage wouldn't last long, as West Virginia State put together a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ate just over 7 minutes off the clock and finished with a touchdown pass from Joe Daily to Malik Barker that tied the game at 7-7. Wheeling was forced into a three-and-out on their final possession of the quarter, and after 15 minutes of play, the game sat tied at 7-7.
West Virginia State had the ball to start the new quarter, but the Cardinal defense forced a punt and set Wheeling up once again on their own 16-yard line. Wheeling would put together several explosive mid-range plays and drive all the way down to the West Virginia State 8-yard line. QB 1 would call his own number again, with Lutz getting across the goal line for the second time on the day on an 8-yard run that put Wheeling up 14-7. Just as they did in the first half, West Virginia State would respond once again with a touchdown drive of their own, as Devin Cox broke off a 10-yard run that evened things once again at 14-14. It was another time-consuming drive for the Yellow Jackets, this time taking 4 minutes off the clock, as Wheeling looked to respond. That would be forced to punt, and disaster struck when a fumbled snap set up West Virginia State first-and-10 at the Wheeling 33-yard line.
It would turn into the third West Virginia State touchdown of the day, with Daily finding Amare Airy on a 22-yard strike over the middle to make it 21-14 in favor of the Yellow Jackets. With just 16 seconds remaining in the first half, Wheeling's special teams unit would come up with one more big play to allow the Cardinals to answer before halftime. Solo Love would break out on a 79-yard kick return that got Wheeling down to the West Virginia State 21-yard line. They would call on Fitzpatrick with just 5 seconds to go, and he nailed the 37-yard field goal through the uprights to send the game into the locker room with Wheeling trailing 21-17. With Wheeling set to receive the second-half kickoff, it was a chance for the Cardinals to flip the scoreboard and use that momentum in the third quarter. The Cardinals were able to move the ball on that first drive of the second half, but stalled at the West Virginia State 32-yard line. Fitzpatrick would come on to try to break the school record for the longest field goal on a 49-yard attempt, but it would sail wide left, keeping the game at 21-17.
The third quarter would be one ruled by defense, with a West Virginia State field goal counting as the only tally in the quarter. It came after another one of their time-management drives, taking 7 minutes off the clock before kicker Joseph Schrader sent the 23-yard attempt through the uprights to make it 24-17 at the end of the third quarter. Wheeling had played comeback kids before this season and looked to do it once again, down by seven. The Cardinals would get the ball at the end of the third quarter and put together their longest drive of the day, eating 8 minutes off the clock as they drove down to the West Virginia State 12-yard line. That is when Lutz would connect with tight end Landon Hores for a wide-open touchdown before Fitzpatrick hit the extra point that made it 24-24. With 7:44 left to play, both teams would have chances late to win the game in regulation. Wheeling would drive into West Virginia State territory with under a minute to play before having to punt, and the Yellow Jackets would throw up a Hail Mary on the final play of regulation that was nearly caught for the game-winning touchdown.
However, at the end of regulation, the game would remain tied at 24-24, sending Wheeling into their first overtime game of the season. The Cardinals would get the ball first to start the overtime period and get down to the 8-yard line before being stopped on a third-and-two play. Fitzpatrick would come in to attempt what would be a 22-yard field goal attempt, but a low snap would end up sending the kick sailing wide and giving West Virginia State the ball back with a chance to win. The Yellow Jackets would get down to the 2-yard line on a pass interference call before Cox would take the ball in from 1 yard out for what would be the game-winning score, ending the 30-24 affair.
It was a big day for the Wheeling ground game, with the Cardinals rushing for 152 yards on 46 carries in the effort. Leading the charge was Dawaun Green, who would lead the effort, carrying the ball 23 times for 116 yards. Both rushing touchdowns would come courtesy of Landon Lutz, who netted 15 yards on the day, while Ayden McKinstry carried the ball seven times for 36 yards. In the passing game, Lutz would finish 13-22, throwing for 113 yards and a touchdown, with Manny Ortega being his top receiver with three catches for 43 yards, while Landon Hores pulled in the lone touchdown. Frederick Woodfork would have a career day to lead the defense, finishing with eight total tackles, three solo and five assisted, including a tackle for loss and a sack.
The Wheeling University Football team returns to action on Saturday, October 24, when they head to Frostburg State with kickoff at 3 PM.
