Wheeling, W. Va. – Through the first three weeks of Mountain East Conference (MEC) play, three teams remain unbeaten in conference play. Two of those teams are set to meet in Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday, when the Wheeling University Football team (3-2, 2-0) hits the road for the second week in a row to take on the University of Charleston. Wheeling looks to continue their momentum from a big road win over West Virginia Wesleyan last week as they play this stretch of four of five games on the road.
After getting the bye week in week three, Wheeling picked up right where they left off as they headed into Buckhannon, West Virginia. The Cardinals needed just five minutes to get on the scoreboard as the ground game began what would be a big day for the unit. The Cardinals rushed for a season-high 249 yards on the day, with six different ball carriers handling the load. The Cardinals would score the first nine points of the night, before West Virginia Wesleyan found the end zone just before half. The Cardinals would hold a 9-7 lead at the break, and they would come out and add on with a touchdown on their opening drive of the second half. However, West Virginia Wesleyan would punch once again and the teams headed into the fourth quarter with the score sitting at 16-14. The defense would hold strong over the final 15 minutes, and the Cardinals would get in the end zone one more time to bring the game to its final score of 23-14.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Ayden McKinstry, who finished with 130 yards of total offense, including two explosive plays that helped the Cardinals secure the win. On the ground, he would rush for a career-high 95 yards while getting into the end zone for the second time this season. In the receiving game, he would pull in four catches for 35 yards and a score. Each of his two touchdowns were explosive plays that helped the Cardinals maintain their lead. His first score would come on the opening drive of the second half, when he caught a 37-yard strike from Landon Lutz to make it a 16-7 game. His final score would end up being the one that sealed the deal, as he burst through the line for a 39-yard run that brought the game to its final score of 23-14. McKinstry has been one of three primary running backs for the Cardinals this season as they led the offense.
On the defensive side, the Cardinals continued to show why they are the top defense in the MEC, holding West Virginia Wesleyan to just 14 points on the night. The continued leader on that side of the ball was Jalen Higginbotham, who finished with seven total tackles, one solo and six assisted, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 1. 5 sacks on the day. Higginbotham has established himself as one of the top tacklers in the conference, sitting tied for third in the MEC with 47 tackles. While it broke a string of back-to-back double digit tackle efforts as he continues his strong sophomore season. Another strong performance on the defensive end came from Leo Boykins, who finished with six tackles, including two solo tackles and four assisted, while adding 1.0 tackle for loss and a 0.5 sack. He would also check a career first off his list, with his first collegiate interception to round out a big day in the defensive front.
As they continue through their MEC schedule, the Cardinals currently sit in a tie for second with Charleston in the conference standings. Both programs sit at 2-0 in MEC play, with both sitting a half game behind West Liberty, who sits 3-0. The Cardinals will have to maintain their top spot on the road, with three of their next four games coming away from Bishop Schmitt Field. The road was a good place for Wheeling to be a season ago, when the team finished 4-2 away from Bishop Schmitt Field. It will be a gauntlet for the Cardinals on the road, with Charleston, Frostburg State, and Concord all coming on the road, with the lone home match during the run being a Homecoming Match-up with West Virginia State on October 17. The Cardinals finished with their highest placing in the MEC a season ago when they tied for third overall, and the Cardinals are looking to better their standing this season.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Golden Eagles are meeting for the sixth time in program history, with Charleston winning each of the first five meetings between the two teams. It will be Wheeling's third trip to Charleston, with the team going 0-2 in previous meetings compared to an 0-3 record on their home field. Wheeling has averaged 17.4 points per game in the first five meetings between the two programs, including a 13-point effort a year ago.
The last meeting between the two teams came back on October 11, 2025, in a game that Charleston won 20-13. Former Cardinal Ade Olanegan would lead the offense going 16-41, throwing for 239 yards on the day. His top target was Landyn Hores, who pulled in five catches for 89 yards, while Steven Mitchell carried the ball nine times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Former Cardinals Jefferson Bretanys-Desca and Leonard Sherrod III led the defensive effort with 11 tackles each.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for noon inside The University of Charleston stadium on the campus of The University of Charleston. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
