Wheeling, W. Va. – With the road schedule behind them, the Wheeling University Football team (5-4, 4-2) plays out the rest of their 2026 schedule at Bishop Schmitt Field. That journey includes hopes for the programs first-ever NCAA DII playoff berth, and it begins on Saturday when the Cardinals welcome in Glenville State with kick-off at 1 PM. A Wheeling win coupled with a West Liberty win against the University of Charleston would bring the 2026 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championship match to Bishop Schmitt Field next week.
The offense continued it's recent string of success last time out, when they went on their final road trip of the year to Concord. After falling behind 10-3 over the first 12 minutes of play, it would be the Wheeling running game that helped them battle back. The Cardinals would end up scoring 27 unanswered points over the next 25 minutes, with three of those coming on rushing touchdowns by three different players. The final score would be a pick-six by Jacob Jones with 8:27 to go in the third quarter, putting the dagger in the back of the Mountain Lions, giving Wheeling a 30-10 advantage. The Cardinal defense would do it's part to ensure Concord wouldn't get back in the game, forcing four Mountain Lion turnovers, including two forced fumbles, while getting to the quarterback four times on the day. In the end, the Cardinals would walk away with the 47-25 win, improving to 4-2 in MEC play.
Despite battling through injury, the Cardinal rushing attack saw seven different players combine for 259 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the winning effort. Leading the way was Ayden McKinstry, who carried the ball a career-high 17 times for 89 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the effort. McKinstry has been on a role as of late, averaging 62.0 yards per game, and gaining 61+ yards in each of the last two games. He picked up his first multi-touchdown game of his career, and he has scored at least one rushing touchdown in back-to-back games. The Cardinals are 3-1 this season when Ayden McKinstry scores at least one touchdown, and he will look to once again carry the bulk of the load for the Cardinals against Glenville State as they look to continue their winning ways.
While the offense was having their success, the defense was keeping Concord off the board, led by the efforts of sophomore Joe Rispoli. Rispoli would set a career-high with eight tackles, six solo and two assisted, while adding 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and one forced fumble on the day. Rispoli is the third leading tackler for the Cardinals this season, totaling 41.0 tackles, 17 solo and 24 assisted, setting career-highs in all three categories. Rounding out the strong defensive effort was Jacob Jones, who would put the dagger in the back of the Mountain Lions. He would pick-up his first interception of the year, returning it 30 yards for the pick six that completed the string of 27 unanswered points. Jones leads the Cardinals with seven pass break-ups on the season and looks to continue leading the Cardinal's defensive secondary.
As they enter the final two weeks of the regular season, the top four teams in the conference are all separated by two games. Wheeling currently sits tied for second, sitting at 4-2, and are just one game behind West Liberty, who sits at 5-1. Thanks to back-to-back wins against Concord and Frostburg State, the Cardinals have battled their way back into the competition for the MEC Football Championship. With a Wheeling win over Glenville State and a West Liberty win over the University of Charleston, the 2026 MEC Football Championship game would come to Bishop Schmitt Field next Saturday. If Charleston beats West Liberty and Wheeling beats Glenville State, it would set up a three-way tie for first, with Charleston holding the tie breaker heading into the final week. Wheeling looks to handle their business against Glenville State and se where the chips fall in the end.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Pioneers are meeting for the seventh time in program history, with the all-time series being tied at 3-3. It will be the third time that Wheeling has hosted Glenville State, going 1-1 in previous meetings, compared to a 2-2 record when the Cardinals travel to Glenville, West Virginia. Wheeling has won three of the past five meetings between the two teams, with Wheeling averaging 24.5 points per game in the all-time match-up.
The last meeting between the two teams came on November 8, 2025, in a game that Wheeling would win 38-35. With the score tied at 35-35 with three seconds left, Conor Fitzpatrick would give Wheeling the win with a 16-yard field goal. Leading the offense was Ade Olanegan, who finished 12-22, throwing for 176 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His top target was Jordan Kaiser, who pulled in four catches for 70 yards, while Dawaun Green added 13 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. The defense was led by former Cardinal Jefferson Bretanys-Desca, who finished with 12 tackles, five solo and seven assisted.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 PM inside Bishop Schmitt Field. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
