Wheeling, W. Va. – After playing their opening week at home, it's time for the Wheeling University Football team (1-0, 0-0) hit the road for the first time in 2026. The Cardinals travel across state lines to North Canton, Ohio, as they continue their non-conference schedule under the lights when they take on Walsh University with kick-off at 6 PM. The Cardinals have played well on the road over the last two seasons, winning eight of their last 11 games away from Bishop Schmitt Field.
In week 0, Wheeling Football welcomed in Thomas More University for the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Defense ruled the first half, with the two teams combining for just seven points over the first 30 minutes of play. The lone first half score came on a Saints touchdown at the 7:32 mark of the second quarter, but Wheeling blocked a field goal heading into the locker room to get momentum on their side. As they broke from halftime, the Cardinals got their first break as Landon Lutz connected with Landyn Hores for the first of two touchdowns at the 6:34 mark of the third and the Cardinals would never look back. They would end up scoring on five of their next six drives, accounting for 27 unanswered points and pushing their lead to 27-7. Thomas More would not go down without a fight, getting on the board with a field goal with nine seconds to go to break the Cardinal's run, and Wheeling would go on to win 27-10, their first opening week win since 2023.
Leading the Cardinals in their comeback effort was the combination of Landon Lutz and Landyn Hores. The two connected on a pair of touchdown passes on the day, as the Cardinals went on their 27-point run. It was a milestone day for Lutz, who finished 23-38, throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns to just one interception. It helped him accomplish a feat done by just two other quarterbacks in program history, as he eclipsed 4,000 passing yards for his career. On the other end of the connection was Hores, who tied for Lutz's top target, finishing with six catches for 60 yards and a pair of touchdown grabs. It was the first multi-touchdown game for Hores of his collegiate career, as he set a career-high in receiving yards. He was a big target dfor Lutz over the middle and looks to continue his success as the season goes on.
The defense would put on a clinic throughout the game, holding Walsh to a total of 45 yards on the ground. That pressure started up from with sophomore Leo Boykins, who finished with four total tackles, one solo and three assisted, while adding 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in the effort. Both of those sacks would come at a big moment of the game, shutting Thomas More's momentum down at the end of the second quarter. They would come on back-to-back plays near midfield, forcing a Saints punt and giving the Cardinals momentum heading into the halftime break. Leading the way in tackles for the Cardinals on the day was Awwal Osinuga, who finished with 6.0 total tackles, two solo and four assisted, while adding 1.0 sack and 1.0 tackle for loss in the effort. Osinuga was the Cardinal's leading pass rusher a season ago and looks to once again pressure the quarterback throughout the season.
Heading into their first road match of the 2026 season, the Cardinals are looking to continue their success from the previous two seasons on the road. Over their last 11 games away from Bishop Schmitt Field, the Cardinals are 8-3 on the road, including a 4-2 record away from Bishop Schmitt Field a year ago. In those six road games a season ago, the Cardinals scored at least 24 points each time out, while averaging 33.2 points per game when away from Bishop Schmitt Field. Saturday marks a break in the season-opening homestand that sees Wheeling play three of their first four at home, and the Cardinals will look to keep their opening week momentum alive before heading home to wrap up their non-conference stretch.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Cavaliers are meeting for the third time in program history, with the all-time series sitting tied at one game a piece. The road team has won each of the first two match-ups, with Wheeling holding a 1-0 record in North Canton, Ohio, and a 0-1 record at Bishop Schmitt Field. It has been a defensive series all-time, with the Cardinals averaging 14.5 points per game.
The last meeting between the two teams came back on September 6th, 2025, in a game that saw Walsh pick up a 31-15 victory. Former Cardinal Hilton McCalin Jr. Led the offense, pulling in two catches for 69 yards and a touchdown in the effort. Former Cardinal Ade Olanegan finished 8-22, throwing for 151 yards and one touchdown, while former Cardinal Steven Mitchell led the ground game with 11 carries for 46 yards. On defense, Former Cardinal Leonard Sherrod III led the way with 18 tackles in the effort, setting the single-game tackles record.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 6 PM inside Larry Staudt Field on the campus of Walsh University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with live stats by clicking HERE.
