MORGANTOWN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – In what has been a highly anticipated season opener for the Mountaineers, the No. 8 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 34-12.
The game, held at Milan Puskar Stadium, showcased the Lions’ superior offense and defense, leaving the Mountaineers struggling to keep pace.
Penn State outgained West Virginia significantly, accumulating 457 total yards compared to the Mountaineers’ 246 yards.
The Nittany Lions displayed a balanced attack with 235 passing yards and 222 rushing yards, averaging 7.6 yards per play.
In contrast, West Virginia managed 161 yards through the air and 85 yards on the ground, averaging only 3.7 yards per play.
Despite both teams having a similar number of first downs—21 for Penn State and 19 for West Virginia—the Mountaineers’ offense faltered in critical moments.
They converted just 4 of 14 third downs and 3 of 4 fourth downs, while Penn State was more efficient, converting 5 of 11 third downs and their sole fourth down attempt.
Turnovers played a role in the Mountaineers’ defeat.
They lost two fumbles and threw one interception, compared to Penn State’s single lost fumble.
Both teams punted four times, but Penn State’s control of the game was evident in the time of possession, where they held the ball for 30 minutes and 37 seconds, slightly longer than West Virginia’s 29 minutes and 23 seconds.
West Virginia will look to bounce back from this defeat as they host Albany next Saturday at 6 PM in Morgantown.
