MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia-Maryland featured a sell-out crowd (and a Brad Paisley intro) on a sun-splashed afternoon at Milan Puskar Stadium. The Mountaineers coasted to a 45-6 win and will enter Big 12 play unbeaten at 3-0.
Here’s a recap of the live updates throughout pregame to postgame, as the border rivalry played out once more before taking a hiatus until 2020.
FIRST QUARTER
— Maryland converted a third-and-1 up the middle and a third-and-10 on Rowe’s 15-yard scramble (blitz lane bust). But the defense manned up on fourth-and-1 at the WVU 38, when Karl Joseph made a terrific open-field takedown on Wes Brown. Minus-1 for Terps.
TD ALERT: Eli Wellman 7-yard pass from Howard (WVU leads 7-0)
— Howard found his fullback on a pass off a naked bootleg, a gutsy call after the QB took a jarring sideline hit from safety A.J. Hendy. (The targeting call was removed but the late hit stood—appropriate adjudication from the replay booth.) Daikiel Shorts set up the TD on a clutch 15-yard catch on third-and-5. (Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards in 2:32)
— Nothing doing for Maryland on its second series, except for penalties. A block in the back accompanied Likely’s bobbled kick return (pinning Terps at their 7) before a holding call on receiver Jahrvis Davenport made things worse.
TD ALERT: Wendell Smallwood 4-yard run (WVU leads 14-0)
— Blessed with terrific field position, West Virginia struck quickly. Smallwood opened the drive with an 11-yard run (aided by Tyler Orlosky’s big block) and finished it two plays later. In between, Howard zipped a 32-yarder to Shelton Gibson. Things looking easy so far for the Mountaineers. (Drive: 3 plays, 47 yards in 0:47)
— In Tuesday’s Gold & Blue Lunch report, I asked is this worst Terps’ D in last 10 years. After two WVU scores on first two drives, I ‘d say it’s up there.
— Terps go three-and-out and Rowe falls to 1-of-9 passing. What’s worse? Nicolas Pritchard follows with a 28-yard punt, setting up WVU on Maryland’s side again.
TD ALERT: Gibson 15-yard pass from Howard (WVU leads 21-0)
— First Howard completed a third-and-long pass to Jovon Durante for 15, and then he dumped off a 16-yarder to Shell, who was uncovered out of the backfield. The scoring toss was a simple bubble screen that should’ve netted Gibson only a few yards, but Maryland defenders played it poorly and never put a hand on the receiver, who made one juke. (Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards in 01:47)
— Thanks to Brandon Ross’ 36-yard second-effort run, the Terps got moving. Thanks to Shaq Petteway’s next-play sack, the moving ended abruptly. Maryland wound up punting after Preston made nice defensive play downfield on incomplete pass toward tight end Avery Edwards.
END FIRST QUARTER (WVU leads 21-0)
SECOND QUARTER
— WVU’s Josh Lambert missed for 51 yards out, but the drive was still somewhat of a success, considering it started at the Mountaineers 7. Three explosive runs by Smallwood (22, 26 and 15 yards) were the highlight, but Jefferson Ashiru’s sack off a linebacker stunt stalled the drive.
— Maryland reached its 46 before being forced to punt.
TD ALERT: Gibson 41-yard pass from Howard (WVU leads 28-0)
— On third-and-2, Howard appeared to change the call at the line and dropped a bomb to Gibson running past the press coverage of Will Likely. Shell’s season-long 14-yard run opened the drive and Shorts added a 17-yard catch over the middle. (Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards in 01:38)
— Terps go three-and out.
— WVU punts after Terps baited Howard into a third-and-2 incompletion. O’Toole’s first effort of the day carries 52 yards for a touchback.
— And THERE’S the Rowe interception we expected. The Terps have thrown a nation-leading eight picks. Terrell Chestnut caught this one at the Maryland 48.
TD ALERT: Shell 2-yard run (WVU leads 35-0)
— Howard hit Gibson for 16 yards on a wide-open underneath route and then the QB ran 13 yards on a designed keeper behind pulling guard Adam Pankey. Shell capped it on a tough goal-line run, bouncing out of a tackle on third-and-2 and finding room on the outside. (Drive: 7 plays, 48 yards in 02:02)
— Maryland defense is weaker than Chinese drywall.
— The most Maryland play of the day: Ross rips off a 55-yard run but loses the ball at the 2 on a shoestring tackle by Chestnut. Ball rolls out of the endzone for a touchback. Unbelievable day so far for Team Turtle.
— On Howard’s 180th career pass, he throws his first interception. (Was thrown behind Durante on a slant and resulted in a deflection.)
— Two plays later, Rowe gives turnover right back by throwing pick to KJ Dillon.
FG ALERT: Josh Lambert 48-yard kick (WVU leads 38-0)
— Lambert nailed one on the half’s final play. WVU could’ve gotten more but Shorts was penalized for a crack-back block and Marquis Lucas flagged for holding to erase a big-gain pass play to Donte Thomas-Williams. (Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards in 1:29)
HALFTIME (WVU leads 38-0)
— Total offense so far: West Virgina leads 427-175.
— Maryland’s Caleb Rowe: 5-of-20 passing for 24 yards with two INTs. Skyler Howard faring slightly better at 14-of-20 for 230 yards and three TDs, though he does now own an interception.
— The Terps’ Brandon Ross has 129 yards rushing on 12 carries, while Smallwood has 14 for 115 at the break.
THIRD QUARTER
— KJ Dillon tried to return second-half kick from 7 yards deep and then fumbled after hurdling a tackler at the 20. But …
— Caleb Rowe threw his third INT of the afternoon on the next play, a back-foot duck that Karl Joseph grabbed in the end zone. Randy Edsall’s resulting sideline conversation with Rowe did not look encouraging.
— WVU moved 53 yards with the assistance of two Maryland personal fouls. After a sack killed the threat, Lambert came up short on a 44-yard field goal try and seemed upset with himself on the walk back to the bench. He’s not striking the ball with anywhere near the same oomph as last season.
— Caleb Rowe, who may be colorblind, just threw his fourth INT of the day and his ninth of the season. Daryl Worley caught this one on a fourth-down try in the end zone.
— Nick O’Toole lobbied long and heavy for a fake during the preseason. Said he could do it from punt formation or as the field-goal holder. He vowed success. Said he would not be denied. Welp, he just booked it 13 yards on a fourth-and-12 fake from the Maryland 49.
— Caleb Rowe pulled in favor of Daxx Garman. So Edsall replaced a QB with four INTs with a QB the Mountaineers picked off twice last year in Stillwater.
— Garman suffered a sack and a badly thrown incompletion on his three-and-out.
END THIRD QUARTER (WVU leads 38-0)
FOURTH QUARTER
— TD ALERT: Shorts 1-yard pass from Howard (WVU leads 45-0)
Fade routes don’t come any shorter or prettier than that one, and the first-team offense is likely done now that it has posted some second-half points. A key play in the drive saw Howard flip a third-and 4 pass out to Jordan Thompson, who got 12 yards from it. Devonte Mathis also gained 13 on a quick screen. (Drive 10 plays, 51 yards in 3:40)
— TD ALERT: Jahrvis Davenport 46-yard pass from Daxx Garman (WVU leads 45-6)
West Virginia trotted out its second-team defense and gave up a touchdown three plays later. Garman rifled a pass along the seam to Davenport, who ran through a poor tackle by Rick Rumph. The 2-point try failed. (Drive 3 plays, 75 yards in 1:03)
PREGAME
— While the Mountaineers were hopeful Skyler Howard could settle in as the starter, I don’t think anyone envisioned him leading the nation in passing efficiency after two games. He punished Georgia Southern’s secondary for challenging the wideouts and patiently picked apart Liberty’s cushiony coverage.
The Liberty performance in particular (21-of-26 completions) revealed a maturation on Howard’s self-described gunslinger mentality.
“Skyler’s completely fine with just putting the ball in play,” said graduate assistant/quarterbacks coach Michael Burchett. “He knows good things will happen when we do that.”
— Rushel Shell isn’t happy with 3.6 yards per carry and neither are his coaches, though as with any running game, it’s wrong to pin failures entirely on the running backs. Shell hasn’t had many holes and he has missed a few reads when the hole was there. After getting eight carries vs. Georgia Southern and 11 against Liberty, here’s guessing he gets nearly that combined total today.
— Quite a bustling tailgate scene in Morgantown today. My car was almost struck three times by errant footballs. Armchair QBs need to work on their timing.
— The Mountaineers are 17-point favorites today, matching the largest spread in the series since 2000.
— My prediction for today: West Virginia dominates 38-14. Share your final score picks below.