MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia attempts to snap a three-game skid against Iowa State and even its record as the Mountaineers (3-4, 1-3) welcome one of college football’s most successful October teams of late for a 2 p.m. kick to be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
The Cyclones (5-2, 3-1) have won three straight and avenged their only two October losses since 2017 with a 24-21 victory over previously unbeaten Oklahoma State last week. Since falling in the league opener to Baylor, the Cyclones have looked like a Big 12 contender and hope to continue that trend today. Iowa State has beaten West Virginia in three straight meetings, outscoring the Mountaineers 110-34 over that time.
5:40 p.m. — FINAL: WEST VIRGINIA 38, Iowa State 31. The Mountaineers improve to 4-4 and 2-3 in the Big 12. The Cyclones fall to 5-3 and 3-2 in the league.
5:34 p.m. — Dante Stills sacks Purdy and the Cyclones call their final timeout with 48 seconds remaining. Iowa State faces third-and-15 from the West Virginia 39 out of the timeout.
5:27 p.m. — The Mountaineers pick up one first down, but no more. After WVU punts, the Cyclones take over at their 16 with 3:42 left.
5:20 p.m. — Hall fumbles inches short of the end zone and WVU safety Alonzo Addae recovers. The play was reviewed for quite some time, but they ultimately stood with the call on the field. Leading by seven, the Mountaineers take over at their 20 with 5:57 left.
5:02 p.m. — Brown with a 2-yard touchdown run and the Mountaineers have their second lead of the game. The go-ahead drive featured a 45-yard pass from Doege to Ford-Wheaton, who has gone over 100 receiving yards in addition to his two TD catches. WEST VIRGINIA 38, Iowa State 31, 9:25 4th qtr
PUNCH IT IN @___lb4 ??? pic.twitter.com/JsUmQkYrBf
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) October 30, 2021
4:57 p.m. — The Mountaineers force a punt and take over at their own 15 with 11:42 to play. WVU is down to one timeout, while ISU has all three remaining.
4:48 p.m. — Doege finds Winston Wright Jr. for a 22-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-3, allowing West Virginia to again tie the Cyclones. The Mountaineers had to spend two timeouts in 1:46 of action on the drive, leaving them with just one left. WEST VIRGINIA 31, IOWA STATE 31, 14:49 4th qtr
✈️✈️✈️ @showtimejet#HailWV pic.twitter.com/g2p8Y3Z0Wz
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) October 30, 2021
4:26 p.m. — The Cyclones with an immediate answer and Purdy’s 1-yard TD run puts them back in front. Hall’s 53-yard run was the key play of the go-ahead drive. IOWA STATE 31, West Virginia 24, 6:06 3rd qtr
4:20 p.m. — Ford-Wheaton comes up with a high-level grab in the end zone, and after review, the play stands for a 23-yard touchdown. The Mountaineers and Cyclones are tied again. WEST VIRGINIA 24, IOWA STATE 24, 8:36 3rd qtr
Catch of the year candidate @Brycewheat3? ? #HailWV pic.twitter.com/HjIPIzt45q
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) October 30, 2021
4:10 p.m. — One play after a 46-yard pass to Ford-Wheaton is negated by what looked to be a touchy offensive pass interference call, the Cyclones get an interception by Jake Hummel, who returns it 24 yards for a touchdown. The interference on Ford-Wheaton was immediately followed by a delay of game, which put the Mountaineers in first-and-30. IOWA STATE 24, West Virginia 17, 11:07 3rd qtr
Senior @jakehumms with his second career pick-six.
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— Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) October 30, 2021
3:55 p.m. — West Virginia with 227 yards on 44 plays to Iowa State’s 223 yards on 29 plays. The Cyclones’ two touchdowns have amassed 138 yards. The Mountaineers have a 14-7 edge in first downs, but also the game’s only turnover. WVU is 6-of-10 on third downs to Iowa State’s 1-of-7.
3:40 p.m. — Andrew Mevis connects on a 34-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the half and Iowa State and West Virginia are tied at the break. HALFTIME: WEST VIRGINIA 17, IOWA STATE 17
3:20 p.m. — Iowa State’s Craig McDonald comes up with an interception. Doege’s pass to Ford-Wheaton was on the money, but he couldn’t hang on and McDonald comes up with a diving grab. Trailing by three, the Cyclones start on their 35 with 5:03 to play in the opening half.
3:05 p.m. — The Mountaineers move into the red zone for a third straight series, but the drive stalls and ends with Casey Legg’s 31-yard field goal to give WVU its first lead. Legg is now 14-for-15 on field-goal attempts. Josh Chandler-Semedo’s third down sack of Purdy on the Cyclones’ previous series led to a punt. WEST VIRGINIA 17, Iowa State 14, 9:29 2nd qtr
2:50 p.m. — Doege finds Bryce Ford-Wheaton for a 20-yard touchdown and the Mountaineers draw even again with their second 75-yard touchdown drive. WEST VIRGINIA 14, IOWA STATE 14, 0:18 1st qtr
2:40 p.m. — After the teams exchange punts, Purdy finds an uncovered Tarique Milton for a 68-yard touchdown on the first play of the Cyclones’ third series. Garrett Greene saw his first action for WVU on the previous series, but his second down pass sailed high and incomplete, before Jarret Doege missed the third down throw. IOWA STATE 14, West Virginia 7, 4:29 1st qtr
Brock Purdy hooks up with Tarique Milton for the longest pass play of the season at 68 yards.
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— Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) October 30, 2021
2:28 p.m. — Brown scores on a 2-yard run on third-and-goal and West Virginia gets even. Tight end T.J. Banks, filling in for O’Laughlin, caught two passes for 25 yards on the 12 play, 75-yard drive. WEST VIRGINIA 7, IOWA STATE 7, 7:05 1st qtr
Leddie Brown finds pay dirt! #HailWV pic.twitter.com/gPuTOKWP26
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) October 30, 2021
2:12 p.m. — Hall breaks into the open field and runs for a 70-yard touchdown on the Cyclones’ third play from scrimmage. IOWA STATE 7, West Virginia 0, 11:39 1st qtr
BREECE LIGHTNING@BreeceH #BreeceTheBeast pic.twitter.com/Zp9mWwQDeA
— Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) October 30, 2021
2:10 p.m. — West Virginia’s opening drive yields one first down before Leddie Brown is stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-2, forcing the Mountaineers to punt. Defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen gets the start.
2:00 p.m. — The Mountaineers will receive to start the game. Captains for West Virginia: wide receiver Reese Smith and a pair of Fairmont Senior High School alums — center Zach Frazier and defensive lineman Dante Stills.
1:15 p.m. — West Virginia tight end Mike O’Laughlin and cornerback Nicktroy Fortune will miss today’s game after suffering injuries in last week’s win at TCU.
12:45 p.m. — West Virginia is holding its 31st annual sports Hall of Fame induction today. The 2021 class includes: Keri Bland (cross country/track), Nicco Campriani (rifle), Noel Devine (football), Dale Farley (football), Mike Fox (football), Lajuanda Moody (gymnastics) and Olayinka Sanni (women’s basketball).
12:30 p.m. — Light mist continues to fall with kickoff 90 minutes away. The Cyclones enter with an experienced and proven quarterback in Brock Purdy and a trio of the better skill position players in the Big 12: tailback Breece Hall, wideout Xavier Hutchinson and tight end Charlie Kolar. The Iowa State defense ranks high nationally in several important categories: third in total defense, fifth in first downs allowed, seventh in pass defense, 12th in yards per rush and 13th in yards per play.
A soggy Mantrip is complete as WVU prepares to host ISU: pic.twitter.com/Q1oDGYGFEl
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 30, 2021
11:35 a.m. — The temperature is currently in the mid-50s in Morgantown and rain is falling. It isn’t raining as hard as what it was earlier this morning, but it started back up within the last 10 minutes.
Setting the scene from Morgantown as WVU hosts Iowa State:https://t.co/j7iAlpWRtE pic.twitter.com/N34fR7CDro
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 30, 2021
The look today ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/gXwIHtSzPG
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) October 30, 2021
Your essential pregame links:
Setting the scene from Morgantown
West Virginia welcomes Iowa State trying to even its record
Three Guys Before the Game – Iowa State edition
Mountaineers hope they’ve discovered reliable second tailback in Tony Mathis
Illinois State transfer Charles Woods seeing more snaps in secondary
Notebook: Hall’s production matched by few; Cyclones stellar in October