MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Time and time again, West Virginia’s defense was torched Saturday night by Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys moved the ball well throughout much of their 41-24 victory that marked the program’s sixth consecutive win at Milan Puskar Stadium.
After a 13-point first half that featured 250 total yards, OSU (3-1) responded to an eight-point third-quarter deficit by scoring on straight possessions, three of which were touchdowns.
The Cowboys amassed 359 second-half yards, including 258 during the third quarter when the visitors went ahead for the first time and for good.
Altogether, Oklahoma State’s 609 yards of offense marks the 10th-highest total WVU has surrendered in program history and its most since November 2023 in a 59-20 loss against Oklahoma.
It was a significant step back for a defense that one week prior held its own in the Mountaineers’ 38-27 win against Virginia.
“We definitely did not play as fast,” WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said. “Playing as hard, I’ll have to watch the film. But the plan we had failed. I’m the head coach and I’m responsible for making sure our plan succeeds or fails, but the plan we had failed. That was pretty obvious — 609 yards obvious.”
The Mountaineers failed to generate anything close to a consistent pass rush and never sacked Cowboys’ quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who completed 7-of-8 passes for 225 yards in the third quarter en route to finishing 20-for-27 with 389 yards.
Yet there was no shortage of balance, too, from Oklahoma State, which rushed for 135 yards through the first two quarters and 220 for the game, highlighted by tailback Caleb Hawkins’ 180 yards on 31 carries.
“The beginning of the game, their stretch game was hard to stop for us,” WVU linebacker Ben Cutter said. “We weren’t being physical enough in the box. They got us on that. We kind of corrected that, and then their receivers seemed to have a step on us in coverage.”
WVU (3-1) tinkered with alignment and often played three high safeties and even went to a four-safety look at times, but that didn’t help slow Mestemaker, Hawkins or wideout Wyatt Young, who had eight receptions for 192 yards.
After Hawkins’ 22-yard touchdown run in the third quarter provided Oklahoma State with its first lead at 28-24, the Cowboys controlled the contest the rest of the way. The West Virginia offense failed to respond when faced with a deficit and the defense couldn’t do enough to keep the game competitive down the stretch.
“Maybe I got a little impatient,” Rodriguez said. “They were moving the ball so easily and I probably got a little impatient with that. They did a better job. It didn’t seem like we ever got a three-and-out or anything like that, so that’s pretty frustrating.”
The first chance for fixes comes at noon Saturday when the Mountaineers play their first road game at Iowa State.
“We were just off tonight. A hundred yards after contact. There’s no excuse for that and that’s not who we are,” Cutter said. “That wasn’t West Virginia football. We didn’t play our brand tonight and that’s why that happened. We’re going to correct it and come back better.”