Newer West Virginia fans got their first real taste of the Rich Rodriguez era on Saturday, and not the good kind. The Mountaineers (1-1) jumped out to a 7–0 lead on Jahiem White’s 32-yard touchdown run, but the wheels fell off from there in a 17–10 loss at Ohio (1-1) at Peden Stadium in Athens.
This was a classic Rich Rod collapse game — high-speed offense with no traction. It reeked of South Florida. WVU finished with just 250 total yards, went 2-for-13 on third down, and had the ball for barely
17 minutes. Nicco Marchiol hit a few throws but never looked comfortable, Jaylen Henderson didn’t spark anything in relief, and the offensive line flat-out got bullied up front. Four sacks and no push in the run game told the story.
The injuries didn’t help either. White was carted off in the first half after his touchdown run, Jaden Bray went down in the second, and Chase Wilson left late. That’s three starters we’ll be waiting on updates for this week.
The defense deserved better. They picked off Parker Navarro three times and racked up six tackles for loss, but when the offense is going three-and-out on repeat, there’s only so much you can do. Ohio dominated time of possession by more than 20 minutes, and that’s how you lose a game your defense actually played well enough to win.
Statistically, the offense didn’t bring much to the table. Marchiol went 15-of-26 for 178 yards with a pick, while Henderson chipped in just 24 yards through the air. White’s 32-yard touchdown was the lone bright spot before his injury, leaving him with 40 yards on seven carries. The defense, though, made plays all afternoon. Fred Perry led the way with 10 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack. Chase Wilson was everywhere, racking up 2 sacks and grabbing an interception. Darrian Lewis and Ben Cutter each added a pick of their own, giving WVU three total. It was the kind of defensive effort that should’ve been enough — but with the offense stuck in neutral, it went to waste.
It’s not the end of the world — Ohio is a good MAC program and probably a 10-win team again — but it’s not a loss you feel good about either. WVU was the more talented roster on paper, and this was a winnable game. Instead, it’s a lesson in how quickly things can go south when Rich Rod’s offense stalls. Welcome to the experience.
All attention now turns to next Saturday as Pitt comes to Morgantown for the Backyard Brawl. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM on ESPN.
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