West Virginia Hits New Low as Top Players Miss Second Half in Loss to Kansas State

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – When West Virginia entered Milan Puskar Stadium on Saturday night to face No. 17 Kansas State, they did so fully aware they needed to not only win the game, but impress their fans after a trying week. They did neither.

After a back and forth feeling out process between the two teams, a decision by WVU quarterback Garrett Greene would provide the first true momentum swing of the game. Greene’s seventh pick of the year – he only threw four throughout the entire 2023 season – would then lead to the Wildcats getting on the scoreboard, granted with just a field goal.

A banged up West Virginia defense stepped up and handed the ball back to Greene and the offense only down 3-0 with 3:03 left in the first quarter. It then appeared as if Greene was going to redeem himself. He followed a pass interference call against KSU with a 28-yard run to set the Mountaineers up in scoring position. However, the WVU offense couldn’t do anything from that point on and had to settle for tying the game thanks to a 44-yard Michael Hayes field goal.

Kansas State then quickly proved field goals were never going to be enough to win the game….

Wildcat quarterback Avery Johnson took advantage of WVU’s secondary with a two-play, 84-yard drive. Following a 24-yard completion, Johnson then fires a 60-yard bomb to Jadon Jackson, getting the Wildcats into the end zone and a 10-3 lead.

Another interception by Greene results in a pick-6 and more points off turnovers. Backup Nicco Marchiol was seen warming up on the sideline with the Mountaineers trailing 17-3.

To Greene’s credit, he shook the pick-6 off and led West Virginia on a much-needed long touchdown drive. A seven-yard catch by Hudson Clement got WVU into the end zone as the score shifted to 17-10 following the extra point.

As Greene continued to move the ball with his legs, the Kansas State defense tried sending a message to him with a late hit that wasn’t called and a face-mask on a tackle that was. But the Wildcats didn’t know they were dealing with. Greene was not intimated, but unfortunately for the Mountaineers, a failed attempt on fourth down and goal kept the score intact and sent the game to half time.

What took place in the second half was an old fashioned beat down coupled with some unsettling news for WVU fans.

Early in the third quarter, the press box was informed Greene, Wyatt Milum and Jahiem White were all out for thew second half. Once this news matriculated to the crowd, it caused those in attendance to head for the exit in the third quarter. Those players did not even appear on the sideline throughout the rest of the game.

Regardless who was out there for West Virginia, the Wildcats poured it on, turning a close game into another embarrassment for the home team. Kansas State won the game 45-18.

The loss sunk WVU to 3-4 on the season, triggering a new low for the 2024 Mountaineers. West Virginia now heads out west for a long road trip and the first matchup as Big 12 foes with Arizona next week.