Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -West Virginia’s struggles continued Saturday afternoon as the Mountaineers fell to Kansas 37-14 at Milan Puskar Stadium.
The loss dropped WVU to 5-5 overall and 2-5 in Big 12 play. The Mountaineers will have to wait at least another week to become bowl eligible.
The Jayhawks (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) took control early and never looked back. Kansas rushed for 296 yards and built a 30-7 halftime lead.
WVU got off to a rough start when former Mountaineer linebacker Trey Lathan intercepted a pass on WVU’s second play from scrimmage.
Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman scored on runs of 2 and 26 yards, while Chase Belcher added touchdown runs of 2 and 8 yards for the Jayhawks. Quarterback Isaiah Marshall rushed for a career-high 164 yards and a touchdown. He also completed 15-of-18 passes for 152 yards.
The Mountaineers’ offense struggled to find its rhythm after totaling 582 yards in last week’s loss to No. 10 Texas Tech. WVU was held to 262 yards of total offense and just 79 yards in the first half.
Quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. finished 19-of-34 passing for 227 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. Hawkins and running back Cam Cook, one of the nation’s top rushing duos, were held to a combined 48 yards on the ground.
After the game, Mountaineer head coach Rich Rodriguez apologized to the WVU fan base.
“I apologize to our fan base, to every West Virginia fan out there,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, I didn’t see this coming. It’s just embarrassing.”
The Mountaineers return to action next Saturday when it hosts No. 14 Houston.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
