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Mountaineer Field magic has vanished
By Bob Hertzel | Posted: Sunday, September 21, 2014 12:11 am
MORGANTOWN – Once upon time this was a land of magic, this place called Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
No more.
Once upon a time it meant something, this intangible known as home field advantage.
No more.
It’s gone, just as the momentum that grew out of a solid performance against Alabama and then victories over Towson and Maryland is gone.
Abra cadabra … disappeared.
If ever Mountaineer Field was going to mean something it was on this night, a lovely Saturday during which 61,908 fans crammed their way into the stadium.
They were hyper and hyped, dressed in blue and gold in alternating sections, striping the stadium.
All day they had tailgated, preparing to be at their rowdy best for the nation’s No. 4 team, Oklahoma.
Once upon a time this was an upset waiting to happen.
Not this Saturday night.
WVU always had one of college football’s greatest home-field advantages, especially in night games.
Now they have lost nine home games in three-plus years.
Since the start of the 2012 season WVU is 8-7 at home. Under Holgorsen they are 13-9, but have lost four of their last five home games.
FOUR OF FIVE!
Now we need to put a little perspective on this, so look at it this way.
In three years under Bill Stewart they lost two home games, the only home loses being to Cincinnati in 2008 and to Syracuse in 2010.
Stewart’s team won 19 times at home over those years.
What is going on is unacceptable, even if you want to put an asterisk on it and note that the Mountaineers now play in the Big 12 and the competition is tougher.
Acknowledging that, when last observed losing to Iowa State at home was a disgrace no matter what league Iowa State played in, even the NFL.
And to make matters worse, at home, WVU has always been the most physical team, the team that sent an opponent home wearing bruises, even if it somehow managed to also wear a smile by pulling out a victory.
This game against Oklahoma, though, saw West Virginia manhandled.
Yes, the game turned on a kickoff return of 100 yards, but the fact of the matter is that the Sooners took over the second half on the ground and simply beat the hell out of WVU … and there is no other way to put it.
Samaje Perine run over, through and around people. He stands 5-11 and weighs in at 243 pounds of gristle and muscle.
All Perine did was brutalize West Virginia for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
Let me give you an idea of just how good that is. It’s the most yards gained rushing by an opposing player in Morgantown since Nov. 13, 1965, when Syracuse’s Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka rushed for 216 yards.
Samaje Perine rushed for those yards and scores as the Oklahoma offensive line simple pounded the defense.
Once upon a time, that wouldn’t happen … but that was in another day and another age.
Follow Bob Hertzel on Twitter @bhertzel.
Originally Posted by cherokeebrewer
