Each week WVSports.com Managing Editor Keenan Cummings provides a look at some of the things that stood out to him during the course of the game and on the stat sheet.
These observations are a snap shot of what unfolded in the West Virginia 34-17 loss to Kansas State and what could happen next for the Mountaineers.
--This is another chapter in the story of what might have been this season. West Virginia had chances in this game and almost engineered a comeback trailing 24-17 with the Wildcats facing a fourth and 8 at the Mountaineers 39 but gave up a 35-yard pass and then a score. Mistakes, miscues and bad plays at the wrong time was the story of this one as the Mountaineers again spent much of the day tripping over themselves. Credit for this team battling back, but again when the game is on the line this team wasn’t able to make the plays necessary to try to win this football game. The Mountaineers are now 4-6 and have to find a way to win two games to go bowling or end this season in complete disappointment. I never thought we’d be having this conversation at the starting of the year but that’s what happens when you can’t play complete games or find a way to make plays to try to win them. You can look at this a lot of different ways but in the end it’s just another loss in a season that’s becoming full of them. It’s baffling seeing some of the unforced turnovers, mistakes and costly penalties that destroy this team in critical situations. Pin some blame on the coaching staff again for this team not coming out ready to play but give them some credit for getting this group to rally as well. Still, moral victories don’t matter at this point of the year and the result is another disappointing performance that leaves you shaking your head.
--West Virginia was able to move the football in this game and actually outgained Kansas State, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t score. You can’t score yards, and this was a game full of that. The Wildcats allowed the Mountaineers to move the ball into their territory but buckled up and West Virginia simply couldn’t sustain drives to win this football game. West Virginia was 2-2 with a pair of touchdowns in the red zone but couldn’t get there enough to do anything about it.
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