It wasn't always smooth sailing but West Virginia took care of Albany 49-14 in front of 50,073 inside Milan Puskar Stadium.
The Mountaineers jumped out to a 21-0 lead, but the Great Danes cut it to 21-14 before the home team was able to create separation.
Senior quarterback Garrett Greene threw for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns to three different receivers, while rushing for 68 more and a score. Junior running back CJ Donaldson rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown while sophomore running back Jahiem White also rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries.
Albany elected to defer the opening coin toss and the Mountaineers would march 90-yards on 12 plays which included a 14-yard touchdown run by Jahiem White to get the ball in the end zone and give West Virginia a 7-0 lead.
The defense was able to record a three and out to give the ball back to the offense and they would again put the ball in the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Justin Robinson to give the Mountaineers a 14-0 edge. That drive spanned 76 yards in six plays and all but one of those were a first down.
The Great Danes would record a first down on the next drive, but again would be forced to punt setting the West Virginia offense up at their own 31. Again, the offense would drive down the field in six plays capped off by a 39-yard catch and run by Kole Taylor to give the Mountaineers a 21-0 lead.
The Great Danes moved the ball to near midfield, but again the West Virginia defense would make a stand on third down to force the third punt of the game. But the Mountaineers would go three and out and punt the ball back.
Albany would get on the board on their next drive traveling 87-yards in 10 plays capped off by a seven yard touchdown run by Griffin Woodell. The Great Danes converted on a pair of third downs including a third and 16 to cut the score to 21-7.
On the next offensive play, White would rip off a 39-yard run but would fumble the football at the tail end giving the Great Danes the football back. And for the second consecutive drive, Albany would respond with a six play 64-yard drive with a 33-yard touchdown toss to Jacari Carter to cut the score to 21-14.
West Virginia would then respond with a 40-yard run by Greene that punctuated a 75-yard scoring drive that spanned only 1:15 to make the score 28-14.
Albany would drive down to the West Virginia two-yard line on the first possession of the second half, but the Mountaineers would hold on four straight plays to keep them out of the end zone and give the football back to the offense. And West Virginia would capitalize as Greene would throw his third touchdown of the game on a 10-yard toss to Hudson Clement to make the score 35-14.
The Mountaineers would score on their next possession as well on a two-yard touchdown run by Donaldson to give the Mountaineers a comfortable lead at 42-14 with just 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
Greene would give way to backup Nicco Marchiol in the fourth and he would lead a touchdown drive to make the score 49-14 and the Mountaineers would salt the game away from that point.
West Virginia next will the road to square off against Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
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