West Virginia (2-1) handed NC State (2-1) its first loss of the season Saturday in Morgantown, defeating the Wolfpack by a score of 44-27.

A missed 51-yard field goal ended the opening drive for NC State and the Mountaineers would take advantage with a five-play, 66-yard scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead. The drive ended with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Austin Kendall to Sam James.

The Wolfpack answered right back with a scoring drive of their own, tying the game at 7-7 with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matthew McKay to Thayer Thomas.

West Virginia regained the lead on the ensuing drive thanks to a 51-yard rush by Sam James which eventually helped set up a 23-yard touchdown run from Kennedy McKoy with 3:54 left in the first quarter.

NC State would then respond with 14 straight points to take its first lead of the game at 21-14 with 6:19 left until halftime with a one-yard touchdown rush from Jordan Houston and an 18-yard pass from Thomas to Cary Angeline.

The Mountaineers answered back with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Kendall to George Campbell. This touchdown put the score at a 21-21 tie heading into halftime.

A 23-yard field goal from Evan Staley on the opening drive of the second half gave West Virginia a 24-21 lead. That lead would later be extended to 10 points with the help of a blocked punt which resulted in a three-play, 12-yard scoring drive for the Mountaineers, ending with a five-yard touchdown rush by McKoy. McKoy would finish the game with 66 rushing yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns.

The Wolfpack made it a one possession game again on the ensuing drive with a 41-yard field goal by Christopher Dunn near the end of the third quarter.

West Virginia’s lead was then cut down to four points after a 37-yard field goal by Dunn which came after an interception thrown by Kendall. A nine-yard touchdown pass from Kendall to Ali Jennings capped off West Virginia’s ensuing offensive drive, giving the Mountaineers a 38-27 lead with 12:24 left in the fourth quarter.

Kendall would finish the contest 27-of-40 for 272 yards and three touchdowns with an interception.

NC State’s offense then turned it over on downs on its next two offensive drives and from there, West Virginia would add another touchdown with a three-yard rush from Leddie Brown and seal its second win of the season.

West Virginia will begin Big 12 Conference play next Saturday on the road against Kansas at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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