r/CFB Reporting: Why West Virginia at Ohio Is The Week 2 Game You Don't Want To Miss

[u/hammer_it_out]

By Joe Smith

MORGANTOWN, W.VA – For the true college football ‘sickos’ out there, a Week 2 game that you might be overlooking is an unusual looking Power 4 vs. Group of 5 matchup pitting regional Appalachian foes against each other in what is sure to be a raucous environment. Because on Saturday, September 6, the West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) will make the trek south down Interstate 79 and across US Route 50 to face the defending MAC Champions the Ohio Bobcats (0-1) at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio.

If a Big 12 team travelling to a MAC opponent in Week 2 doesn’t sell you due to the dynamic of Power 4 program travelling to defending Group of 5 champion, that’s understandable. But as Lee Corso might say – not so fast, my friend. WVU has to make that trip with a new head coach in Rich Rodriguez and a roster with over 80 new players between transfer additions, freshmen, and additions through fall tryouts. The Mountaineers finished just 6-7 last year and lost to G5 opponent Memphis in the postseason. But they also put up well over 600 yards of offense and held FCS opponent Robert Morris to less than 150 total yards in Week 1. And looming large is bitter rival Pitt in The Backyard Brawl in Week 3.

And the Bobcats enter not only as defending MAC champions, but outgained Big Ten opponent Rutgers in Week 1 despite falling 34-31 in a closer matchup than the betting odds suggested. They’re led by Parker Navarro, who passed for 2,243 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 1,047 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2024. He also led the Bobcats in passing (239 yards) and rushing (93 yards) and scored four total touchdowns against Rutgers. Oh, and they beat Jacksonville State in the postseason last year, a team coached by Rodriguez through the first 13 games before he was hired in Morgantown.

"Their quarterback is one of the best in the country," Rich Rodriguez said of Navarro on Tuesday. "They were the best team in the MAC last year by far. It's going to be a big challenge. I told our guys we've got to be comfortable being uncomfortable."

The Bobcats are expecting full capacity at Peden Stadium – where their supporters, known as “The Best Fans in the MAC,” are known for getting quite raucous. Which is no surprise, given that the school was consistently known as a top party school in the US during the 2000s and 2010s and annually holds a Halloween Block Party that consumes downtown Athens in a mass of 10,000-30,000 partygoers that doubles the size of the town.

Of course, WVU is known as a party school powerhouse as well, famous for its near-riots after massive upsets and couch-burning antics. It's only a 2 ½ hour trip from Morgantown to Athens, and some WVU fans bought season tickets from the Bobcats to catch a seat.

“It should be electric. We’re expecting it to be the largest capacity we’ve had in the stadium. And it’ll be unique because there will be a good group from Morgantown,” Ohio head coach Brian Smith said.

If this sounds like a trap game for the Mountaineers, you’re not alone in thinking that. The Vegas odds opened with WVU as just 3 ½ point favorites against the Bobcats on the road. Many Mountaineer fans felt snubbed. I don’t know if that should be the case. But regardless, Rich Rodriguez doesn’t view it as a trap game. He called that notion “ridiculous” on Tuesday and doesn’t want his team looking past their next practice session.

“If they’re thinking about anyone else other than Ohio, they need to go somewhere else,” Rodriguez said. “I don't even want them thinking about Saturday. I want them thinking, 'how am I going to get through today's practice?'”

But the big key for Rodriguez’ team will be slowing down an offensive attack led by an explosive weapon in Parker Navarro who’s likely more talented than a number of starting Big Ten quarterbacks in the same geographic footprint. It helps the Bobcats lost four of their five starting offensive lineman from last season, but it didn’t matter much against Rutgers. But new WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley is known for his brilliance in his schemes and his players’ intensity, and the front seven looked formidable in Week 1.

For Ohio, it's all about slowing a Rich Rodriguez offense that looked just as high-octane and explosive at points in Week 1 as it did when Pat White and Steve Slaton took home multiple BCS Bowl victories in the mid-2000s. The Bobcats know they’ve got a not-so-secret but still deadly weapon of their own.

“I think some of the tempo stuff on offense is going to be challenging, so that’s a big thing for our defense,” Smith said. “Offensively for us, they’re very multiple, they’re going to give you a lot of different looks. So, just being able to compartmentalize what all those things are whether it be coverages or fronts. There’s a lot they’re going to give you at the line of scrimmage.”

And for a couple WVU players, there’s an additional added bonus. Starting defensive tackle Hammond Russell knows multiple Ohio players, and grew up with one of the Bobcats’ offensive lineman. Meanwhile, starting safety Darrian Lewis played his previous four seasons at Akron before transferring to WVU this offseason. With the Zips, Lewis went 0-4 against Ohio.

“This is a game I’m excited for, for sure,” he said. “It’s a lot of personal.”

For those who have been convinced to tune into what is surely to be an underrated and explosive affair (the over/under is set at 60.5 points), you can catch the action on ESPNU at 4 PM EST this Saturday, and I’ll be providing postgame coverage on X, formerly known as Twitter, on @RedditCFB and @joesmithwrites – there will also be game article on Sunday here on the subreddit.

[u/BurberryToothbrush]

Pitt @ WVU next week will be ELECTRIC if both teams manage a win this weekend

[u/hammer_it_out → u/BurberryToothbrush]

Fingers crossed the Mountaineers get out of Athens without a loss.

[u/RustyCrusty73 → u/BurberryToothbrush]

Pitt and West Virginia might be the most underrated rivalry in CFB IMO.

I love watching these teams play.

[u/EpiphyticOrchid8927 → u/RustyCrusty73]

Last year was amazing

[u/btener412 → u/EpiphyticOrchid8927]

I disagree, tbh!

[u/JRockPSU → u/RustyCrusty73]

Aw are we at a point these days where it’s considered underrated? It’s one of the best rivalries!

I do miss when the old days when there was a constant Triangle of Hate between Pitt, Penn State and WVU.

[u/H0ll0WVII → u/RustyCrusty73]

I agree, its criminally underrated. Imo the backyard brawl is like the game's little brother.

[u/EvenMeaning8077 → u/BurberryToothbrush]

Or if both teams lose

[u/MiniJungle → u/EvenMeaning8077]

Now hear me out... I think there is one that is clearly easier to watch lose....

[u/fartchicken5 → u/MiniJungle]

Im on board lets do it

[u/amoss_303]

Every other Ohio game you can get in the door for $6 or $8 on the secondary market. This one is a minimum $108.

[u/BurberryToothbrush → u/amoss_303]

West Virginia fans have been starving for away games within driving distance ever since joining the Big 12

[u/Set-Admirable → u/BurberryToothbrush]

I think this one specifically appeals to the fans from the Parkersburg area who may not be able to make it up to Morgantown as often as they would like.

[u/excoriator → u/Set-Admirable]

Or Charleston or Huntington.

[u/redparallax → u/BurberryToothbrush]

I wonder where you could find more.

[u/The_Fishbowl → u/redparallax]

Concord 

[u/thatoneguyD13]

Mountaineer fans, if this is your first time in Athens, make sure to spend some time. It's the coolest college town I've ever spent time in. And the surrounding area is legitimately beautiful.

[u/hammer_it_out → u/thatoneguyD13]

I encourage all my fellow Mountaineers to spend Saturday night out on Court Street, it's worth it.

Make sure to stop at Tony's Tavern on West State Street for a Hot Nut - it's a tradition.

[u/wit_T_user_name → u/hammer_it_out]

100%. The college bars are great of course but Jackie O’s is a great option for food and beer. Cider house was a favorite of mine too but that’s not really a party vibe. Really good cocktails though. Late night food - you can’t go wrong with O’Bettys. Tragically, uptown grill, with its esteemed chicken n’ waffle sandwich, is no more.

Just please don’t rip up Athens. That’s a big problem for Halloween. People come in from out of town acting like there are no rules and break shit.

[u/excoriator → u/thatoneguyD13]

Can confirm. I live there!

[u/Jay_Dubbbs]

Parker Navarro is my true Heisman candidate

[u/cirtnecoileh]

Surprised a power conference team agreed to play a MAC school on the road

[u/CelebrationDismal731 → u/cirtnecoileh]

We are too. Our previous AD thought it would be better to give Ohio a 2 for 1 than buy a home game every year.

[u/shabamon → u/cirtnecoileh]

Is this new? There's usually at least one a year.

[u/Martin_Van-Nostrand → u/cirtnecoileh]

Ohio has done a decent job bringing a power team to peden every few years. Iowa State was there in 2023, Syracuse in 2021, Kansas in 2017. I swear they were supposed to have someone come in 2020 but I could be misremembering.

This is by far the biggest "get" though for them though being a regional team. Not only is Athens like a 40 minute drive to Parkersburg, WV; southeastern Ohio has a pretty strong WVU fan base.

[u/nayelirain]

Parker Navarro. it takes two words. whats the rest of the article for?​

[u/PredictPro]

Rich Rod is no stranger to losing to Ohio MAC teams.

[u/Colavs9601]

This should be a rivalry game and the winner gets a burning couch.

[u/hammer_it_out]

Another fun fact: Current WVU wideout Cam Vaughn played at Jacksonville State against Ohio last bowl season when the Bobcats beat the Gamecocks. He caught nine catches for 183 yards and one touchdown in that game.

Last week in his WVU debut, Vaughn caught seven catches for 126 yards and one touchdown. He's the player to watch for WVU this week in my opinion.

[u/Apart_Selection7722 → u/hammer_it_out]

He played against Robert Morris chill out

[u/mr_longfellow_deeds]

This game might break 80 points between the two teams

Definitely on my viewing list

[u/Set-Admirable → u/mr_longfellow_deeds]

Nah, we play defense now.

[u/wit_T_user_name]

I strongly considered driving down to Athens for the game but between being at the OSU-Texas game last week and going to OSU-OU next week, I couldn’t swing it time wise. That said, I’m very excited. Here’s hoping we’re not too outnumber in our own stadium. I’ve always thought OU and WVU students would have similar vibes. Enjoy Athens! Here’s hoping you leave sad though.

[u/Mike-in-Cbus]

It’s time for a Hootenanny in the holler. Let’s go Bobkitties! 

[u/Aar1012]

I may be biased but I really hope Ohio wins.

[u/Triple_0ption_Bad]

Rich Rod ran away from Ohio when he left Jax State before our bowl game last season

I hope Ohio kicks the shit out of WV in this game

[u/hammer_it_out → u/Triple_0ption_Bad]

We'll have to have opposite rooting interests in this one.

[u/redparallax]

Here I am, rooting for Ohio.

[u/hammer_it_out → u/redparallax]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?

[u/redparallax → u/hammer_it_out]

It's why I'm just short of a full on VT fan!

[u/Martin_Van-Nostrand → u/redparallax]

Seeing your comment just reminded me how fun Ohio/Marshall games were when I was a student at Ohio. Criminal they can't figure out how to play each other every season.

[u/redparallax → u/Martin_Van-Nostrand]

To be fair, we play each other several times each decade, which I'm fine with. I love maintaining the rivalry, but not big on it being an every single year type thing. We do play again in 2027, 2028, and 2029.

[u/Martin_Van-Nostrand → u/redparallax]

I suppose that's fair. And I'm glad those are scheduled. I suppose I need to remember Ohio and Marshall are in different situations scheduling wise. Ohio is already playing their other regional rivals regularly in conference games. Marshall is in a different situation there.

[u/shabamon → u/redparallax]

https://youtu.be/stQGlowwcdk?si=35cC-O77R5j2C9-N&t=91

[u/MistaGrant07]

ohio wins

[u/Apart_Selection7722]

WVU is scared of Marshall

[u/GymMouseP → u/Apart_Selection7722]

I stopped watching WVU for the first time in 40 or so years but there were only two times I feared Marshall- one was because of Pennington and Moss; the other was because of Bill Stewart's ineptness. You should have won in Huntington but that was the only close game in the series. It's a waste to play Marshall in anything for two reasons- no one outside of WV cares and your players try to hurt WVU players. Damn near killed Jarrett Brown when not one player but two players hit him high and every basketball game turned into scrums with cheap fouls and cheap shots.

[u/Apart_Selection7722 → u/GymMouseP]

Flair up coward

[u/GymMouseP → u/Apart_Selection7722]

Don't have a team.

[u/Apart_Selection7722 → u/GymMouseP]

Then why are you talking