WHEELING, W.Va. -- In a thrilling matchup on October 19, 2024, the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets visited the Wheeling Cardinals at Bishop Schmitt Field. Despite a spirited effort from WVSU (5-2, 4-1 MEC), they narrowly fell to Wheeling (3-4, 2-3 MEC), 35-33, in a game that saw several lead changes and a dramatic conclusion.

West Virginia State showcased a balanced offensive attack, amassing 491 total yards over 62 plays, averaging 7.9 yards per play. Their ground game was particularly strong, tallying 220 rushing yards on 31 attempts, highlighted by three rushing touchdowns, including a long 39-yard run by Justin Pessoa. In the air, quarterback Isaiah Bess completed 15 of 31 passes for 271 yards, throwing two touchdowns despite three interceptions, with Joel Felder's 75-yard catch marking the longest pass play of the day.

Defensively, the Yellow Jackets recorded 81 tackles, including 12 by linebacker LucRichard Rameau. Notably, they blocked four kicks, keeping Wheeling under pressure throughout the contest. However, turnovers proved costly, with three interceptions hindering their momentum. On special teams, punter Brennen Schmitt averaged 42.2 yards per punt across five attempts, adding two touchbacks on kickoffs.

Wheeling edged out the Yellow Jackets with 495 total yards, leaning heavily on a passing game that produced 289 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score with just 22 seconds left. WVSU's valiant fourth-quarter effort saw them take a late 33-29 lead on Felder's second rushing touchdown, but Wheeling responded with a quick 75-yard drive to seal the victory.

The first quarter of the game between West Virginia State and Wheeling began with Wheeling deferring the kickoff. West Virginia State received the opening kick, starting their first drive at their 36-yard line. Despite an early rush attempt and a short pass completion, the drive stalled, and WVSU had to punt after a false start penalty pushed them back. Wheeling's Tre Holloway returned the punt 29 yards, giving the Cardinals favorable field position at the WVSU 44-yard line.

Wheeling capitalized on this position with Steven Mitchell rushing for 16 yards and later adding another 4 yards, but the drive faltered. A field goal attempt from 39 yards initially succeeded but was negated by a WVSU penalty for illegal substitution. Ultimately, Wheeling's next attempt at points failed when Joao Lima missed a 34-yard field goal.

Back with possession, West Virginia State responded with an impressive drive. Justin Pessoa made key rushing contributions, while Isaiah Bess connected with Adrien Mosley for a 57-yard touchdown pass. Following a successful extra point, WVSU took a 7-0 lead. With momentum on their side, they maintained pressure until the end of the quarter, forcing Wheeling to battle from behind.

The second quarter opened with Wheeling continuing their drive, advancing to the WVSU 33-yard line, but they stalled after a penalty and punted, pinning WVSU at their 2-yard line. WVSU's offense struggled to gain traction, forcing them to punt after a short series, giving Wheeling the ball at their own 37-yard line.

Wheeling capitalized on this field position with quarterback Landon Lutz leading an efficient drive. He connected with Steven Mitchell for a 14-yard touchdown at the 9:05 mark, cutting WVSU's lead to 14-7. On their next possession, Wheeling's defense held WVSU to a three-and-out. Shmitt fired off a 39-yard punt and, although Wheeling returned the punt 34 yards, they were called back for a block in the back penalty putting them on their own 45-yard line. Mitchell then capped a 12-play drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown at 1:56, though the extra-point attempt was blocked, making the score 14-13.

WVSU's struggles continued when Isaiah Bess threw a costly interception, and Wheeling's McIlwain returned it 30 yards for another touchdown with 1:18 remaining, pushing Wheeling ahead 20-14. WVSU's attempt to mount a quick response resulted in another interception by McIlwain, but Wheeling failed to capitalize, as their 37-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the final play of the half. The quarter ended with Wheeling leading 20-14.

In the third quarter, both teams traded touchdowns, keeping the game tight. WVSU opened the quarter with a kickoff, and Wheeling started at their own 20-yard line. However, the drive stalled due to a delay-of-game penalty and holding call, forcing them to punt after managing only eight yards. WVSU responded in explosive fashion. On the first play of their possession, quarterback Isaiah Bess launched a deep pass to Joel Felder for a 75-yard touchdown, giving WVSU a 21-20 lead with 11:16 remaining. Unfortunately, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on WVSU marred the celebration and was assessed on the kickoff.

Wheeling answered quickly. After a strong return, quarterback Landon Lutz connected with Tre Holloway on a 45-yard touchdown pass, putting Wheeling back on top 26-21 with 9:50 left. WVSU's special teams made a critical play by blocking another extra point, keeping the score within one possession. WVSU showed resilience on the following drive, with Justin Pessoa breaking free for an 18-yard run and following it with a 22-yard catch, moving deep into Wheeling territory. However, the quarter ended with WVSU still trailing, setting up a dramatic fourth quarter to come.

The fourth quarter started with WVSU at the Wheeling 21-yard line, trailing 29-21. On 2nd and 9, Isaiah Bess threw two incomplete passes, including one that was broken up by Jalen Wheeler. WVSU attempted a 38-yard field goal, but Brennen Schmitt's kick was no good, leaving the score unchanged at 29-27.

Wheeling took possession at their own 21-yard line and managed to move the chains with a 20-yard pass to Dawaun Green. However, the drive stalled after a holding penalty set them back, and Wheeling was forced to punt. Quientin Williams electrified the crowd with a 64-yard return, but it was negated by a holding penalty, bringing WVSU's offense to their 15-yard line with 11:51 remaining.

WVSU's drive started with a 4-yard run by Justin Pessoa, but it ended abruptly when Bess's pass was intercepted by Brendon Barksdale, who returned it 18 yards to the WVSU 22. Wheeling looked poised to extend their lead, but after gaining only two yards, Joao Lima kicked a 36-yard field goal to increase Wheeling's lead to 32-27 with 10:27 left in the game.

WVSU's response was impressive, starting from their own 15-yard line. Pessoa's 14-yard run, aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty, set the tone. The drive continued with a series of powerful runs, culminating in Joel Felder's 21-yard touchdown run, putting State in the lead by four at 33-29 with 97 seconds to play. The two-point conversion attempt, a pass by Bess, was unsuccessful.

Wheeling began their final drive at their own 25-yard line. Despite some setbacks, including a holding penalty, they advanced deep into WVSU territory. With only 22 seconds left, Lutz connected with Tre Holloway on a 13-yard touchdown pass, putting Wheeling ahead 35-33. However, the extra point was blocked by Corlyn Witcher, keeping WVSU within striking distance.

WVSU had one last chance, starting from their own 25-yard line with 22 seconds remaining. Bess completed two quick passes—one to Joel Felder for 14 yards and another to Quientin Williams for 24 yards—bringing the ball to the Wheeling 37-yard line. After picking up a first down, the clock restarted with just under three seconds to play, so Bess spiked the ball to attempt to stop the clock to give Schmitt a chance to win the game.

Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, by rule a minimum of :03 is required to execute a spike to stop the clock, making the attempt to stop the clock with the spike the game's final play.

State heads south to Pembroke, N.C. on Saturday Oct. 26 for a 4 p.m. kickoff against the UNC Pembroke Braves.