INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain East Conference with a commanding 48-22 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan (0-4, 0-3 MEC) on Saturday at Lakin-Ray Field. The Yellow Jackets built a 41-3 lead through three quarters before Wesleyan mounted a late rally. The game lasted 2 hours and 53 minutes with 1,023 fans in attendance.

West Virginia State quarterback Isaiah Bess led the offense, completing 14 of 24 passes for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back Justin Pessoa had a strong performance on the ground, rushing 17 times for 133 yards and a touchdown. Joel Felder contributed both on the ground and through the air, with 14 carries for 63 yards and 1 rushing touchdown, while also catching 4 passes for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nolan Johnson added 3 receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown, while backup quarterback Caleb Jantuah threw for a 37-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

West Virginia State opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Isaiah Bess connected with tight end Kevin McCarty on a 13-yard touchdown pass, finishing an 8-play, 49-yard drive at 8:08. Brennen Schmitt added the extra point to give WVSU a 7-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets' defense dominated early, forcing Wesleyan to punt multiple times.

WVSU extended their lead in the second quarter. Schmitt drilled a 37-yard field goal at 13:45, pushing the score to 10-0. The Yellow Jackets then struck again with a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Joel Felder, capping an 8-play, 60-yard drive, giving WVSU a 17-0 lead with 8:30 remaining in the half. Wesleyan managed to get on the board with a 45-yard field goal from Liam Depp at 4:07, but State quickly answered. Justin Pessoa finished off a 7-play, 58-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run just before halftime, sending the Yellow Jackets into the break with a commanding 24-3 lead.

West Virginia State picked up where they left off in the third quarter. On the first possession of the half, Bess connected with Joel Felder for a 58-yard touchdown pass at 13:46, pushing the lead to 31-3. The Yellow Jackets added a 33-yard field goal from Schmitt at 7:12 after a 7-play, 50-yard drive, and Bess found Felder again for a 29-yard touchdown with 3:09 left in the quarter, extending the lead to 41-3.

West Virginia Wesleyan rallied in the final quarter, starting with a 12-yard touchdown run by Wesley Sweeney at 10:46, capping a 16-play, 80-yard drive to make it 41-10. However, West Virginia State responded when Nolan Johnson caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Jantuah at 7:43, pushing the lead to 48-10. Wesleyan added two late touchdowns: Brandon Roberts hauled in an 18-yard pass from Nathan Payne at 4:52, followed by a 30-yard touchdown pass to Deion King with just 7 seconds left in the game, making the final score 48-22​​​.

West Virginia State (3-1, 2-0 MEC) will look to continue their winning ways on October 5, 2024, when they visit Fairmont State at Duvall-Rosier Field in Fairmont, W.Va.. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM.