FROSTBURG, Md. — West Virginia State's Mountain East Conference championship hopes came to an end Saturday afternoon with a narrow 29–24 loss to Frostburg State at Bobcat Stadium. The defeat dropped the Yellow Jackets to 5–5 overall and 4–3 in league play, mathematically eliminating them from title contention with one game remaining.

Running back Jojo Restall carried the load for WVSU with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while quarterback Kaleb Jackson went 9-for-21 for 149 yards and one score. Amare Ary provided the highlight of the day with a 63-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that briefly gave State the lead. Kicker Tony Hornbuckle remained steady, converting all three PATs and hitting a 40-yard field goal.

Defensively, Mike Wilson posted 10 tackles, and Daryl Fletcher added a blocked PAT and a fumble recovery. Jacob Camacho picked off a pass in the first half to set up one of the Jackets' scoring drives.

Frostburg State (8–2, 6–1 MEC) compiled 328 total yards, led by running back Owen Doyle, who rushed for 117 yards and three touchdowns. The Bobcats converted all four of their red-zone chances to edge WVSU and remain tied atop the conference standings with Charleston.

First Quarter
The opening sequence was disastrous for the Jackets — a fumble on their first snap set up Frostburg at the WVSU 19. The Bobcats converted it into a 30-yard field goal by Tyler Cook for a quick 3–0 lead. Another short field after an interception gave Owen Doyle an easy 7-yard touchdown run, and the hosts led 10–0 after one. WVSU's best drive — a 14-play, 65-yard march — ended in that costly interception, swinging early momentum to Frostburg.

Second Quarter
The Jackets regrouped and leaned on Restall. His 11-yard touchdown run capped a 64-yard drive midway through the quarter to make it 10–7. The defense forced a punt, and Hornbuckle's 40-yard field goal just before halftime tied the game 10–10. Camacho's interception on Frostburg's ensuing drive preserved the deadlock heading into the locker room.

Third Quarter
WVSU kept the momentum out of halftime, opening with a nine-play, 50-yard drive that Restall finished with another 11-yard touchdown run, putting the Jackets up 17–10. But on the very next Frostburg possession, quarterback Jordan Brooks hit Jevonn Gilyard for a 76-yard touchdown bomb, knotting the score 17–17 in a span of 58 seconds.

Fourth Quarter
The final quarter turned into a shootout. Doyle scored from two yards out at 14:14, but Fletcher's blocked PAT kept Frostburg's lead at 23–17. Just 85 seconds later, Jackson connected with Ary on a 63-yard touchdown strike, giving WVSU a 24–23 lead. The Bobcats responded with the game's defining drive — a 14-play, 75-yard march that consumed more than seven minutes and ended in Doyle's third rushing touchdown with 5:38 left. WVSU didn't cross midfield on its final drive and was stopped on downs, then traded turnovers in the final minute as Frostburg ran out the clock, ending their title aspirations.

West Virginia State closes its 2025 season at home, hosting the University of Charleston on Nov. 15 at noon at Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium.