Ranking the Most Electric Atmospheres at Mountaineer Field Over the Last 10 Years

The vibe around Morgantown is about to change as Rich Rodriguez returns for his second stint as the head Mountaineer, but before Rich Rod 2.0 kicks off, I sifted through all of the home games over the past ten years, trying to rank the best atmospheres at Mountaineer Field.

There haven't been any huge wins over top-ranked teams, but there have been some thrillers and some games that provided a ton of energy at Milan Puskar Stadium. There were a few that just missed the cut, but here's what I have.

No. 5: 10/12/24 vs. Iowa State L 16-28

Oct 12, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown talks with quarterback Garrett Greene (6) during the third quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Yes, it resulted in a loss, but the mantrip with the coal miners, the buildup, the intro, and the atmosphere for the beginning of the game were unreal. It was just how everyone dreamt it up, except for the result. The Coal Rush is going to be a hit moving forward, but the hype for the first one was off the charts.

No. 4: 10/22/16 vs. TCU W 34-10

You may have forgotten about this one, mainly because it wasn't particularly close. The Mountaineers came into this one 5-0 and ranked 12th in the country, and set the tone early by forcing and recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff. Skyler Howard threw a touchdown shortly after, and then just minutes later, Rasul Douglas nearly housed an interception. This is also the game Daikiel Shorts Jr. Moss'd a receiver, and Jovon Durante made an incredible one-handed grab while going down to the ground. Fans were believing in this underdog story.

No. 3: 10/14/17 vs. Texas Tech W 46-35

It took a while for Mountaineer Field to really get into this one, thanks to falling behind 35-17 midway through the third quarter. But when you have Will Grier and David Sills V, the game is never over. The Mountaineers erased the 18-point deficit and outscored the Red Raiders 22-0 in the fourth quarter to knock off No. 24. With each touchdown WVU scored, the crowd became more of a factor.

No. 2: 9/18/21 vs. Virginia Tech W 27-21

This was West Virginia's first time hosting the Hokies since 2005, and it was the first big-time matchup in Morgantown post-COVID, with Virginia Tech entering the game ranked 15th in the country. The Mountaineers nearly gave this one away as Jarret Doege threw an interception on a tunnel screen at the WVU 27 with two minutes to go, but Jackie Matthews swatted away a pass on 4th & goal in the end zone to seal it. Mountaineer Field was bumping.

No. 1: 9/16/23 vs. Pitt W 17-6

Pittsburgh Panthers Bub Means (0) hauls in a pass while being covered by West Virginia Mountaineers Beanie Bishop Jr. (11) during the first half at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV on September 16, 2023. | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Was there ever any doubt as to what No. 1 on this list would be? No, it wasn't the most exciting game offensively, but that didn't stop the Mountaineer faithful from delivering an electric atmosphere. The 60,000+ in attendance waited over a decade for this game, and for the fans, it was like a Christmas gift in September, and Phil Jurkovec played the role of Santa by handing out free possessions with three interceptions. The moment Sweet Caroline began to play through the speakers, that place turned into one massive party.

No. 5: 10/12/24 vs. Iowa State L 16-28

No. 4: 10/22/16 vs. TCU W 34-10

No. 3: 10/14/17 vs. Texas Tech W 46-35

No. 2: 9/18/21 vs. Virginia Tech W 27-21

No. 1: 9/16/23 vs. Pitt W 17-6

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