West Virginia Moves Past Coastal Carolina in the Season Opener

Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia Mountaineers started the season 1-0 for the second consecutive season after handling the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Saturday afternoon 31-24.

West Virginia received the opening kickoff and on the first play from scrimmage, senior running back Cam Cook raced 72 yards for the touchdown and the Mountaineers grabbed the early 7-0 lead.

Near the midway point fo the first quarter, Coastal Carolina threatened to tie the game inside the WVU ten-yard line, but the defense bowed up and held the Chanticleers on a fourth and two.

The Mountaineers responded on offense with a 92-yard scoring drive. Cook chipped away at the Coastal Carolina defense while junior quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. hit senior receiver Jaden Bray over the middle for 17 yards, then senior DJ Epps for 11 before finding sophomore Armoni Weaver-Bomar open on the right hash for a 47-yard touchdown for a 14-0 WVU lead.

West Virginia took over inside Coastal Carolina territory at the 41-yard line. However, the drive stalled at the 20-yard line, setting up a Jack Cassidy field goal from 38 yards out for a 17-0 lead.

West Virginia University receiver Jaden Bray | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia constructed another long touchdown drive, starting at its own 14-yard line. With just under eight minutes remaining in the half, the Mountaineers methodically moved the ball on the ground, with Epps hauling in his third pass of the half for 19-yards to set WVU up at the eight. Two rushes later, Cook punched it into the endzone for his second score of the afternoon to take a 24-0 advantage into halftime.

Coastal Carolina put together its first scoring drive of the game that lasted seven minutes. The Chanticleers started from their own one-yard line. Redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey completed passes of 16 and 13 yards before scrambling left and finding sophomore receiver Clayton Coppock Jr. down the left side for a 34-yard touchdown pass.

Early in the fourth quarter, it took just three plays for Coastal Carolina to find the endzone for its second touchdown drive of the game. Baily connected with Robby Washington for 58 yards to the WVU 13 on the first play of the drive before capping the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Colton Hinton to cut the Mountaineers’ lead to ten, 24-14.

West Virginia stretched the lead back to 17 under the midway point of the quarter. A roughing the kicker on a 47-yard field kept the drive alive. Two plays later, Hawkins scampered for 11-yard touchdown run.

West Virginia University running back Cam Cook | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Bailey threw his third touchdown pass of the game, finding Coppock for the second time of the game from 37 yards out and the Chanticleers cut the deficit back to 10.

After holding the Mountaineers to a three and out, Bailey led the offense down to the WVU 15. Coastal Carolina head coach Ryan Beard opted to take the 32-yard field goal to pull within seven with 29 seconds remaining.

The ensuing onside went out of bounds as the Mountaineers went into victory formation to hold on for the 31-24 win.

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