What We've Learned: Week Twelve

Before we get started and to prove just how weird of a loss this really was, take a look at West Virginia's stat line from Saturday.

• Will Grier tallied 364 yards and three touchdowns.
• Kennedy McKoy finished the day with over 200 all-purpose yards and two scores.
• The Mountaineers defense forced four turnovers.
• AND West Virginia led by 17 at halftime.

Yet, despite all of that, the Mountaineers fell to Oklahoma State in Stillwater 45-41.

Weird, huh? It's as if you can't point to one single thing that lost the game for West Virginia, but we'll get to that later.

Here's what we've learned after week thirteen:

TEAM Effort

After posting 31 points and and 329 yards by halftime, West Virginia's offense stalled, posting only 224 yards and 10 points in the second half. Defensively, Tony Gibson's unit allowed the Cowboys to gain 396 yards and 31 points in the second half alone. Neither can blame the other for the loss on Saturday. It was truly a collective effort. And, no, the officials did not cost West Virginia the game. Elite teams do not lose games like these.

Conference Title Still in Play

A loss like this is emotionally draining for a fanbase. It feels as if all the excitement and promise this season brought with it has been stolen away from our very soul. Simply put, this sucks. Take a couple of days to mourn and then realize West Virginia has one more, all-important game remaining. Maybe the most important game of the season, really. On Friday night,West Virginia will welcome Oklahoma to Morgantown. With a win, the Mountaineers will claim a spot in the Big 12 Championship and ultimately ruin the Sooners' season. That's plenty to play for.

Kennedy McKoy has Career Day

We've already briefly touched on it, but I'm afraid McKoy's terrific night will be forgotten amidst the pain of a loss. The junior accounted for 202 yards (148 rushing, 54 receiving) and found pay-dirt twice against Oklahoma State. It marks the first time this season McKoy has rushed for 100 yards and only the fourth time of his career.