It's Been 15 Years? WVU, Neal Brown Are Due for a Big-Time Win Under the Lights

West Virginia looks to turn the tides under new lights versus the 11th-ranked Cyclones

Sep 7, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers players celebrate with fans after defeating the Albany Great Danes at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

West Virginia will have their first chance to knock off a nationally ranked opponent on primetime television for the first time in nearly 15 years when the Mountaineers welcome the No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones Saturday night.

West Virginia’s 19-16 win over No. 8 Pitt on a cold November night in 2009 was the last time Mountaineers pulled off an upset under the lights and have dropped seven-straight since, six consecutive losses to Big 12 Conference foes, five of which came to Oklahoma.

West Virginia is 7-10-1 in primetime games against ranked teams in primetime games.

The Mountaineers got their first chance in front of a national audience in 1984 against No. 19 Penn State, a program they had not beaten in 29 years, and came away with an historic 17-14 victory.

West Virginia’s opportunities were limited in the 80’s with three, going 1-1-1, dropping the rematch in ’86 to No. 2 Penn State and tying No. 19 Pitt in ’89, and in the 90’s WVU went 2-2, notching a pair of wins over Syracuse in ’94 and ’98.

West Virginia won four straight to ring in the new millennium capturing upsets over Pitt and Virginia Tech in 2003, and the Mountaineers handled their business against Rutgers in ’06, which brings us back to the last win in primetime against Pitt.

The losing streak at home against ranked teams at night has been brutal, especially the games against Oklahoma and who could forget the infamous “excessive blocking” game where the Mountaineers fell 59-56, which was last opportunity at night against a ranked team.  

West Virginia finally ended a nine-game series skid against Oklahoma in 2022 and it was under the direction of head coach Neal Brown, albeit they weren’t ranked, and it was not at night.

Neal Brown and the Mountaineers could end the night drought against Iowa State. He ended a seven-game losing streak against Oklahoma State on the road two years ago and took the Cowboys down last week for the program’s first win back-to-back set of wins in Stillwater.

However, West Virginia has struggled against ranked opponents under Brown, going 3-15, with the last win coming against Iowa State almost three years ago. Maybe ending the drought in Oklahoma may turn the program’s fortunes.

In addition, West Virginia has sent a ranked Iowa State home with a loss twice in three matchups.

Under new lights and donning new uniforms, West Virginia has a chance to grab control of the Big 12 and possibly spring into a new era.

West Virginia and Iowa State kickoff at 8:00 p.m. on FOX.

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