Oklahoma State’s Mestemaker torches WVU in 41-24 victory
AP photo
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker was the top quarterback in the transfer portal and had first-round NFL Draft pick buzz. Some might’ve doubted that praise, but Mestemaker quickly proved them wrong in the second half against West Virginia.
Mestemaker threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns to torch WVU 41-24 in Milan Puskar Stadium Saturday night, handing the Mountaineers their first loss. WVU fell to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12. Oklahoma State is now on a three-game winning streak after losing to Tulsa in Week 1.
The defense couldn’t get Mestemaker off schedule.
“When you don’t pressure the guy at all … you let him get comfortable,” Rich Rodriguez said. “He’s good. Good players like that, NFL quarterback, he’s going to beat you.”
WVU’s defense held Mestemaker at bay in the first half, but out of the locker room he started to heat up. He connected with receiver Chris Barnes for 52 yards, and put Oklahoma State into Mountaineers territory. WVU turned him over, but it still created momentum.
The next two drives were similar. WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. ran for a score, making it 21-13 with 11:06 left in the third. Mestemaker responded with a 40-yard pass to receiver Wyatt Young, and then, on the next play, to Terrance Lewis for a touchdown. Oklahoma State converted the two-point conversion to tie the game for the first time, 21-21.
Mestemaker wasn’t done. WVU worked its way for a field goal, but Mestemaker answered with a 48-yard pass to Young again. Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins took off the next play for a 22-yard touchdown to put the Cowboys ahead 28-24.
Mestemaker was 20-for-27 passing for 274 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Young was his top receiver, catching eight passes for 192 yards, including a touchdown to make it 38-24 with under six minutes to play.
The Cowboys rushed for 220 yards, and 180 were from Hawkins.
Oklahoma State had 609 yards of total offense and averaged nine yards a play. In the second half, WVU’s defense allowed 359 yards. The Cowboys punted twice all game, and WVU didn’t have a sack.
“Defensively, we didn’t play well at all,” Rodriguez said. “We gave up 609 yards. Didn’t give our guys a chance. It’s the head coach’s responsibility to make sure we have a plan that can succeed, and it didn’t succeed.”
While Mestemaker and the Cowboys were rolling, WVU’s offense went cold. The Mountaineers had a one-point lead heading into the half, and only scored 10 points out of the locker room.
West Virginia was moving the ball on the ground in the first half and Hawkins had two rushing touchdowns for 14 points. In the second half, the Mountaineers couldn’t get the wheels turning, especially in the fourth quarter.
WVU came up empty on every drive in the fourth quarter, and only ran the ball for 121 yards compared to the 229 in the first half. Trailing, Hawkins was asked to pass the ball more. He missed on some passes, and his receivers had a few drops.
Hawkins went 10-for-22 passing and threw his first interception in a Mountaineers’ uniform. His interception came in the red zone and was deflected, ending a promising drive. He ran for all three of WVU’s touchdowns and had 102 yards on the ground. Running back Cam Cook had 193 yards on 29 carries to tally to 334 rushing yards on the day.
Rodriguez said he was impatient in the second half, continuing to run the ball.
“They were moving the ball so easily,” Rodriguez said. “I got probably a little impatient with that, and then they did a better job with that.”
This is the second-straight year, WVU’s started off Big 12 play with a loss.
The Mountaineers are on the road against Iowa State in Week 5, hoping to shake off the defeat.
“Typically we take 24 hours to move on to the next one,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t want to take that long. Go back 12 hours and then start getting ready for the next one.”