My memory is a bit fuzzy, but at one point earlier this season, West Virginia might have been considered a serious Big 12 title contender by some people.
Swing and a miss.
It’s appropriate then that WVU ended a disappointing season getting knocked around 38-14 by former Big East foe Syracuse in a snowy Yankee Stadium. The Orange did everything short of hang 70 on West Virginia like the Mountaineers did in the Orange Bowl last January against Clemson.
The game was supposed to be a display of two great quarterbacks in Geno Smith and Ryan Nassib. As it turned out, neither was much more than pedestrian. Nassib struggled early before it became apparent that he would not be needed to win as Syracuse’s ground game was enough, and Smith was once again pressured successfully by the Orange’s defense. Smith also had a couple inaccurate throws and a couple drops. Penalties (10 for 104 yards) were momentum killers. In all, nothing was ever in sync for Smith or the WVU offense, which was missing starting center, Joey Madsen.
Smith finishes 0-3 as a starter against the ‘Cuse, primarily because Doug Marrone‘s team has been so successful in getting to him behind the line of scrimmage. Syracuse’s defense was en fuego again today by forcing two safeties. Additionally, the Orange managed to keep Tavon Austin, WVU’s shifty do-it-all offensive weapon, out of the end zone.
As explosive as WVU’s offense has been at times in the past two years, Syracuse has figured out a way to slow it to a near crawl. It’s also clear by now that the Mountaineers never had many playmakers outside of Smith, Austin, Stedman Bailey and Karl Joseph on defense. Heading into 2013, the former three offensive players are gone.
At least the Mountaineers won’t be one of the most overrated teams in 2013 like they were this season.
