With only 1% of the nation rooting for WVU to win, the odds were NOT in our favor. The team and WVU fan-base wanted to "shock the world" and show the nation what the Mountaineers were made of.
Unfortunately, we did not pull through; but as many Alabama fans stated, "We have nothing to be embarrassed about!" There was something about the rolling sounds of thunder outside, being the underdogs, and playing in the Chick-Fil-A Kick-off game at the Georgia Dome that truly added to the team's momentum.
If you were to ask any WVU fan, at the conclusion of the 2013 season how this game would turn out, they would tell you this game would be a blow out and that we didn't stand a chance against the Crimson Tide. Boy, did this 2014 WVU Mountaineer football team prove those comments wrong. The team worked hard all off-season to prepare for this game and to prevent this season from being anything like the last.
On the team's opening possession, we scored a field goal. The Mountaineer fans went nuts, something that gave every WVU fan in the building chills. Also, Alabama's first possession was also followed with a field goal to tie the game at 3-3. Once again, for our defense to hold Alabama to a single field goal on their first possession continued to boost our confidence. Beginning of the second quarter the Crimson Tide scores a touchdown, gaining a lead of 10-3. Responding Bama's lead, Clint Trickett throws a touchdown pass to Kevin White in the corner of the end zone to tie the game at 10-10.
To look around and see the reaction on all of the WVU and Bama fans was priceless. Bama fans were nodding their heads in surprise, while WVU fans were going absolutely insane at the 360 Trickett has made from last year. With 1:57 left in the half, T.J. Yeldon runs it in to score a TD for Alabama. WVU fired up, wanting to score again before the end of the half, on a kick-off return Mario Alford runs it back for a 100 yard touchdown. Once again, the Mountaineer team and fans go insane. The Crimson Tide and their fans had not known what hit them, did not expect WVU to play a game like this. Alabama ends the half by kicking a field goal to take the lead 20-17.
The next two quarters, not much happens for the Mountaineers. A lot of TD passes were dropped and not capitalizing on some game-changing opportunities. But we did NOT give up. Two more field-goals were scored while the Crimson Tide scored one last TD and two more field goals ending the game at 33-23. We hung right in there with Alabama and showed the nation and the WVU fan-base this year would be different.
Trickett is night and day from last year. Trickett was making smart passes and knew where to throw the ball. Trickett and White worked well together, and I'm sure I can speak for most of the Mountaineer Nation when I say, I expect to see more of that this season. Our receivers could work on not dropping critical passes. Like a few Alabama fans I talked to, we have nothing to be embarrassed about. Many fans left the game feeling confident about the remainder of the season.
No, the 2014-2015 WVU football team did not prove 99% of the nation wrong by coming out victorious, I do believe we proved 99% of the nation wrong on what to expect from us this season. Let's continue to prove them wrong, and "shock the world!"
Saturday, September 6 against Towson, we will see what improvements and changes WVU made this week at practice.
