For a week, the Mountaineers handled that turnover bug that’s bitten them so many times the past two-plus season. Saturday’s win against UNLV was the first time this season and just the eighth time overall the offense hasn’t committed a turnover. Record: 7-1.

So you’d think it matter, right? Statistically, not really. The numbers in games without a turnover aren’t significantly different from the games WVU has one or more — and maybe that’s why Jeff Mullen and others say stats often lie.

Truthful stats or deceiving stats, turnovers are obviously important and you can’t statistically gauge things like momentum, morale or even field position. Irregardless, it’s looking more and more like WVU’s offense can move the ball and score points, as long as it gets out of its own way.

“It’s been that way since we’ve been here,” Mullen said. “We talk about our opponent, but it’s not our opponent. We are our opponent. I really believe that it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the Chicago Bears or Mountaineer Middle, we control not the game, but the outcome.

“We didn’t move the ball very well last game (at LSU), but I still feel like we win if we don’t turn it over. Forget the punt return (touchdown). If we don’t fumble that one on our 6-yard line, we maybe win that game 20-14, 14-10.”

Even with last week’s clean game, the Mountaineers are No. 62 nationally in turnovers (seven fumbles, three interceptions) and No. 80 in turnover margin.