Saturday night was a long and odd night at Mountaineer Field. It began with Kansas getting a personal foul for taunting on the opening kickoff. It was a touchback. The offender was the defender who flipped Skyler Howard later in the game, and the defender and not Howard had to leave the game.

The best and strangest shenanigans came after West Virginia’s second series, and if nothing else, the Jayhawks boarded the plane thinking they were going to win.

The taunting that started the trend also triggered the chattering by the Jayhawks. The Mountaineers stalled in the red zone after the first drive and settled for a field goal and then punted after four snaps on the second drive. Safety Fish Smithson took the opportunity to give Mountaineers receiver Shelton Gibson some advice.

Never mind Gibson already had a 40-yard reception.

“He told me to Google him,” Gibson remembered after the Mountaineers shook off their first loss of the season with a 48-21 win before 56,343 at Mountaineer Field.

But let’s talk about the other chatter. What in the world was going on between Anthony Becht and Rocky Boiman? I couldn’t tell if Boiman liked Becht or hated him or if he was jealous of Becht’s homecoming and the attention it received. Becht seemed on the border of annoyed and amused by it and did well to keep me guessing. There were a few tense moments when I didn’t know what was going to be said next.

And poor, capable Beth Mowins.

I dunno. Curious what you think. I don’t listen to the game when I’m re-watching it, but it was hard to ignore all the production ESPN put into that game. It felt a bit like an experiement. For all I know, it’s normal. Maybe it’s the new normal.

That said, I didn’t mind the effort. I liked Becht’s POV report from the tunnel. I prefer when a sideline reporter does more than interview a coach or say a player’s return is questionable, and Boiman was certainly involved. The interactions between the booth and the field were, at the minimum, an attempt to spice up the broadcast. It was different, which is not a synonym for bad, and Lord knows that game needed a diversion.

7:05:
Watching at a place called Bert & Ernie’s

7:06:
blue on blue with the dope Storm Trooper helmets. I approve of these unis

7:13:
Taunting? Seriously? Isn’t that what they do the whole game?

7:14:
How long we gonna be here if they’re calling taunting on a touchback??

7:17:
I love that Anthony Becth is calling this game.

7:17:
gotta catch those

7:19:
Only 13 more FGs to get to 42 points

7:22:
#FieldGoalU

7:25:
Soft start

7:27:
13!

7:32:
what the –

7:33:
[Fairly] awful series

7:34:
Horrible series. Smh. No more “sneak” runs for Skyler.

7:34:
flat flat flat

7:37:
Did big game skyler show up because it’s a night game?

7:38:
Wow…Baylor. Um…damn.

7:38:
well no 70 points tonight

7:40:
well no 60 points tonight

7:40:
must be the lights

7:42:
So much for coming out with intensity!

7:45:
This game is as dry as the Sahara.

7:46:
Old player spotting! Aaron Beasley and Solomon Paige in the house! Beasley’s goatee is as grey as 50 shades! Lol!

7:48:
a wily one, this kansas coach

7:51:
Now that’s not so hard.

7:52:
well holding at 50 points tonight

7:55:
Al was all Rasheedy on that play

7:57:
KU’s passing game not so good as Pokes’

7:59:
okay. let’s stop passing

8:00:
McCoy’s breakout game

8:04:
defensive holding on a run play. wow

8:04:
You don’t see holding called on run play ever.

8:06:
a star is born (against KU)

8:06:
Enough hurdling, Sky

8:07:
Why not just spike it instead of throwing the fade?

8:08:
They saying that’s not a touchdown?

8:08:
Only big 12 refs

8:08:
well no 50 points tonight

8:08:
Just quit football. Goal line stood by Kansas. Disband the program.

8:09:
Ain’t even mad about that 4th down. Right call AND right play call there.

8:09:
hello, 2015? we found your red zone offense

8:09:
Red Zone…not our friend. Smh.

8:10:
MOLEHILLS!

8:10:
I hate fades but can live with one on first down. Skyler was in on third down. Fourth down is a good idea and better d. Let’s not overreact.

8:10:
A better fourth down play call would’ve been to challenge the ruling on the field. On the plus side, it would’ve been a touchdown but on the down side it

8:11:
would’ve messed with our tempo. Nitpicking, but I think it would’ve been worth it.

8:11:
thank god ku O sucks

8:19:
Skyler “Pat [fitzgerald] White” Howard

8:20:
This is an Old School kind of game as evidenced by Anthony Becht, Don Nehlen, and a fan wearing a West [FLYIN] Virginia shirt.

8:27:
DAWGS

8:28:
That review was so not needed.

8:29:
Don Nehlen whut?

8:30:
gotta catch those

8:30:
White miffs again. [Sordid]

8:30:
get KRaun new gloves

8:30:
Hot bologna, Kevin White woulda caught that.

8:32:
Couldn’t agree more with dandy don that u have to love a great tight end

8:46:
QB draw followed by timeout. Clock management!

8:46:
Shorts makes Skyler look good

8:53:
Pretty soon instant replay is going to make the games unwatchable.

8:54:
Kansas or Rutgers….who you got?

8:55:
I’m thinking it’s safe to leave Bert & Ernie’s

9:06:
Just checked the halftime score from Disney World … not feeling too guilty for missing this night game. #MagicIsReal

9:08:
journey translates surprisingly well to a marching band format

9:10:
TFGD will be fairly tepid on Monday. The Monday after, though …

9:11:
Might as well put Crest in now … Might as well get some value for the scholarship WVU is giving him.

9:13:
RR missing Casteel? 69-7

9:14:
Espn’s whole presentation is better for games like this (i.e., when they know that no one cares).

9:21:
Every referee I’ve ever met has been incapable of saying “[Forget] it. It’s a 30 point game. Just keep it moving.”

9:25:
Fumble! Groundler Howard strikes again

9:26:
If Don Nehlen was in the booth now, he’d say “Why in the world would Kansas keep throwing the ball with a quarterback who couldn’t toss a foil ball into

9:26:
a waste basket?”

9:28:
TD jayhawks. complements of skyler

9:28:
Think about who is watching this game. Probably zero Kansas fans. All college football fans are watching LSU/Bama. Might as well start selling Tamarack c

9:28:
rafty things on the air in between plays.

9:32:
fan shots – everybody texting Tier4

9:32:
kick out of bounds. complements of deforest

9:34:
fan play suggestion? direct snaps to rbs #skylernotouch

9:43:
If I was Rocky Boiman, every time I got to say something I’d be like “I can’t see [Skyler] from down on the field level … but it looks like they need to bl

9:43:
itz more.”

9:44:
kicker almost kicked the holder’s head off

9:44:
DeFore$t

9:44:
Moos is udderly ridiculous!

9:44:
You may run like Pat White but you throw like … well … Pat White.

9:46:
K’W finally catches the bastard … and then drops it!

9:48:
Quietly, Ka’raun White is playing a very poor game and, quietly, he is having a poorer season than the experts think.

9:49:
This just in; Shelton Gibson is good at football. Film at 11.

9:52:
I’m afraid to look it up, but I suspect Kansas’s last Big 12 win was against WVU.

9:55:
Anyone else notice that everyone affiliated with this broadcast thinks Anthony Becht is a handsome man except for Beth Mowins?

9:55:
six men standing = KU spooked

9:56:
Remember when Marshall was the best team in wv

9:59:
Benton got burnt like a neglected bag of microwave popcorn.

10:00:
I’m no football coach, but putting Cozart at RB/WR and this guy at quarterback wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

10:01:
who are you and what have you done to the big 12 refs?

10:05:
Instead of an Air Raid siren, PA needs a train horn. Fear the #GroundRaid

10:10:
When Anthony Becht says he thinks Washington looks like a top four team, someone should say “Why in the world are you watching Washington’s games?”

10:10:
Wesco!

10:11:
Always trying to make the tight end happen.

10:11:
Is your Wesco poster next to the Durante poster or the Sharif poster? Is is nicer than the Gross poster?

10:11:
There is no way the social justice warriors that make up ESPN are going to be ok with Rocky Boiman insinuating that Becht is gay as an insult.

10:14:
End this [football] game!!!

10:15:
Holgorsen’s inability to play the scrubs is probably worse than his clock management and special teams. Ok, maybe not as bad as special teams.

10:17:
Well the team checked out a quarter early

10:18:
Seconday is really thin, man. Texas has me worried with that mack truck at RB and all that tempo

10:19:
Better hope for more D transfers next year. 2nd teamers are [shot]

10:19:
This reminds me of the Music City Bowl though I suspect that’s not Eli Manning.

10:22:
The definition of insanity … seeing highlights of LSU/Bama, which looks like a great game… and continuing to watch this.

10:22:
we must really not trust the backup qbs.

10:26:
Pretty sure a running back has been writhing in pain in every game this year

10:28:
hire a shrink for Molina?

10:28:
If this turns into 2013 Iowa State, I refuse to be held responsible for my actions.

10:34:
Seriously they just cut to Wyoming – Utah state??? WTF??? Nobody wants to see that

10:35:
Mike, ever feel like bagging the post-game stuff and just heading out to a tailgate?

10:37:
13!

10:38:
EVERYBODY CHUG!

10:38:
chugs!

10:38:
let’s see how well Chugs can hand off

10:39:
Let’s hope Chug’s second pass doesn’t go for a pick also

10:41:
After all of that, I understand why everybody hates charlie weis