West Virginia running back Tyler Jacklich is tackled by Kansas linebacker Jayson Gilliom (10) along with safety Taylor Davis (27) during the second half of an NCAA collage football game on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia’s first game in the Big 12 wasn’t pretty. In all areas. 

The Mountaineers were rolled by Kansas 41-10 on the road, dropping WVU to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the conference. Rich Rodriguez’s squad is also 0-2 on the road. WVU lost to Ohio in Week 2.

Rodriguez’s offense couldn’t get anything going. 

“Nothing was good,” Rodriguez said. “Coaching not good, playing not good.”

The offense started slowly and was probably its worst start of the season. The Mountaineers’ first five drives were all punts, and four of them were three-and-outs. The run game was nonexistent without Jahiem White and Tye Edwards. In the first 11 carries, WVU had just 15 yards. On its sixth drive and midway through the second quarter, WVU crossed midfield. 

“When we are able to run the ball, everything’s a lot easier,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was fired up on the sideline just before the half after Nicco Marchiol threw an incomplete pass in the red zone. The drive ended in WVU’s first points and only points of the half. It was 10-3 with 3:34 left.

Then came the injuries. Center Landen Livingston went down with a right leg injury. He couldn’t put weight on his right leg and was helped off the field. Wide receiver Jeff Weimer was blasted in the second half and injured. The wide receiver room already lost Jaden Bray for the season and Preston Fox was ruled out before the game. 

Marchiol came back out for the second half this week. Last week, Rodriguez tried freshman Scotty Fox and Jaylen Henderson, looking for a spark, but Marchiol still was the guy. With the pressure in his face and no Edwards, Marchiol couldn’t get into a rhythm.

Marchiol was 15-27 for 126 yards and an interception, which came from former WVU linebacker Trey Lathan. Lathan also took advantage of the poor offensive line play and registered a sack. 

Zac Alley’s defense didn’t have the best start. On the opening drive, Kansas’ Jalon Daniels found the wide-open Levi Wentz for a 41-yard score just four minutes into the game. From there, WVU’s defense held. The defense was helped here and there by some bad passes, but kept the offense pretty much in check.

“I thought the defense played really hard the first half,” Rodriguez said. “Gave up one or two big plays.”

Then, the floodgates were unleashed. 

Jimmori Robinson finally played some snaps, but he was limited. He immediately received a wake-up call when he was assigned to guard Leshon Williams out of the backfield. Williams took off for a 39-yard score. Kansas was up 17-3 just before half. 

After a turnover on downs from the offense, Daniels gained some momentum and drove down quickly enough for a field goal. It was 20-3 at half with the Jayhawks receiving the kick. 

In the second half, Daniels started to show his experience and diced up WVU’s defense. He threw for one more touchdown in the second half. Daniels rushed five times for 69 yards and threw for 138 yards. 

Williams also broke another after some missed WVU tackles, making it 41-10.

Kansas had another big offensive day with 41 points and 388 yards. 

Then, when it couldn’t get worse, it did. Kansas’ Emmanuel Henderson returned the second-half kickoff for a 94-yard touchdown. The Mountaineers were down 27-3 12 seconds into the half. Punter Oliver Straw had some big punts, but he might’ve out-kicked his coverage. Kansas had a couple big returns. 

“The most disappointing thing is the kickoff return,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know if I’d had two in my whole career. And here we go to open up the second half, and you got to get some momentum, and you give up a kick return. There’s no excuse for that.”

Down 34-3 and after the pick, Rodriguez looked for a spark and brought in Henderson, a Texas A&M transfer. Like Fox did last week, Henderson led the Mountaineers to a touchdown on his first drive. 

Henderson accounted for 77 of WVU’s 95 yards on the touchdown drive through six rushes. He also threw one pass for another eight yards. By that time, it was far too out of reach for another comeback. 

“A lot to work on,” Rodriguez said. “Injuries are unfortunate. They are going to happen, seems to be hitting in bunches, but that’s not the reason we lost. We lost because we were poorly coached and poorly played.”