MORGANTOWN - Heading into Saturday night's Big 12 matchup with Oklahoma State, much of the buzz around West Virginia's football team centered on a player not in uniform.
No. 8 can be a posh night spot in New York City. It can be a piano sonata. It can be a tough hole at Whistling Straits.
But No. 8 Karl Joseph, the Mountaineer standout injured this past week in practice, was also supposed to be an inspiration for the hosts. Fellow defensive back K.J. Dillon voiced the cry beforehand to his teammates.
Yet what we saw in WVU's battle with the Cowboys moved from inspiration to desperation. Finally, at game's end, it turned into a crushing loss, 33-26 in overtime.
The Mountaineers entered the game as a favorite over a visiting ranked team. Confidence bubbled around the team and within the sellout crowd of 60,410.
Then the game started.
West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard was off early. As in way off. At the end of the first half, he was 4 of 11 passing for 31 yards. Folks in the stands weren't scratching their heads. They were pulling their hair out.
Huh? Air Raid? Dana Holgorsen's quarterback was 4 of 11 for 31 yards?
There were field-position problems that seemed like a bad hangover from the Oklahoma game. Drives were like those taken by the little old lady who only takes her car to church. Minus-2 yards. Minus-8. Six. Five. Eight.
There were mistakes. Many. West Virginia's offensive line was flailing and Oklahoma State's Emmanuel Ogbah was dominating. Howard ran into Wendell Smallwood and fumbled to Ogbah. The standout Cowboy caused a fumble from Rushel Shell that was recovered by OSU's Chad Whitener.
At 10:14 of the second quarter, Mountaineer basketball coach Bob Huggins was introduced to the crowd. And many within that were calling for him to take over.
It was homecoming. It was Stripe the Stadium night. The game was on ESPN2. But all packing the joint knew.
This game was for the season, at least for the immediate season. This game was for Holgorsen's future. Perhaps.
Up next: At Baylor. At TCU. West Virginia entered the game already in a 0-1 hole within the Big 12. There couldn't be a stumble here. Not this night. Not at this juncture.
Yet the mistakes kept coming. Five fumbles, three lost. And then a costly interception.
Oklahoma State's Devante Averette picked off Howard, who was way off in his attempt to hit Jordan "Squirt" Thompson. West Virginia's defense held the Cowboys to a field goal.
Finally, finally, a spark hit the hosts. Perhaps it was spurred on by the Mountaineer fans that provided what looked like a Christmas tree of lights with their cell phones.
Whatever the case, West Virginia drove. Howard rushed forward for 10 yards to the Oklahoma State 14. Then, on a first-and-goal at the 3, he stretched out, over the goal line and crossed. It was ruled short.
The most beautiful words to the sellout crowd, however, were these: "After further review, the ruling has been reversed to a touchdown."
The extra point was good. The game went headlong toward overtime. Could the Mountaineers save their season? Could Holgorsen pull this out?
In the end, the answer was no. Oklahoma State had the overtime's first possession. The Cowboys moved down to the 2. Mike Gundy decided to go for it on fourth down. J.W. Walsh made him look good, punching it in.
Meanwhile, Holgorsen looked anything but good. On third-and-goal, he called Shell's number and he was strung out for a loss of 7 yards. A heave at game's end to Daikiel Shorts was incomplete.
A promising start to WVU's season has now turned sour. The schedule looks like a bear - a Baylor Bear. And to say Holgorsen's play calling is being questioned is an understatement.
Inspiration has indeed been replaced by desperation.