It did not take long for chaos to ensue during the West Virginia-Penn State game Saturday.
The No. 8 Nittany Lions had a first down on their own 33-yard line early in the first quarter when the ball was snapped prematurely, taking quarterback Drew Allar by surprise. The Mountaineers pounced and took possession of the fumble.
Allar immediately ran up to the official after the play and seemed to be complaining about a defensive player clapping to trigger the early snap, something that was not apparent upon video replay.
The very next play, West Virginia had its own snap troubles when the ball deflected off the player in motion, ricocheting past quarterback Garrett Greene and initiating a multi-player scramble several yards towards his own end zone, with Penn State recovering.
Perhaps Allar can claim “ball don’t lie” with the sudden reversal in possessions, but nevertheless, neither team scored on their ensuing possessions.
Saturday’s matchup in Morgantown, West Virginia marks the second of a home-and-home series scheduled between the two schools — the first since the annual rivalry ceased in 1992.
The game has also been pegged as the biggest home opener in West Virginia history since 1998, when the then-No. 11 Mountaineers hosted then-No. 1 Ohio State.
