Even with an offense as explosive as the West Virginia State football team's, that spark can fade as opportunities dwindle.
The University of Charleston devoured game clock, keeping Division II's 11th-ranked scoring offense off the field and allowing the Golden Eagles to score 20 unanswered points in a 34-13 win Saturday afternoon at Lakin Field.
Charleston (3-1, 3-1 Mountain East Conference) rushed for 224 yards and finished with a nearly 16-minute advantage in time of possession to win its seventh straight game over the Yellow Jackets (2-2, 2-2). Running back Tevion Cappe - who carried the load for UC with Marvin Elam out with a shoulder injury - gained 86 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
"I hope we can do that every week," UC coach Pat Kirkland said. "Our offense is the strength of our team. We're not trying to hide that. I think they did a nice job in the second half of just grinding them out."
The Golden Eagles turned a one-point lead into a three-touchdown win by leaning on their running game in the second half. UC gained 143 yards on 33 carries in those two quarters, draining 19 minutes, 54 seconds off the clock in the process. The Yellow Jackets, who showed their knack for quick strikes and big plays in their previous three games, couldn't string long drives together.
State had four three-and-out possessions in the second half and its longest drive in that span was seven plays. The Yellow Jackets gained just two second-half first downs, and quarterback Matt Kinnick, who threw for 434 yards last week versus West Virginia Wesleyan, threw for just 153 yards against UC, 122 of those coming in the first half.
"I think that's their model of play," State coach Jon Anderson said. "I think if you ask Pat what he wants to do, he'd say he loved that game - get out to a lead and run physically with two or three physical guys. We've got to be able to create something in the second half with opportunities."
Anderson felt good - and Kirkland was a bit frustrated - when the teams went into the locker room at halftime. The Jackets were within striking distance and the offense was moving the ball with balance, gaining 122 yards passing and 90 rushing. They already had scored more points in that half than they had in five of the previous six games against UC.
"A lot of credit goes to our coaches in preparing our players to come out fast and believe they can play with one of the teams that's toward the top end of the conference," Anderson said. "Our kids were playing relaxed, but playing physical and hard."
When Tyrone Barber took a short Kinnick pass 16 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 State lead, it marked the first time since 2011 that the Yellow Jackets scored first against UC. State covered 85 yards in just five plays on that opening drive, which included a missed extra-point kick.
Charleston's initial scoring drive was much more deliberate. Johnson's 1-yard run on third and goal helped stake the Golden Eagles to a 7-6 lead, capping a 12-play, 63-yard drive. That remained the story for both teams in the first half - UC chewing up clock on its scoring drives, with the Yellow Jackets striking quickly.
The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 14-6 just 33 seconds into the second quarter as Cappe's 1-yard run concluded a 13-play, 82-yard drive. State pulled back to within a point at 14-13 after Kinnick's 40-yard pass to Tyrell Henderson closed a two-play, 55-yard drive. Charleston was able to respond late in the first half with another 1-yard Cappe run to finish an eight-play, 79-yard drive.
The Yellow Jackets caught a break on that UC touchdown drive. A holding penalty moved the Golden Eagles' extra-point try from the 3 to the 13, and Devon Bollinger blocked the Brett Benes attempt to keep UC's lead at 20-13.
"The first half, we gave them two scores," Kirkland said. "One was on me. I felt I could have put them in a better position from a play-call standpoint. Then we had a mental bust. Then we settled in and played good team defense, probably the best we played all year."
The UC defense, whose lineup has been shuffled by injuries since the start of preseason camp, has taken its lumps early in the season. The Golden Eagles entered Saturday's game allowing 467.7 yards and 39.7 points per game. On Saturday, State could muster just 283 yards and those two first-half touchdowns. Kinnick, the MEC's leading passer, was held to nearly 160 yards below his average.
"I've said it before," UC corner Torie Wagner said. "Once we eliminate our mental mistakes, really the only team that can beat us is ourselves. The second half, we came out more focused and more disciplined and made the plays we needed to make."
It didn't help West Virginia State that UC punter Benes kept giving the Jackets long fields on which to work. Benes, last week's MEC special teams player of the week, averaged 48.3 yards a punt, booming three for at least 50 yards and putting two inside the 20-yard line. He followed a 65-yarder in the second half with a 71-yarder that broke his own school record of 69 yards.
UC quarterback Jeremy Johnson finished with 159 yards on 10-of-23 passing, but it was Mason Olzsewski who threw the Golden Eagles' lone touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Joey Augustin for Charleston's final score. Augustin now has 15 career touchdown catches, behind Andre Higgins (17 from 2007-10) and Terrance Spencer (16 from 2005-08) on the school's career list. State running back Tyrone Barber gained 96 yards on 16 carries.
UC returns to the field at 7 p.m. Thursday to host No. 19 Concord in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN3.com. WVSU visits Virginia-Wise at 3 p.m. Saturday.