The College Football BeltThe CFB Belt
Belt / 2012 season / Reign #282 · Game 1,449 of 1,643
September 1, 2012 Week 1 · Regular Season Belt defended

West Virginia defends the belt, 69–34, at home over Marshall.

Home · Defending Holder
West VirginiaAP No. 11 69
AT
Away · Challenger
Marshall 34

AP poll, week 1: Marshall unranked at West Virginia No. 11 · No. 1 that week: Louisville. The belt vs. the polls →

Belt context

Where this game sits in the lineage

West Virginia came in 241 days into reign #282, which began with a win over Clemson, with no defenses yet; this was its first defense. West Virginia went on to defend it 4 more times before Texas Tech took it on October 13, 2012, 283 days after the reign began.

For Marshall this was its first shot at the belt; it had never held the belt. It still hasn’t; this remains its only belt game.

This is the only time Marshall and West Virginia have met with the belt on the line.

AI-Written

Recap

West Virginia's high-powered offense was on full display in Morgantown as the Mountaineers overwhelmed Marshall 69-34 to retain the belt. The game was an offensive showcase from the opening moments, with Geno Smith leading WVU to a touchdown on the first drive capped by a Stedman Bailey 32-yard reception in the corner of the end zone. Marshall kept pace early with Rakeem Cato's offense scoring on their first drive, but West Virginia simply had too much firepower, particularly with the explosive combination of Smith and receiver Tavon Austin, who recorded a stunning 70-yard run late in the second quarter that set up another score. By halftime, West Virginia had already established control with four touchdowns, and the Mountaineers added two more in the second half to cruise to the comfortable 35-point victory.

Written by Claude from the box score and play-by-play on this page — a plain-English recap of the numbers below, not a substitute for them.

Full Box Score

Team stats

CFBD box score
 West VirginiaMarshall
Total yards655545
Rushing yards331132
Passing yards324413
First downs3128
3rd down conv.5/89/19
Turnovers12
Penalties–yards5–3911–112
Time of possession26:3132:19

Full team box score from CFBD’s /games/teams data. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have team-level stats that far back.

Play By Play

Key plays

CFBD play-by-play
WhenTeamYardsPlay
Q1 8:56West Virginia+32 ydGeno Smith pass complete to Stedman Bailey for 32 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q1 7:01West Virginia+22 ydGeno Smith pass complete to J.D. Woods for 22 yards to the Marsh 36 for a 1ST down.
Q1 4:53West Virginia+3 ydShawne Alston rush for 3 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q1 4:53West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q2 12:33Marshall+24 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Eric Frohnapfel for 24 yards to the WVirg 40 for a 1ST down.
Q2 11:18Marshall+4 ydTravon Van rush for 4 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q2 11:18Marshall+0 ydJustin Haig extra point GOOD.
Q2 9:25West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q2 9:25West Virginia+24 ydAndrew Buie rush for 24 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q2 9:00Marshall+40 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Aaron Dobson for 40 yards to the WVirg 35 for a 1ST down.
Q2 7:11Marshall+34 ydJustin Haig 34 yard field goal GOOD.
Q2 6:25West Virginia+6 ydGeno Smith pass complete to Tavon Austin for 6 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q2 7:05West Virginia+70 ydTavon Austin rush for 70 yards to the Marsh 13 for a 1ST down.
Q2 6:25West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q2 4:00Marshall+28 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to C.J. Crawford for 28 yards to the WVirg 27 for a 1ST down.
Q2 1:00West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q2 1:00West Virginia+9 ydGeno Smith pass complete to J.D. Woods for 9 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q3 15:00Marshall+35 ydJustin Haig kickoff for 64 yards returned by Tavon Austin for 35 yards to the WVirg 36.
Q3 12:27West Virginia+21 ydShawne Alston rush for 21 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q3 12:27West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q3 8:00Marshall+3 ydTravon Van rush for 3 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q3 8:00Marshall+0 ydJustin Haig extra point GOOD.
Q3 4:32West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q3 4:32West Virginia+24 ydCorey Smith kickoff for 65 yards returned by Andre Booker for 24 yards to the Marsh 24.
Q3 4:32West Virginia+28 ydGeno Smith rush for 28 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q3 3:43West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q3 3:43West Virginia+23 ydCorey Smith kickoff for 63 yards returned by Andre Booker for 23 yards to the Marsh 25.
Q3 3:43Marshall+0 ydRakeem Cato sacked by Terence Garvin, fumbled, forced by Terence Garvin, recovered by WVirg Isaiah Bruce at the Marsh 43, Isaiah Bruce for 43 yards, to the Marsh 0 for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q3 0:18Marshall+29 ydJustin Haig 29 yard field goal GOOD.
Q3 2:15Marshall+21 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Jermaine Kelson for 21 yards to the WVirg 6 for a 1ST down.
Q4 14:24West Virginia+5 ydGeno Smith pass complete to Stedman Bailey for 5 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q4 14:24West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q4 14:24West Virginia+25 ydQuinton Spain kickoff for 62 yards returned by Andre Booker for 25 yards to the Marsh 28.
Q4 13:09Marshall+46 ydRakeem Cato pass intercepted by Doug Rigg at the Marsh 49, returned for 46 yards to the Marsh 3.
Q4 13:04West Virginia+3 ydPaul Millard pass complete to KJ Myers for 3 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q4 13:04West Virginia+25 ydQuinton Spain kickoff for 65 yards returned by Steward Butler for 25 yards to the Marsh 25.
Q4 13:04West Virginia+0 ydTyler Bitancurt extra point GOOD.
Q4 12:30Marshall+20 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Jazz King for 20 yards to the WVirg 22 for a 1ST down.
Q4 9:50Marshall+12 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Tommy Shuler for 12 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q4 9:50Marshall+0 ydJustin Haig extra point GOOD.
Q4 0:54Marshall+11 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Eric Frohnapfel for 11 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Q4 1:57Marshall+23 ydRakeem Cato pass complete to Tommy Shuler for 23 yards to the WVirg 4 for a 1ST down.
Q4 0:54Marshall+0 ydJustin Haig extra point GOOD.
Q4 0:38West Virginia+30 ydPaul Millard pass intercepted by Monterius Lovett at the Marsh 35, returned for 30 yards to the 50 yard line, MARSHALL penalty 15 yard Illegal Block accepted.

Scoring plays, turnovers, and gains of 20+ yards, pulled from CFBD’s play-by-play. This section only appears for belt games with play-by-play on file (2003 onward).

Box Score

Player stats

CFBD player stats

Passing

West Virginia

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Geno Smith32/363239.04087.2
Paul Millard2/310.3111.2

Marshall

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Rakeem Cato38/544137.62168.6
Blake Frohnapfel0/200.00011.7

Rushing

West Virginia

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
Shawne Alston161237.7221
Andrew Buie68013.3124
Tavon Austin36622.0070
Geno Smith8658.1128
Paul Millard2-3-1.501

Marshall

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
Kevin Grooms5438.6019
Travon Van16382.4216
Rakeem Cato4194.8012
Remi Watson6172.804
Steward Butler10141.403
Martin Ward310.303
Blake Frohnapfel100.000

Receiving

West Virginia

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
Stedman Bailey910411.6232
J.D. Woods77510.7122
Tavon Austin10535.3115
Ivan McCartney15252.0052
Andrew Buie4317.809
Jordan Thompson263.008
Kj Myers133.013

Marshall

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
Aaron Dobson47218.0040
Eric Frohnapfel66010.0124
C.J. Crawford34816.0028
Tommy Shuler5479.4123
Jermain Kelson44511.3021
Antavious Wilson34013.3019
Harold Hoskins22412.0012
Jazz King12020.0020
Davonte Allen2189.0014
Travon Van4143.5012
Andre Snipes-Booker2126.008
Steward Butler11010.0010
Demetrius Evans133.003
Show more stats (5 more categories)

Interceptions

West Virginia

PlayerINTYDSTD
Doug Rigg1460

Marshall

PlayerINTYDSTD
Monterius Lovett1300

Kick Returns

West Virginia

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Tavon Austin13535.0350
Andrew Buie22412.0150
Stedman Bailey11717.0170
Ryan Clarke11616.0160

Marshall

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Andre Snipes-Booker612520.8250
Steward Butler12525.0250
Martin Ward11010.0100

Kicking

West Virginia

PlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTS
Tyler Bitancurt0/00.009/109

Marshall

PlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTS
Justin Haig2/2100.0344/410

Punt Returns

West Virginia

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Tavon Austin3196.3140

Marshall

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Andre Snipes-Booker11919.0190
C.J. Crawford155.050
Harold Hoskins122.020

Punting

West Virginia

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
Corey Smith14545.00045

Marshall

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
Tyler Williams420551.30059

Full player stats from CFBD’s /games/players data, split out by team. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have player-level stats that far back. Linked player names go to that player’s stat line in every other belt game they’ve appeared in.

Sources Box score at ESPN · Game record: College Football Data (id 322450277) · This game in the downloadable dataset