The Rich Rod 2.0 era of West Virginia University Mountaineers football hit an early stumbling block with an ugly, uninspired 17-10 loss to the Ohio Bobcats in Athens on Saturday.

No college football team, coach or fan likes losing. Losing to a non-power conference opponent (Ohio plays in the Mid-American Conference) makes it that much worse.

Unfortunately for WVU, this was a classic trap game. The Mountaineers have the Backyard Brawl with rival Pitt looming this weekend, and the team might've been a bit distracted. Ohio, meanwhile, was amped to play a Big 12 team at home, and the atmosphere in the intimate confines of Peden Stadium, which seats only 24,000, was as raucous as could be.

That doesn't excuse the loss by any means, but the conditions were ripe for an upset.

And MAC squads h

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