Wheeling, W. Va. – Throughout the 2026 season, the Wheeling University Football team (5-5, 4-3) has had their share of ups and downs, and look to finish the season on a high note on their home field. The team wraps up 2026 at Bishop Schmitt Field on Saturday when they host West Liberty in the annual “The Battle for Wheeling” with kick-off at 12 PM. Wheeling is looking to finish at or above .500 for the fifth consecutive season, as they honor their class of 2027 seniors in what will be their final game played at Bishop Schmitt Field.
Last time out, the Cardinals would battle for their MEC Championship lives when they hosted Glenville State in their week nine match-up. It would be the Pioneer defense that led the way early, forcing a pair of Cardinal turnovers that made it a 14-0 Glenville State lead just four minutes in. The Cardinals would trail by that same score at the end of the first quarter, but put up 20 points over the next 15 minutes heading into the half. It was an Ayden McKinstry six-yard run that ended the half, and the Cardinals went into the locker room cutting the deficit to 21-20. The Pioneers would score coming out of the half, but McKinstry broke free on a 79-yard touchdown, and a two-point conversion would tie things up. IT would be a bttle of field goals until the final five minutes, when Glenville State got in the endzone to build a 38-34 lead. Wheeling would have to tries at the endzone late, but ended up falling by that final score, dropping to 5-5 on the season.
Despite the loss, it was a big day for McKinstry, who broke the single-game rushing record with 201 yards on the ground. He would carry the ball a team-high 17 times on the night, rushing for those 201 yards while scoring three touchdowns and averaging 11.8 yards per carry. He coupled that with a strong day in the passing game, finishing as the team’s leading receiver with six catches for 80 yards on the afternoon. He would total 281 yards of offense on the day, and the effort helped propel him to the top of the Cardinal leaderboards. After the effort, McKinstry has not rushed for a team-high 663 yards this season, while averaging a team-best 6.1 yards per carry. As he enters the final week of the regular season, McKinsry looks to continue his success and lead the ground game to close out 2026.
Leading the defense for the second week in a row was Joe Rispoli, who continues to break out over the final stretch of 2026. He finished with 10 total tackles, five solo and five assisted, including 2.5 tackles for loss in the effort against Glenville State. It was the second straight week where Rispoli has been the Cardinal’s leading tackler, racking up 18 total tackles during that span, including 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks as he continues to disrupt the opposing back field. Also turning heads on the defensive side of the ball as of late has been Jacob Jones, who finishe with an interception for the second straight week. Jones would total four tackles on the day, including oen tackle for loss, while adding two pass break-ups and the interception. Jones has been one of the top defensive backs in the conference this season, sitting tied for the conference lead with nine pass break-ups, tied for second with 11 total passes defended, and tied for third with two interceptions. Jones has been calle dupon to shut down the oppositions top receiver, and looks to do just that against West Liberty.
As they head into the final week of the regular season, the Cardinals will be looking to play spoiler for the West Liberty postseason hopes. If the Cardinals can beat the Hilltoppers on Saturday, it will officially end the Hilltopper’s chances of making the NCAA DII postseason tournament. It will also continue a streak for the Wheeling Football program that has been going since the 2022 season, which has seen them finish at or above .500 for each of the last four seasons. It will also be the final home game for the class of 2023 seniors, with 23 seniors set to be honored in a special pregame ceremony. This class has helped build Wheeling Football over the past four to five years, helping it get to where it is today, consistently competing for an MEC championship. The Cardinals look to send them off with a win as they wrap up their collegiate careers.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Hilltoppers are meeting for the eighth time in program history on Saturday, with Wheeling leading the all-time series at 4-3. The Cardinals have had the advantage on their home field, going 2-1 against the Hilltoppers compared to a 2-2 mark when they travel up to the hilltop. It has been a high-scoring series, with Wheeling averaging 35.71 points per game, and the winner having to score 40+ points in three of the previous four meetings between the two programs.
The last meeting came on November 15, 2025, in what was an offensive showdown between with West Liberty picking up the 68-67 win. It was a career day for quarterback Landon Lutz, who finished 19-29, throwing for 339 yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense. Former Cardinal Steven Mitchell led the ground game, with 13 carries for 92 yards and three touchdowns, while Jordan Kaiser pulled in six catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns. It was also a big day for the special teams unit, with Solo Love finishing with two kick returns, totaling 106 yards, including a 100-yard touchdown return.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday’s game is scheduled for noon inside Bishop Schmitt Field. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE and follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
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