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On 30th anniversary, 1988 team ‘seems like yesterday’ to Nehlen

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For the gazillionth time it seems, College Football Hall-of-Fame coach Don Nehlen was asked to reminisce about his 1988 West Virginia team.

“I don’t mind at all. They’re worth it,” he said.

Those Mountaineers — untouchable throughout an 11-0 regular season, crushing opponents by a 27-point average margin of victory — became the only football team in program history to play for a national championship.

On Saturday, they return to Morgantown for a 30th anniversary celebration.

“We had some fifth-year seniors and a dynamic young quarterback, so I thought we had a real shot to be good,” Nehlen recalled this week.