MORGANTOWN – It was only the Cactus Bowl and a game not viewed by most of the nation. But any bowl victory is a positive way to end a season while providing possible impetus for increased success in the coming season.

Such is the saga of West Virginia University.

The Mountaineers outlasted Arizona State in a 43-42 Cactus Bowl shootout last Saturday night. The game kicked off at 10:15 p.m. our time, meaning the majority of it was played past midnight in this time zone.

WVU’s offense was vintage Dana Holgorsen.

The Mountaineers coach developed a reputation during his assistant coaching days as an staunch advocate of a pass-happy offense. The ‘Eers were more ground and pound this fall in a 7-5 regular season.

Holgorsen, however, reverted back to his gunslinging days with Mike Leach and dialed up an aerial assault that smoked the Sun Devils secondary.

Skyler Howard, who had his share of troubles running the WVU show this fall, enjoyed the game of his life, passing for a Cactus Bowl-record 532 yards and five touchdowns. The fifth went to David Sills from 15 yards out with 2:19 to play for the game-winner.

Howard’s passing antics came on the heels of a season in which he completed 221 of 403 tosses for 3,145 yards. His completion percentage was a less than desirable 54.8 percent.

He had 26 TDs and 14 picks in the regular season.

The Mountaineers entered the game with the nation’s 14th-best rushing attack. Howard’s record-setting day either signals an improved and more confident Howard, a scheming change by Holgorsen or a sieve disguised as the Arizona State secondary.

I would suspect it is a recipe of all three.

Regardless, Howard’s breakout game is healthy food for thought during the Mountaineers offseason. It may trigger Holgorsen into an air-raid offense, or at least a productive Howard lends potent balance to the WVU attack.

• Ohio State, meanwhile, is basking in its Fiesta Bowl triumph against Notre Dame. The Buckeyes, however, are also collectively beating themselves up for dropping the ball against Michigan State.

It’s not rocket science to realize that Ohio State is one of the three best teams in the nation, Clemson and Alabama being the other two. The Buckeyes should have had a seat at the playoff table, but one late-season, three-point loss proved fatal to an otherwise perfect season.

Michigan State was anemic against Bama in the Cotton Bowl semifinal. Oklahoma got beaten up badly by Clemson in the Orange Bowl semifinal.

The playoff committee would have been better served to bump the Spartans and Sooners and replace them with the Buckeyes and Stanford. The committee gave more weight to conference champs than common sense. Stanford’s body of work and Ohio State’s title run last year, combined with its smashing of Michigan in the finale, should have served notice that it was worthy to be in the final four.

Regardless, Ohio State is much like Alabama. It will be in the hunt for national title every year. Clemson and Michigan State will take a step back next year.

The Buckeyes will have to replace a bevy of talent leaving early for the NFL Draft. Stars such as Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Vonn Bell, Darron Lee and Tyvis Powell have already declared their intentions to turn pro.

But Urban Meyer recruits with the best. The Scarlet and Gray cupboard is well-stocked with much more talent en route.

OVAC CHANGES

The OVAC has released its classifications for the 2016-17 school year.

Several changes are on tap, including 12 teams being packaged in Class 1-A. Wellsville and Frontier are both moving down to Class A. Those two schools will help flesh out a classification that has trouble filling championship events like cross country and track.

Martins Ferry drops from 4-A to 3-A while Steubenville and Weir move down to 4-A. Steubenville Catholic moves from 3-A to 2-A and Indian Creek goes up from 4-A to 5-A.

Ohio features 105 more students than West Virginia. Total enrollment is down 279 students from a year ago. Complete classifications for the 2016-17 school year are as follows with student count in parenthesis:

Class 5-A – Morgantown (1376), Parkersburg South ((1201), Wheeling Park (1138), University (968), John Marshall (807), Warren Local (597), Indian Creek (504), Cambridge (500), Beaver Local (495).

Class 4-A – Weir (488), Steubenville (488), Oak Glen (436), East Liverpool (427), St. Clairsville (415), Harrison Central (404), Meadowbrook (403), Buckeye Local (383), Edison (369), Union Local (365).

Class 3-A – Martins Ferry (340), Tyler Consolidated (322), Magnolia (298), Bellaire (295), Barnesville (277), Monroe Central (274), Fort Frye (264), Buckeye Trail (245), Shenandoah (232), Linsly (229).

Class 2-A – Steubenville Catholic (213), Southern Local (209), Shadyside (199), Wheeling Central (197), River (194), Bridgeport (191), Caldwell (190), Toronto (186), Clay-Battelle (180), Cameron (173).

Class 1-A – Frontier (170), Wellsville (164), Madonna (135), Valley (118), Conotton Valley (109), Bishop Donahue (99), Paden City (84),Trinity Christian (83), Hundred (83), Beallsville (74), St. John Central (59), East Richland Christian (21).

Bubba Kapral can be reached via email at: bkapral@timesleaderonline.com