Skyler Howard threw five touchdowns, riddling Youngstown State with deep passes, and West Virginia overcame an early scare to prevail 38-21 at home Saturday.

The Mountaineers (2-0) trailed 14-7 late in the first half but piled up 624 yards and improved to 17-0 all-time against FCS teams.

Howard finished with 389 yards on 20-of-33 passing. He threw first-half touchdowns of 53 yards to Ka'Raun White and 54 yards to Shelton Gibson. After putting West Virginia ahead 21-14 on an 11-yard touchdown to Daikiel Shorts, Howard found Gibson again for a 57-yard score.

Gibson made six catches for 171 yards.

Youngstown State (1-1), ranked 20th in this week's FCS poll, was hoping to duplicate its 2012 upset at Pitt. The prospect remained alive after Mountaineers kicker Mike Molina missed a 30-yard try on the final play of the half, keeping the score tied at 14-14.

But the Penguins punted on six straight series as West Virginia ran off 24 unanswered points.

Youngstown State struck for Martin Ruiz's 1-yard touchdown and Alvin Bailey's 74-yard bomb from Ricky Davis in the second quarter. The underdogs didn't score again until Trent Hosick's 15-yard scramble in the fourth quarter, which WVU answered on Howard's 21 pass to Kennedy McKoy.