Leddie leads West Virginia to 38-17 win over Kansas

The West Virginia football team started slow before riding a long wave of momentum to a 38-17 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday.

On the game’s first drive, the Mountaineers went three plays before turning the ball over. Kansas responded by getting on the board first with a field goal, and the Jayhawks soon followed that up with a 43-yard passing touchdown.

A stout West Virginia defense was able to halt the Jayhawk offense after that point, a pivotal factor in shifting momentum in favor of the Mountaineers.

Offensively, WVU quarterback Jarret Doege was able to shorten the deficit by connecting with wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton for a first quarter touchdown. Doege later found running back Leddie Brown for a score, and the Mountaineers added a field goal not long after, giving West Virginia a 17-10 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Kansas (0-4) saw a brief windfall after stepping in front of a Doege pass, but the turnover did not result in points on the board.

West Virginia (3-1) was able to add three insurance touchdowns throughout the third and fourth quarters, including an 87-yard rushing touchdown by Brown. Kansas, on the other hand, flopped defensively and squandered most opportunities offensively outside of a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown in the game's final two minutes.

Brown led the Mountaineers offense, rushing for 195 yards on 18 attempts. Doege ended the day with 318 yards and three touchdowns, but did see his share of struggles as he went 26-for-44 passing and also had a pass intercepted.

Defensively, linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo ranked first on the team in tackles, ending the afternoon with nine. Defensive ends Jeffery Pooler Jr. and Akheem Mesidor each totaled two sacks.

Both teams featured defensive linemen who hauled in interceptions: West Virginia’s Darius Stills brought in a second quarter interception after a pass was tipped in the air, while Kansas’ Malcolm Lee stepped in front of a third quarter Doege pass.

The Mountaineers will hit the road to take on Texas Tech next Saturday. A 5:30 p.m. kickoff, the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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