West Virginia falls to Oklahoma State, 48-34
A back and forth offensive game went the wrong way for West Virginia football on Saturday, as the Mountaineers fell to the Oklahoma State Cowboys 48-34 in Morgantown after WVU gave up a historic rushing performance in its second-straight loss.
West Virginia (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) started with the ball and after two rushing attempts and an incomplete pass, it was held to an opening-drive punt. However, the kick went through returner Brennan Presley’s hands and touched his fingertips before the WVU punt team jumped on the fumble and its offense took back over at the 30-yard line.
Two plays later, WVU fumbled the ball on a completed pass and Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) recovered on the 30-yard line.
After a huge 32-yard run from OSU tailback Ollie Gordon and two more first downs through the air, the WVU defense stood tall in the red zone and made Cowboys’ kicker Alex Hale attempt a 37-yard field goal which put Oklahoma State up 3-0.
On the next drive, West Virginia got a first down on the ground and then on the fourth play, quarterback Garrett Greene threw an interception to Pokes’ cornerback Korie Black near midfield and the Cowboys took over in WVU territory. Gordon capped off the drive and put OSU ahead by two possessions at 10-0 with a touchdown run from two-yards out.
The Mountaineers went backwards with penalties and a tackle for loss in their next drive, but an automatic first down on a pass interference penalty gave WVU life near the end of the first quarter at midfield.
After a few solid quarterback keepers for Greene getting double-digit yards, he connected with wide receiver Preston Fox on an impressive grab down the seam before running back Justin Johnson Jr. punched the touchdown in from three yards out, his first of the season.
Oklahoma State was now only leading 10-7 to start its next drive and was stopped on three plays. The ensuing punt was blocked by WVU’s Davoan Hawkins and the Mountaineers started a new possesion at their own 40-yard line.
West Virginia accumulated 38 yards on the ground during their next drive but was unable to get a first down inside the red zone, which led to the equalizing field goal try from kicker Michael Hayes from 34 yards out, making the score 10-10.
The Cowboys cut up the Mountaineers’ defense through the air with 65 yards, which included a beautiful connection for 29 yards down the sideline. West Virginia stopped the drive short of the end zone however, after stuffing the run and a 29-yard Hale field goal made the score 13-10.
With three minutes to go in the first half, Greene completed one of his best passes of the season to a streaking Devin Carter down the field, which came on a massive off-schedule play for an explosive touchdown. This was the go-ahead touchdown for WVU from 45-yards away, putting it ahead 17-13.
At the end of the half, the Pokes had a chance at a field goal from 31 yards away but Hale missed it wide right and WVU went into the break with a 17-13 advantage.
The Cowboys’ first drive of the second half went for seven plays and benefited from a personal foul penalty attached but the possession ended in a great punt that backed up the Mountaineers deep into their own territory, inside the 10-yard line. They were relegated to a punt after just three plays.
Oklahoma State went 19 yards in six plays after the punt but quarterback Alan Bowman made a mistake and threw a questionable pass into coverage that was intercepted by WVU safety Anthony Wilson, the second turnover on the night for the Pokes. However, the takeaway did put West Virginia deep into its own territory once again, inside the five-yard line, and they punted after only gaining three yards.
The Cowboys took advantage of WVU only recording six total offensive plays through seven minutes in the third quarter and they were able to reclaim the lead with a five-yard passing score from Bowman to wide receiver Jaden Bray to go ahead 20-17.
Taking over at the 25, West Virginia only ran for 15 yards and was assisted by a pass interference penalty on the drive until wide receiver and speedster EJ Horton burned past the Oklahoma State defense down the field and Greene found him on a 32-yard touchdown strike, taking back the lead at 24-20.
In the first minute of the fourth quarter, the Mountaineer defense got a strong stop after six plays and forced a Oklahoma State punt, but the return was muffed and the Pokes jumped back onto the ball and took the fumble to begin a new drive at WVU’s 27-yard line.
In 55 seconds, the Cowboys immediately took advantage of this second chance on offense and fought back into the lead with powerful running from Gordon and his 16-yard touchdown carry to put OSU ahead at 27-24.
Greene fired a pass in a tight window and Johnson got a strong 30-yard rush in WVU’s next possession, but the Mountaineers were held to no gain inside the 10 and Hayes tied the contest up once again at 27-27, with his 29-yard kick.
In the ensuing Cowboys’ drive with eight minutes to go in the game, two personal fouls against West Virginia equaling 30 yards set up the Pokes with strong field position in plus territory and the tackling issues continued to show. Bowman then threw a pass in the flats to Presley and he broke a tackle and sped away from the WVU defense for a 29-yard passing touchdown, giving OSU a 34-27 lead with seven minutes to go. West Virginia went five plays and turned the ball over on downs at midfield, but Gordon put Oklahoma State ahead by two scores after his 46-yard touchdown on the very next play.
WVU answered the score with a touchdown of their own in just over 90 seconds, after West Virginia tailback CJ Donaldson scored from three-yards out and brought the game within a touchdown.
The momentum didn't last long for WVU however after a failed onside kick attempt, as Gordon broke off another huge gain in just two plays to tack on his fourth touchdown of the night from 53 yards away, along with a massive 282 yard rushing performance to mark the second-largest rushing game against the Mountaineers in school history.
A turnover on downs in the next WVU possession would seal the 48-34 victory for Oklahoma State.
After this single matchup at home, West Virginia travels back on the road to face a new Big 12 opponent in the UCF Golden Knights on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon on FS1.
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