WVU holds on for 35-32 win over BYU
West Virginia center Tyler Orlosky can thank defensive back Maurice Fleming for bailing him out in spectacular fashion, as the Mountaineers (3-0) held on for a 35-32 win over BYU (1-3) at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
In an apparent miscommunication with quarterback Skyler Howard, Orlosky snapped the ball when Howard wasn’t ready for it, resulting in a fumble and a BYU recovery inside their own 10-yard line with mere minutes to go, and WVU leading by just three points. At the time, WVU was driving down the field looking for the score that could put the game away.
On the ensuing drive, as BYU tried to take the lead or tie the game, the Cougars managed to drive all the way to the WVU 28-yard line. With a minute to go, Fleming intercepted BYU redshirt senior quarterback Taysom Hill on a tipped ball at the goal line, icing the win for the Mountaineers.
For most of the game, the West Virginia offense hummed like a finely tuned engine in an old fashioned American muscle car. Humming to the tune of 481 yards of offense against BYU’s hard-nosed, physical defense.
WVU QB Skyler Howard continued his strong start to the season, completing 31 of 40 of his passes, and throwing for 332 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Howard added 27 yards and another touchdown on the ground as well. From the opening kickoff, Howard made it his mission to spread the ball around, as 10 different players caught a pass against BYU.
Hill kept BYU in the game with his dynamic playmaking ability. After the Cougars fell behind 35-19 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Hill orchestrated a pair of scoring drives to the tune of 13 unanswered points to get BYU right back in the game. He finished with 241 passing yards with two touchdowns and an abysmal three interceptions.
For much of the game, the WVU defense had no answer for BYU’s power running attack. Cougars’ running back Jamaal Williams carried the ball 24 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Williams is the first 100-yard rusher allowed by the WVU defense since Texas’ D'Onta Foreman ran for 152 yards against WVU last November.
The red zone offense, which has been an Achilles heel in the first two games for the Mountaineers, showed up in a big way, as West Virginia went 4-5, all for touchdowns, in the red zone.
At the beginning of the third quarter, holding onto a 28-19 lead, the WVU offense was backed up at their own 1-yard line after a BYU punt bounced out of bounds. But, then proceeded to march 99 yards down the field in 12 plays with a methodical mix of passes and runs, that was punctuated by a 9-yard touchdown pass from Howard to wide receiver Daikiel Shorts.
Shelton Gibson continued to show why he’s one of the best big play receivers in the country, as he averaged 36 yards per catch against BYU. He finished with 144 yards on four catches.
Ultimately, turnovers proved to be the difference in the game. WVU finished with two turnovers, while BYU turned the ball over four times, including two interceptions thrown by Hill on their final two drives.
Next Saturday, the Mountaineers will return home to Milan Puskar Stadium, as they open Big 12 Conference play against Kansas State in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.