WVU holds on for 42-34 win over Texas Tech
No. 12 West Virginia (4-0, 2-0) remained unbeaten with a 42-34 win over No. 25 Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1) Saturday afternoon in Lubbock.
The Mountaineers had a strong start to the game and were able to execute and capitalize on Texas Tech miscues, but Texas Tech managed to put together a second half rally that came up short as the Red Raiders outscored West Virginia, 24-7, in the second half.
West Virginia quarterback Will Grier went 27-of-41 for 370 yards with three touchdowns as Marcus Simms eclipsed 100 receiving yards for the third straight week, catching a career-high nine passes for 138 yards and one touchdown.
True freshman quarterback Alan Bowman went 9-of-20 for 123 yards with one touchdown and an interception before he left the game late in the first with an injury. His replacement, Jett Duffey, finished the game going 16-of-27 for 172 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as well as 86 rushing yards.
West Virginia wasted no time on its opening drive as Grier and the offense drove 75 yards down the field in seven plays and took an early 7-0 lead with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Grier to Gary Jennings.
On the ensuing drive, safety Kenny Robinson came up with his fourth career interception off a tipped Bowman pass and West Virginia later capitalized with a one-yard touchdown run from Leddie Brown, extending its lead to 14-0 at the 8:06 mark in the first quarter.
West Virginia’s defense forced Texas Tech to punt on its next drive, but the Mountaineers would do so as well after their next offensive drive after a couple of dropped passes from Jennings and a false start.
After West Virginia’s defense forced a three-and-out, Grier would connect with Simms for a 45-yard touchdown pass to cap off a three-play, 68-yard drive and extend the team’s lead to 21-0.
Texas Tech though would answer back with a quick scoring drive of its own as Bowman found Antoine Wesley for a 40-yard touchdown pass to cap a four-play, 65-yard scoring drive that took just 57 seconds off the clock.
The Mountaineers responded on the ensuing drive with a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 38-yard touchdown run from Kennedy McKoy which gave West Virginia a 28-7 lead over the Red Raiders after the first quarter.
Another scoring drive followed as Texas Tech took 5:26 off the clock with a 14-play, 76-yard drive, but the Red Raiders got just a 25-yard field goal out of it, cutting West Virginia’s lead down to 18 points.
West Virginia would turn the ball over on downs on its next offensive drive, but Texas Tech would go three-and-out as Bowman exited the game with an injury and didn’t return.
The Mountaineers extended their lead with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Grier to Jennings on their next offensive drive and Robinson’s second interception of the game late in the first half kept West Virginia’s lead at 35-10 heading into halftime.
Texas Tech received the second half kickoff, but the offense, with Duffey taking over for Bowman, were forced to punt for the fourth time of the afternoon.
West Virginia’s offense though struggled to start the second half and failed to score points on its first two possessions, punting the ball on its first drive and missing a 53-yard field goal on its second.
Texas Tech then managed to cut West Virginia’s lead down to 35-17 thanks to a two-yard touchdown pass from Duffey to De'Quan Bowman.
After another West Virginia punt, Texas Tech took advantage and drove down the key with some key plays, including a 27-yard run from Duffey on fourth down, which eventually set up a 27-yard field goal to bring West Virginia’s lead down to 35-20.
West Virginia would punt again after Grier was sacked on third down and Texas Tech capitalized again with a 35-yard pass from Duffey to Wesley which set up a three-yard touchdown run from Duffey, making it a one possession game.
A third straight punt from West Virginia set Texas Tech up at its own 24-yard line, but Keith Washington would help seal the game with a 51-yard interception for a touchdown which extended West Virginia’s lead to 42-27.
Texas Tech added a late touchdown, but West Virginia recovered the ensuing onside kick to officially seal the win.
The Mountaineers will return to Morgantown next Saturday to face Kansas at noon.
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