WVU tops Rutgers in three overtimes
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Jarrett Brown threw a 22-yard touchdown pass in the third overtime and West Virginia cornerback Vaughn Rivers knocked down Mike Teel’s 2-point conversion pass to preserve a 41-39 win over Rutgers on Saturday night, denying the Scarlet Knights their first BCS berth and allowing Louisville to gain the automatic bid. Brown ran for one touchdown and threw for another in his first career start to help No. 15 West Virginia (10-2, 5-2 Big East) cap its second straight 10-win season. Brown started for Pat White, who missed the game with a sore ankle.
Starting with the third overtime, teams are required to go for 2-point conversions following touchdowns. Brown hit Brandon Myles across the middle for the go-ahead score against No. 13 Rutgers (10-2, 5-2), then found Dorrell Jalloh with a 2-point pass for a 41-33 lead.
Rutgers’ Ray Rice then scored from 2 yards out. On the 2-point try, Teel scrambled to his right and threw toward Rice but Vaughn Rivers broke up the pass and several thousand fans in the sellout crowd ran onto the field in celebration.
Rutgers, so close to winning its first conference title, now could have to settle for the Texas Bowl. The Scarlet Knights dropped to 0-15 in Morgantown, dating to 1920.
West Virginia is headed to either the Gator or Sun bowls. The Gator notified the Big 12 that it will wait until Sunday to choose a team from the Big East or the Big 12. The Sun Bowl has the next choice after the Gator.
No. 6 Louisville beat Connecticut 48-17 earlier Saturday to secure at least a tie for the conference title, then waited for the Rutgers-West Virginia result.
It took awhile longer than expected.
Rutgers came from 10 points down for a 23-20 lead late in the fourth quarter on Jeremy Ito’s 31-yard field goal. West Virginia’s Pat McAfee kicked a 30-yarder with 53 seconds left to tie the score at 23-all.
Both kickers made field goals in the first overtime.
In the second overtime, Rice broke several tackles on a 12-yard run to the 2, setting up Leonard’s touchdown run on the next play and giving the Scarlet Knights their first lead since early in the third quarter.
Brown then found Myles with a 19-yard pass to the 1 on third down and Steve Slaton scored on the next play to tie the score at 33-33.
Brown got his first career start in place of the injured White.
Brown, a sophomore who appeared in five games earlier this season as White’s backup, threw a 31-yard pass to Slaton on West Virginia’s first drive that led to a field goal.
White, a sophomore, missed his first start in 16 games with a sore left ankle suffered in a loss last week against South Florida. White was listed as available to play against Rutgers.