WVU downs Baylor, 24-21, to reach 10 wins for first time in Big 12
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — It wasn’t pretty but the West Virginia University football team reached 10 wins for the first time since it joined the Big 12 with a 24-21 victory over Baylor on Saturday during Senior Day on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
“Obviously, I am happy for the guys,” WVU coach Dana Holgorsen said. “Happy for the 21 seniors and our football team. I guess it’s fitting that in a year where we battle and fight and get to 10 wins, we get to it the hardest way possible.”
No. 14 WVU (7-2 Big 12, 10-2) struggled to get its passing offense going all game, but broke it open when senior quarterback Skyler Howard found Gary Jennings over the middle for a 58-yard touchdown and a 17-14 WVU lead after the second of three PATs by Mike Molina at 2:04 of the third quarter. Howard was 10-of-26 for 111 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in his last start in Morgantown.
“All he does is win,” Holgorsen said in referring to Howard. “It doesn’t always look good but all he does is win. The guys and the team believe in him.”
Baylor (3-6 Big 12, 6-6) fumbled on the ensuing drive and Mountaineer senior Darrien Howard pounced on the ball. The Bears were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and West Virginia took over at the Baylor six. Howard scored on a one-yard keeper on fourth down for the touchdown and a 24-14 lead at 14:57 of the fourth.
“I think the bottom line today was four turnovers to zero turnovers,” Holgorsen said. “We didn’t play great on offense, but didn’t screw it up either.”
The Bears cut the deficit to three when Ishmael Zamora pulled in a 43-yard touchdown reception from Zach Smith for a touchdown at 2:40 of the fourth and a 24-21 WVU lead after the third of three PATs by Chris Callahan.
Baylor appeared to recover the ensuing onside kick but the Bears’ Aiavion Edwards was called for an illegal block and the visitors had to re-kick. The Mountaineers’ Trevon Wesco recovered the kick with 2:39 remaining in the game.
The Bears forced West Virginia to punt and took over at their own 20 with 51 seconds remaining. After a 17-yard gain to the 37 by JaMycal Hasty, WVU senior Noble Nwachukwu stripped the ball away from Smith on 2nd-and-10 and Howard pounced on the fumble to allow West Virginia to run out the clock. Howard had two fumble recoveries is his final collegiate home game.
Tony Gibson’s defensive unit also had interceptions by Marvin Gross and Jeremy Tyler to finish the regular season with 14 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. Senior cornerback Rasul Douglas has eight of those interceptions but the Van, West Virginia, native was glad to see others step up.
“Marvin and Noble stepped up and had a couple of big turnovers and JT (Tyler) had a big pick,” Gibson said. “It was good to see that next guy step up and make a play. I’m just proud of these guys. They keep fighting and find a way.”
Junior running back Justin Crawford didn’t match his season-high of 331 yards but ran for 209 yards on 28 carries with a long of 63. West Virginia rushed for 311 yards on 62 carries and scored one touchdown. Crawford has rushed for 1,168 yards this year and is the first Mountaineer to rush for 200 yards or more in multiple games since Pat White and Steve Slaton did so in the 2006 season.
“I thought Crawford ran the ball really well today,” Holgorsen said.
Molina got the Mountaineers on the board at 2:23 of the first when he nailed a career long 50-yard field goal to cap a 10-play, 27-yard drive that took 3:56 off the clock and gave WVU a 3-0 lead. The drive was filled with penalties as Baylor was flagged four times for 35 yards and West Virginia was penalized two times for 25 yards.
The Bears’ Terence Williams scored on a 10-yard run at 14:54 of the second for a 7-3 lead. Baylor extended its lead to 14-3 with KD Cannon pulled in a 60-yard touchdown pass from Smith at 9:03 of the second.
WVU responded on the ensuing drive with a 15-play, 78-yard drive that took 5:05 off the clock. The drive culminated with a touchdown on fourth down when Daikiel Shorts Jr. pulled in a four-yard reception from Howard at 3:52 of the second and a 14-10 Baylor lead.
The university announced Saturday evening that Holgorsen has been granted a contract extension for five years at WVU.