MORGANTOWN, W.Va — Landry Jones threw a 5 YD touchdown pass to Kenny Stills on fourth down with 24 seconds left to propel Oklahoma to a 50-49 shootout victory over the Mountaineers. The game looked like a prize fight with teams exchanging blow for blow until the clock hit zero on the scoreboard.
Oklahoma (8 – 2, 6 – 1 Big 12) jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first thanks to a 4 YD pass from Landry Jones (38/51, 554 YDS, 6 TD,1 INT) to Trey Millard. They would then convert a field goal after a Geno Smith (20/35, 320 YDS, 4 TD, 2 INT) interception at midfield.
West Virginia (5 – 5, 2 – 5 Big 12) bounced back with an extra point-like field goal by Tyler Bittancurt. Both teams then exchanged punts before a Damien Williams fumble at midfield would put WVU back into business. On third and ten from the Oklahoma 35, Tavon Austin, who started the game at RB, rushed 17 yards to keep the drive alive which would result in an Andrew Buie 1 YD rush to tie the game up.
WVU piled up 778 total yards of offense in the loss against an Oklahoma D that dominated its opponents. Tavon Austin exposed the Sooners average rush defense by amassing a school record 344 yards on the ground while scoring two touchdowns, both coming on long runs. Stedman Bailey led the wideouts with 205 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns, more than the OU defense has given up all year.
The Sooners were led by the 10-catch, 4 touchdown effort by Kenny Stills who grabbed the final two scores after the Mountaineers had taken the lead for the first time. The OU running game was led by Williams who had 92 yards and a touchdown.
Oklahoma regained a two-score lead in the second on a 76 YD pass from Jones to Saunders and a 4 YD pass from Jones to Stills. The two teams would then exchange TD passes before the halftime bell to make it 31-17.
WVU would start the comeback in the Third when Tavon Austin took the second play from scrimmage 74 yards to cut the lead to 7. OU would quickly answer with another Jones to Stills hookup, this time from 11 YDS out. Tavon Austin would score his final TD of the game from 4 YDS out to end the 3rd quarter scoring. Bittancurt would miss the extra point which turned out to be the difference in the game.
The Sooners looked to be driving at the start of the fourth but Jones would be Intercepted by Brodrick Jenkins at the WVU 3.
That would set up the longest drive of the night, a 5 play, 97 YD drive that was highlighted by a 24 YD QB scramble by Geno Smith which gave Mountaineer fans flashbacks of the days of when Major Harris ran the offense. Smith would then finish off the drive with a 4 YD pass to Stedman Bailey. The 2pt try would be just out of reach of Bailey making the score 38-36.
WVU would force a Sooner punt and take the lead two plays later when Smith again found Bailey in the end zone for an 8 YD hookup to give the Mounties their first lead, 43-38.
The two teams would exchange scores again before Landry Jones led the Sooners on their game-winning drive with 2:43 left. OU had first and ten from the twelve but could only gain seven yards in three downs setting up the do-or-die fourth down from the five. Jones would find Stills on a slant pattern at the goal line for the winning score.
Before this week, the WVU run game had been little-to-none. Tavon Austin looks to have changed that look for the final two weeks. Coach, Dana Holgerson needed a change; “We haven’t been able to run the ball so we had to do something.” Look for Austin to be in the backfield quite a few times in the last two games.
The Defense had yet another letdown, especially on third down. “We played well on first and second down but couldn’t get off the field on third down”, said Defense Coordinator, Joe Deforest. “We were in position to make the plays to win the game, but we didn’t”
The Mountaineers will look to regroup against Iowa State next Saturday.
