AMES, Iowa — Tavon Austin turned a touch pass from Geno Smith into a 75-yard touchdown with 6:31 left and West Virginia held on to beat Iowa State 31-24 Friday to break a five-game losing streak.
In the first game between the two schools, the Mountaineers (6-5, 3-5 Big 12) trailed 24-23 when they took over on their own 25 after Iowa State’s Edwin Arceo kicked a 49-yard field goal
Smith took the snap in shotgun formation and immediately flicked the ball to Austin cutting in front of him. Austin, who had been held in check until then, turned the corner and easily outran the pursuit down the left sideline
Iowa State (6-6, 4-5) then drove to the West Virginia 7, but Jeff Woody fumbled into the end zone and Karl Joseph recovered for the Mountaineers, which ran out the clock
West Virginia became bowl eligible for the 11th straight season with the victory and could enhance its postseason position with a victory over Kansas at home in its regular-season finale next Saturday. The Mountaineers’ losing streak had been their longest since dropping six in a row in 1986.
Iowa State played its regular-season finale and will await its third bowl bid in coach Paul Rhoads’ four seasons.
