Mountaineers Drop Big 12 Contest to TCU

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – TCU received 247 yards and a landing by way of the air from quarterback Josh Hoover to defeat West Virginia 23-17 in a aggressive Big 12 soccer recreation tonight at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The two-touchdown-plus underdog Mountaineers, with true freshman quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. making his second begin of the season, performed their best recreation in league motion this season.

Fox set a WVU file for true freshman quarterbacks together with his 301 passing yards, eclipsing Dan Kendra’s 51-year file of 208 passing yards in a house loss to Temple in 1974.

Fox accomplished 28 of his 41 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the primary time in eight video games this season {that a} beginning Mountaineer quarterback performed the whole recreation.

“The kid battled and competed,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez mentioned of his freshman quarterback. “But when you don’t run the ball for more than (41) yards, then you aren’t going to win.”

Fox’s counterpart linked on 24 of 39 cross makes an attempt, 9 of these going to Eric McAlister for 124 yards and a landing.

TCU’s Trent Battle led all ball carriers with 89 yards on 19 makes an attempt.

Cam Vaughn made all six of his receptions for 89 yards within the second half to steer West Virginia, which drops to 2-6 general and 0-5 in Big 12 play.

TCU stays in Big 12 championship recreation rivalry with a 6-2 general file and a 3-2 mark in convention play.

Neither crew had a lot success working the soccer within the first half, however Battle’s 46-yard jaunt late within the second quarter did put Nate McCashland in place to kick his second subject aim of the half, a 22-yarder.

McCashland’s first got here on TCU’s opening possession after the Mountaineers had punted. Hoover’s 26-yard cross to Major Everhart arrange McCashland’s 35-yard boot.

West Virginia’s floor recreation netted solely 33 yards on 23 first-half rushes and failed on 4 of its 5 fourth down tries, two of these approaching the Mountaineers’ aspect of the 50.

The first unsuccessful one, on the WVU 34, led to the sport’s first landing, a Battle 1-yard plunge.

The second, on the TCU 30, additionally ended with the Horned Frogs crossing the aim line. TCU had its greatest drive of the half, marching 70 yards in 11 performs and culminating with McAlister’s 4-yard landing reception from Hoover.

WVU’s lone rating within the first half got here within the second quarter on account of a brief subject. Ethan Craw’s quick 23-yard punt bounced backwards to the Horned Frogs’ 35, the place West Virginia took over.

After Cyncir Bowers was thrown for a 3-yard loss, Fox accomplished a 15-yard cross to Jarod Bowie, who was hauled down on the TCU 23. A Bowers 6-yard run received the ball to the 17, the place Fox flipped a cross down the center to large open tight finish Grayson Barnes standing close to the tip zone.

The WVU protection, which didn’t register a sack in its prior 4 Big 12 video games, received its first of the season within the second quarter when Devin Grant sacked Hoover for an 8-yard loss.

West Virginia scored the one factors of the third quarter on Kade Hensley’s 28-yard subject aim, decreasing TCU’s result in 20-10. The Mountaineers’ possession started at their very own 20 on account of Grant’s cross breakup on fourth and a couple of.

Fox accomplished 6 of his 8 cross makes an attempt on the drive, together with a 29-yarder down the center of the sphere to Vaughn to the TCU 10. But Fox’s subsequent cross was batted down by Max Carroll, after which he was thrown down for a 5-yard loss on third and aim.

Hensley’s subject aim got here with 1:20 left within the third.

The Horned Frogs answered West Virginia’s rating when McCashland kicked his third subject aim with 4:48 remaining within the recreation, culminating a 13-play drive that consumed 6:50 of clock. 

TCU transformed three third downs earlier than the drive stalled on the Mountaineer 24.

Here, Fox directed West Virginia’s greatest drive of the sport by finishing passes of seven, 6, 18 and 16 yards earlier than connecting with Jeff Weimer down the far sideline for a 28-yard landing. The march lined 75 yards in simply 1:33.

Hensley’s conversion kick lowered TCU’s result in 23-17 with 3:15 left.

West Virginia, utilizing two timeouts on the prior defensive possession, selected to strive an onside kick, which Battle recovered on the WVU 44. 

The Mountaineers pressured a 3rd and 6 on the 40, however Hoover accomplished a 21-yard cross to the far aspect of the sphere to McAlister. The soccer was punched out of his grasp, however Everhart was capable of get better it on the West Virginia 18.

The Horned Frogs then took a knee thrice to expire the clock.

“The last game was embarrassing. We were loafing and were not hitting, but today, I thought we were more physical,” Rodriguez mentioned.

A crowd of 54,110 witnessed tonight’s Coal Rush-themed homecoming recreation.

It was additionally TCU’s first look in Morgantown since 2022 when it performed within the nationwide championship recreation towards Georgia.

West Virginia is again on the highway to face Houston on Saturday, Nov. 1. Game time and tv data is forthcoming.