AUSTIN, Texas-No. 8 West Virginia (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) received a career rushing day from sophomore Andrew Buie and some timely defense and the result was a 48-45 victory over No. 11 Texas Saturday night at Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Buie carried the bulk of the offensive attack in the second half, finishing with 207 yards on 31 carries and scoring his second touchdown of the game-a 5-yarder with 1:18 left in the contest.
The defense, which surrendered 63 points in a win over Baylor a week ago, came up with a pair of stops in the final 15 minutes of play and held the Longhorns to only one score-David Ash's 8-yard pass to Marquise Goodwin with only 15 ticks left on the clock.
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West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, left, is sacked by Texas defender Jackson Jeffcoat (44) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo)
Texas, now 4-1 and 1-1 in Big 12 play, attempted the onside kick, but freshman Nana Kyrehmeh came up with the loose ball to seal WVU's second victory in conference play.
The Longhorns jumped out to a 38-34 lead after three quarters of action thanks to Joe Bergeron's fourth rushing touchdown of the game-a 4-yarder with 29 seconds left in the third quarter.
However, WVU fought back behind the play of Buie and senior quarterback Geno Smith to take the lead for good, 41-38 on a 6-yard scoring strike to Stedman Bailey with 10:50 left in the game.
It was the defense's turn to shine next as senior Pat Miller broke up a fourth down pass from Ash to Mike Davis with 8:09 on the clock.
A Smith fumble, his second of the game, returned the ball back to the hosts one play later. But, the defense came up with another big play when Ash was dropped for a 16-yard loss on third-and-6 at the WVU 8. A 41-yard field goal try by Penn State transfer Anthony Fera was wide right and Smith's fourth touchdown pass of the game-a 5-yarder to Bailey-sealed the Mountaineers' second victory in their newest conference.
And, biggest road win this season.
Texas took a one-point, 28-27, lead into the locker room thanks to three sacks and a 7-play, 67-yard drive where Ash connected on all four of his passes. Bergeron put the hosts in the lead for the first time with his third touchdown of the first 30 minutes, 28-24.
Smith, and WVU, fought back to make it a one-point affair on Bitancurt's second field goal of the first half - a 41-yarder with no time left on the clock.
West Virginia wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as the Longhorns won the toss, but elected to defer until the second half.
The Mountaineers made them pay for that decision as Tavon Austin returned the opening kickoff 43 yards, giving the visitors a first-and-10 at the WVU 44. Five plays later the guests were in the end zone when Smith hit high school teammate Bailey on an 8-yard scoring strike.
Once again, however, West Virginia was haunted by a breakdown by its defense. Facing a third-and-7 at their 37, the Longhorns' Ash found a wide open Daje Johnson and the freshman raced down the sideline to the Mountaineer 15 before being pushed out of bounds by Darwin Cooke, who picked up a personal foul for grasping the facemask, giving the hosts a first-and-goal at the WVU 8.
Three rushes later Texas scored on a 2-yard dive by Bergeron. But, it was a shortlived tie as West Virginia, after a fourth down stop by its defense, was back in business at its 44 with 4:43 left in the opening quarter.
This time, it was the old gold and blue's turn to go for it on fourth down. And, thanks to a late timeout by the Longhorns' Mack Brown that negated a sack by his defense, the Mountaineers made them pay as Smith found Austin for a 40-yard score.
