Shanna Rose I WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Josh Hoover threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as TCU hung on to defeat West Virginia 23-17 on Saturday night at Milan Puskar Stadium.
True freshman Scotty Fox Jr. set a Mountaineer record with his 301 passing yards, surpassing Dan Kendra’s 51-year record of 208 passing yards. Cam Vaughn finished with six catches for 85 yards.
“The kid battled and competed,” WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said of the freshman quarterback. “But when you don’t run the ball for more than (41) yards, then you aren’t going to win.”
The Mountaineers (2-6, 0-5 Big 12) dropped their fifth straight game.
Eric McAlister had nine catches for 124 yards and a touchdown for the Horned Frogs. Nate McCashland kicked three field goals of 35, 22, and 41 yards.
TCU (6-2, 3-2) took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before WVU even picked up a first down.
The Mountaineers finally got on the scoreboard in the second quarter after benefiting from a short field. Ethan Craw’s 23-yard punt bounced backward to the Horned Frogs’ 35-yard line, where WVU took over.
Cyncir Bowers was tackled for a 3-yard loss before Fox connected with Jarod Bowie for a 15-yard gain to the TCU 23. Bowers then broke off a 6-yard run to the 17, setting up Fox’s pass down the middle to a wide-open Grayson Barnes near the end zone.
The Horned Frogs made it 17-7 when Hoover connected with McAlister on a 4-yard catch with 6:12 remaining in the second quarter. A McCashland field goal made it 20–7 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Mountaineers pulled within 20-10 on Kade Hensley’s 28-yard field goal with 1:20 left in the third.
McCashland kicked his third field goal with 4:48 remaining in the game to put TCU up 23-10.
WVU refused to give up, and the defense stalled TCU at the Mountaineer 24 after they converted three third downs.
Fox rallied the Mountaineers on the ensuing drive, finding Jeff Weimer down the sideline for a 28-yard touchdown. Hensley’s PAT brought WVU within 23–17 with 3:15 left.
The Mountaineers attempted an onside kick, but Trent Battle recovered for TCU at the WVU 44. The defense forced a third-and-6 at the 40, but Hoover converted the first down, allowing TCU to run out the clock.
The Mountaineers travel to Houston next week to take on the Cougars
Photo Credit: Dale Sparks- All Pro Photograpy- WVU Athletics
