West Virginia Falls to Kansas in OT

Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia Mountaineers fell to the Kansas Jayhawks in overtime 55-42 Saturday afternoon.

On the opening drive of the game, West Virginia quarterback JT Daniels connected with Sam James down the right sideline for a 59-yard touchdown pass and catch.

The Kansas offense was its own worst enemy on its opening drive with a pair of penalties pinning the Jayhawks back and forcing the only punt of the first half.

The Mountaineers cashed in on the opportunity to build a two-possession lead on a 12-play 60-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard run from CJ Donaldson and WVU held a 14-0 lead.

Kansas began constructing drives together under the direction of quarterback Jalon Daniels, picking the defense apart in the run and the pass. The Jayhawks started the second quarter finishing a 79-yard drive for a touchdown to get back within seven 14-7.

JT Daniels had an efficient first half, connecting on his first 10 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns - two to Bryce Ford-Wheaton.

The Mountaineers scored a touchdown on their first four drives of the game but they answered on three, gashing the Mountaineer defense for 96 rushing yards in the first half and another 127 yards through the air and were within a touchdown at the break.

Kansas took the opening drive of the second half right down the field to tie the game set up by a 40-yard completion over the middle to Quintin Skinner to the WVU three-yard line before Daniel Hishaw punched it in.

West Virginia stalled and was forced to punt, and the Mountaineers defense reciprocated with a stand of their own but on the punt, Reese Smith muffed the punts and the Jayhawks pounced on it at the WVU 24. Six plays later, Devin Neal gave the Jayhawks a 35-28 lead on a two-yard run.

On the following possession West Virginia drove the ball down to the Kansas 10 before settling before a field goal.

The Jayhawks offense could not be stopped. A completion of 30 yards to Luke Grimm then a 30-yard touchdown run pushed the Jayhawk lead to 11, 42-31 with 10:59 left to play in the game.

The Mountaineers slowly moved the ball to the Kansas one and were facing a fourth and goal, but a false start pushed the offense back and West Virginia opted to kick the field goal to cut into the deficit 42-24 with 4:04 left to play.

The West Virginia would get the stop that they needed and following the punt, the Mountaineers took over at their own 15.

The Mountaineers quickly faced a 4th and five but Prather kept the drive alive with a diving grab and WVU was off and running. Prather again came up big on a tipped ball over the middle he hunted down and raced down to the Kansas 23-yard line. Then, Bryce Ford-Wheaton made a sliding grab at the one-yard line and CJ Donaldson busted into the endzone to get within two with 35 seconds remaining.

On the two-point conversion, Daniels lined up in the gun and then, feeling pressure scrambled within the pocket and found Wheaton in the back of the endzone to tie the game at 42.

West Virginia won the toss and elected to play defense in the first overtime.

The Mountaineers had stopped the Jayhawks on third and five but a roughing the passer kept the drive alive and moved the ball to the ten for a first and goal. From the four, Daniels connected with Skinner over the middle.

On West Virginia's first possession and facing third and five, JT Daniels looked to Bryce Ford-Wheaton on an out and Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant jumped the route and took it back for the pick six as Kansas upset the Mountaineers 55-42.

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