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West Virginia Holds on in Big 12 Opener at Kansas

<p><span style="color: #000000;">Matchup</span></p><p><img class="imageLoaded" src="https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/277.png&amp;h=100&amp;w=100"></p><p><img class="imageLoaded" src="https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2305.png&amp;h=100&amp;w=100"></p>

1st Downs

25

20

3rd down efficiency

9-18

4-10

4th down efficiency

0-1

0-0

Total Yards

394

417

Passing

202

275

Comp-Att

25-37

19-26

Yards per pass

5.5

10.6

Interceptions thrown

0

1

Rushing

192

142

Rushing Attempts

48

30

Yards per rush

4.0

4.7

Penalties

5-41

4-45

Turnovers

0

2

Fumbles lost

0

1

Interceptions thrown

0

1

Possession

37:41

22:19

Lawrence, KS - The West Virginia Mountaineers won their conference opener over the Kansas Jayhawks 29-24 Saturday evening. WVU won the time of possession and nearly ran for 200 yards in the game, while the defense held the Jayhawks running back duo to just 103 yards on the ground after going for over 300 last week.

West Virginia made their statement at the beginning of the game. The defense forced Kansas to put after a three and out, then Austin Kendall went 4-5 for 42 yards and Kennedy McKoy capped off the drive walking into the endzone to finish a 71-yard touchdown.

The Mountaineer defense held Kansas to just 36 total yards in the first quarter. However, tied the game early in the second quarter after quarterback Carter Stanley scampered up the field for 19 yards before hitting Kwamie Lassiter for a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Midway through the second quarter, defensive lineman Dante Still collapsed the pocket and knocked the ball out of Carter Stanley’s hand and Josh Chandler fell on the ball, setting the Mountaineer offense just inside KU territory.

The Mountaineer offense went a bit stagnant after their opening drive and was unable to capitalize on the good field position and had to settle for a 42-yard attempt from Evan Staley that sailed wide right.

The West Virginia defense held Kansas to a pair of three and outs and WVU took over at their 29 with 49 seconds left in the half. Austin Kendall went 5-6 for 39 yards a pair of runs for McKoy set up Evan Staley to bank it in from 37 yards out.

The Mountaineers began the second half with the ball and took the opening drive 70 yards. Kendall dinked and dunked the offense inside Kansas territory before Kennedy McKoy ripped off a 15-yard run to the 30. Two plays later, Martell Pettaway took his first carry since the 3rd quarter of the Missouri game 23 yards to pay dirt putting WVU up 17-7.

Kansas responded with a 23-yard field goal set up by 57 yards on the ground to get back in within one possession.

Jayhawk head coach Les Miles decided to go for an onside kick and appeared Kansas recovered it. However, the officials threw the flag citing the defender impeded the receiver and WVU took over at the KU 31.

The West Virginia offense was held to a three and out, but Evan Staley split the uprights from 44 yards to put WVU back up ten, 20-10.

On the first play of the ensuing possession, Carter Stanley hit Andrew Parchment deep over the middle and he raced to the endzone to cut the WVU lead to three, 20-17.

West Virginia began the following drive at their own 17 after an uncharacteristic false start on tackle Colton McKivitz. Nonetheless, they picked up the first down and more. A pair of passes to TJ Simmons and Winston Wright Jr combined for 30 yards and got WVU to midfield.

The Mountaineers began chewing up clock keeping the ball on the ground until fourth and one at the KU 24 Kendall took a shot into the endzone to George Campbell, but Hasan Defense was called for pass interference to keep the drive alive. However, the drive stalled at the five and WVU settled for a 22-yard field goal to go up six.

On the fourth play of the following possession, Keith Washington reached up and picked-off Carter Stanley at midfield.

West Virginia continued to eat up the clock running the ball 10 times for 44 yards including Martell Pettaway getting his second touchdown of the day from seven yards out. WVU head coach Neal Brown opted to go for two and a trick play to Isaiah Isdale failed but held a 29-17 lead.

Those last two drives ate up just over 12 minutes of clock.

Kansas answered with a 10-play 70-yard touchdown drive to get within five with 2:10 left in the game. The Jayhawks second onside kick went out of bounds and WVU took over at their own 48-yard line.

Kendall Austin began the drive with an 11-yard run and West Virginia kept the clock running with three-straight carries and Kansas used all three of their timeouts before Josh Growden punted the ball in the endzone for the touchback with 32 seconds left.

A couple of completions to Lassiter and Parchment got the Jayhawks to midfield to set up the hook and latter that came up 12 yards short of a touchdown as the Mountaineers held on to win their conference opener 29-24.

West Virginia has a bye next week before hosting No. 12 Texas during homecoming weekend on October 5th.