Football knocks off West Virginia in overtime, 47-40

Saturday, November 9

Morgantown, W.Va.

6 p.m.

University of Texas

7-2 , 6-0

West Virginia

4-6 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Texas

West Virginia

Case McCoy hits Alex De La Torre (pictured) for a 2-yard TD pass in OT.

Football knocks off West Virginia in overtime, 47-40

11.09.2013 | Football

Box Score

Defense forces five turnovers as Texas improves to 6-0 in Big 12.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Case McCoy hit Alex De La Torre for a 2-yard touchdown pass in overtime and Texas knocked off West Virginia, 47-40, in a back-and-forth affair Saturday night in Morgantown.

Texas linebacker Steve Edmond twice prevented West Virginia from the equalizing score in overtime -- first tipping a pass in the end zone on third down, and then intercepting Mountaineer quarterback Paul Millard in the end zone on fourth down to seal the win.

By winning their sixth straight game, the Longhorns (7-2) maintained sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with a 6-0 league record, a half-game ahead of Baylor.

McCoy went 27 of 49 for 283 yards and three touchdowns and the Texas defense forced five turnovers in a game that featured seven lead changes. Jaxon Shipley caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Malcolm Brown ran 28 times for 89 yards and a score.

Edmond, who had a career- and team-high 12 tackles on the night, was part of a defensive effort that recorded six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Longhorns also forced four fumbles -- recovering three -- and had two interceptions.

Texas sent the game into overtime when Anthony Fera booted his fourth field goal of the game, a 24-yarder with 13 seconds left in regulation.

The two sides traded scores throughout the second half, turning what was a 19-13 West Virginia lead at halftime into a seesaw affair.

After Adrian Phillips intercepted Millard to setup a 29-yard field goal from Fera to make it 19-16, West Virginia went on a 91-yard touchdown drive to go back ahead by 10.

Texas responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to get within 26-23. McCoy hit Mike Davis for a 49-yard touchdown pass -- Texas' 11th scoring play of 45 yards or more this season -- to cap off the drive.

The McCoy and Davis pairing were instrumental in Texas' next possession which led to a go-ahead touchdown. Davis drew a pass interference penalty and had a 29-yard reception to put Texas in scoring position. Joe Bergeron gave Texas the lead with an 8-yard run, making it 30-26 Texas, with 16 seconds left in the third quarter.

But West Virginia again retook the lead on the ensuing possession. A short kickoff and a face-mask penalty gave the Mountaineers good field possession at their own 48-yard line, and six plays later Dreamius Smith scampered in from eight yards out to make it 33-30.

Yet again, Texas answered. The Longhorns went on an 11-play, 66-yard drive to retake the lead. McCoy went 5 of 8 for 54 yards on the drive, including two crucial completions to Shipley. McCoy hit Shipley for a 36-yard gain on third-and-14, and three plays later again connected with Shipley on an 8-yard pass in the end zone.

On the Mountaineers' ensuing possession, Millard hit Mario Alford for a 72-yard strike to give West Virginia a 40-37 lead with 7:39 left in the game.

Texas drove down again to tie it. McCoy connected with Shipley for 9 yards on a fourth-and-7 to prolong the drive, and Brown had a 27-yard run to setup the game-tying field goal by Fera.

In the first half, West Virginia got a big play on special teams -- blocking a punt for a safety and turning the ensuing drive into a touchdown for an early 9-0 lead.

Texas' next two drives ended in a fumble and interception, but the Longhorns' defense prevented West Virginia from scoring on both of the resulting possessions.

Texas' defensive front provided constant pressure. The Longhorns had sacks on three straight plays in one span in the first quarter – with Desmond Jackson forcing a fumble on the third of those that Jackson Jeffcoat recovered, setting up a 37-yard field goal from Fera.

Texas forced another fumble on the Mountaineers' next drive, when Quandre Diggs applied initial pressure, and Cedric Reed forced and recovered a fumble. Taking over at the WVU 27-yard line, Texas took the lead five plays later when Malcolm Brown scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.

Texas allowed West Virginia just 19 yards of total offense in the first quarter, and forced three-and-outs or a turnover on five of its first six possessions.

West Virginia retook the lead midway through the second half with a five-play, 51-yard drive capped off by a 6-yard rushing touchdown by Charles Sims to make it 16-10 Mountaineers.

Texas got another field goal from Fera with 4:56 left in the second quarter after Carrington Byndom forced West Virginia's third fumble of the half and Cedric Reed recovered at the 7-yard line. Fera's 25-yard kick made it 16-13, but the Mountaineers stretched their lead to 19-13 with a 30-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Jackson and Reed both finished the game with two sacks, while Jeffcoat had one. The Longhorns have 24 sacks over the last six games.

Texas got its first-ever win against West Virginia in its first visit to Morgantown. The schools had met just twice previously, with the Mountaineers winning both.