Football falls at West Virginia, 38-20

Saturday, November 14

Morgantown, W.Va.

11 a.m.

University of Texas

4-6 , 3-4

West Virginia

5-4 , 2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Texas

West Virginia

11.14.2015 | Football

Box Score

The Mountaineers convert five Longhorns turnovers into 24 crucial points in Big 12 victory

Texas postgame notes

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MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — West Virginia (5-4, 2-4 Big 12 Conference) turned five Longhorns turnovers into 24 crucial points as the Mountaineers knocked off Texas (4-6, 3-4 Big 12 Conference) on Saturday afternoon at Milan Puskar Stadium, 38-20.

Sophomore running back D'Onta Foreman powered the UT offense by gaining 147 rushing yards (his fourth 100-yard game this season) on a career-high 18 carries while scoring on a 65-yard scamper late in the first quarter. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard went 11-for-18 passing for 162 yards and a touchdown but also tossed two interceptions. Senior wide receiver Daje Johnson caught four passes for 76 yards and a score to lead the Texas receiving contingent, while freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson guided the defensive effort with 11 tackles, six of the solo variety.

For the game, the Longhorns out-gained West Virginia, 439-379, put up 277 yards on the ground and went 9-for-18 on third-down conversions, but were undermined by three fumbles and two picks.

With Texas' defense having stopped West Virginia on consecutive possessions to start the game, including the first interception of freshman cornerback Davante Davis' career, the Longhorns wasted little time in jumping to a 3-0 lead with 7:31 left in the first quarter. Bolstered by a key 30-yard pass from Heard to junior tight end Caleb Bluiett, the Burnt Orange & White moved 46 yards over eight plays with senior kicker Nick Rose completing the scoring drive on a 31-yard field goal.

Facing terrible field position at the UT seven-yard line, Heard got the Horns out of trouble on a third-and-seven play with a 37-yard toss to freshman wide receiver John Burt. Unfortunately, a fumble on Texas' very next snap was scooped up by West Virginia's Jared Barber and returned 42 yards for a TD.

The momentum swung right back to Texas, on the initial play of its next possession, as Foreman took a handoff and raced straight up the middle for a 65-yard score as the Longhorns snatched the lead right back at 10-7.

With 8:17 remaining in the first half, Elijah Wellman pushed the Mountaineers back in front by finishing off an eight-play, 56-yard drive via a one-yard scoring plunge to make it 14-10.

Texas again advanced deep into West Virginia territory late in the second quarter, moving 53 yards in 12 plays down to the WVU 25 before fumbling the ball away. That miscue proved costly as Skylar Howard connected with Jovon Durante on a 53-yard TD pass to send the teams to the break with the Mountaineers up 21-10.

Starting at their own 20 to begin the second half, the Longhorns mounted their best drive of the game by going on a 15-play, 80-yard drive to cut their deficit to 21-17 as Heard found Johnson on a five-yard touchdown pass.

With WVU back up by 11 following an eight-yard scoring toss from Howard to Daikiel Shorts, a Texas fumble on the ensuing kickoff set the Mountaineers up at the UT 22. From there a 19-yard field goal from kicker Josh Lambert boosted West Virginia to its largest lead of the day at 31-17 with 14:57 left in the contest.

A 34-yard Rose field goal drew the Longhorns within 31-20 with 9:24 remaining, but a late Mountaineer TD on a Howard scamper from two yards out secured the victory.