MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia Mountaineers secured a thrilling 32-28 victory over Kansas in their lightning-delayed Big 12 opener on Saturday. The game came down to the wire, with Garrett Greene connecting with Rodney Gallagher for a game-winning 15-yard touchdown pass with just 26 seconds left on the clock.
West Virginia, trailing by 11 points, staged a late comeback with Greene throwing two touchdown passes in the final 3:27. This victory was a redemption after last week’s heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh, where the Mountaineers let a 10-point lead slip away in the final minutes.
The game’s outcome was sealed when West Virginia’s Tyrin Bradley made a crucial play by stripping the ball from Jalon Daniels and recovering it with just 8 seconds remaining.
Despite Kansas looking in control after Luke Grimm’s touchdown, Greene rallied the Mountaineers with a touchdown pass to Kole Taylor and a two-point conversion. Greene then led the team down the field, with a 25-yard run setting up the winning play to Gallagher.
Greene had an exceptional game, throwing for 295 yards and a touchdown, along with a rushing touchdown. Hudson Clement also stood out, catching seven passes for 150 yards. On the other side, Devin Neal rushed for 110 yards for Kansas.
The game saw a nearly two-hour delay due to lightning, adding to the drama of the matchup.
The takeaways:
Kansas: The Jayhawks have now lost three straight games, signaling a challenging season ahead.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers showcased resilience in their comeback win, but face a tough schedule ahead with games against ranked opponents.
Up next:
Kansas: TCU is up next on the schedule for the Jayhawks.
West Virginia: After a week off, the Mountaineers will face No. 14 Oklahoma State on October 5.
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