MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —
FINAL: TEXAS 42, WEST VIRGINIA 31
Texas came out a little flat to begin the game and allowed the Mountaineers to take an early lead, but Heisman candidate Sam Ehlinger answered the early adversity, leading the team to a 21-14 halftime lead. From there, the defensive play and running game from Roschon Johnson, who had his best performance of the season with 121 yards on 21 carries took Texas the rest of the way to its 42-31 victory in Morgantown.
The Longhorns defense played a huge role in keeping the Mountaineers at a comfortable distance on the scoreboard, intercepting West Virginia quarterback Austin Kendall four times. D'Shawn Jamison highlighted defensive effort with two of the four interceptions, including one where he miraculously fought a Mountaineers receiver in mid-air for the ball.
Texas improves to 4-1 on the season and will now look forward to the highly-anticipated matchup against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.
PHOTOS: No. 11 Texas Longhorns defeat West Virginia Mountaineers 42-31 in Morgantown
4TH Q:
TEXAS 42, WEST VIRGINIA 31
TEXAS (Own 15):
Texas recovered the onside kick and kneeled out the rest of the clock and won the game, 42-31.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 19):
Austin Kendall flipped the ball forward to T.J. Simmons for a short gain. On the next play, Kendall scrambled for a first down. Leddie Brown picked up another first down run to midfield. Kendall took a shot downfield, but the pass fell incomplete. Kendall threw one in the dirt to avoid a sack. On third and 10 from midfield, Kendall scrambled for four yards and slid. On fourth and six, Kendall threw the ball down the left sideline and completed the pass to the Texas 12-yard line. Kendall threw a pass for the end zone, but it sailed incomplete. On second down, Kendall's pass into the end zone was underthrown. On third and 10, Kendall's pass was ruled incomplete. The play was sent to the booth for review. The incomplete pass ruling was upheld. On fourth down, Kendall completed a touchdown pass with 48 seconds left. Texas leads 42-31.
TEXAS (WVU 47):
West Virginia kicked an onside kick, which was recovered by Texas at the WVU 47-yard line. Texas backed up five yards due to a delay of game penalty. Roschon Johnson gained six yards on a run up the middle and an unsportsmanlike penalty tacked on an extra 15 yards. Johnson was given the ball again on a zone read and he gained one yard. Johnson was given the ball again and gained six yards. West Virginia used its second timeout of the half. On third down, Sam Ehlinger scampered up the middle for a 23-yard touchdown run. Texas leads, 42-24.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 26):
Austin Kendall threw a swing pass to Leddie Brown for a gain of one yard. Kendall hit Sean Ryan down the field for a big gain. Kendall connected with Brown again on a swing pass for 13 yards. Kendall threw a three-yard screen play to Jovani Haskins. Kendall found T.J. Simmons on a shallow cross for a 21-yard touchdown. Texas leads 35-24 with 3:57 left in regulation.
TEXAS (Own 18):
Roschon Johnson started the drive with a six-yard run. Johnson picked up another three yards. On third and one, Sam Ehlinger kept the ball and picked up the first down on the ground. Kirk Johnson was given the ball on a zone read and picked up one yard. Kirk Johnson got the ball again and gained two yards. On third and seven, Ehlinger threw a pass to the right sideline, which fell incomplete. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 26-yard line.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 25):
Martell Pettaway picked up one yard on a draw play. Austin Kendall slung a pass over the middle to move the Mountaineers offense to midfield. Kendall's next pass fell incomplete on a check down to the running back. Pettaway ran another draw play for one yard. On third and nine, Kendall's pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage. On fourth and nine, West Virginia punted the ball to the Texas 18-yard line.
TEXAS (WVU 34):
Roschon Johnson picked up 11 yards on the first play. Johnson picked up four yards on another running play, which gave him over 100 yards on the day. Sam Ehlinger threw a quick screen pass to Jake Smith for a first down. Ehlinger rolled out to his right and threw back across the field to Samuel Cosmi, an offensive lineman, who then rumbled for 12-yard touchdown. Texas leads, 35-17.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 25):
Austin Kendall hit #18 on an out route for a first down. Kendall's pass was intercepted by D'Shawn Jamison. The pick was Kendall's fourth interception of the game and Jamison's second.
TEXAS (WVU 18):
Sam Ehlinger took a shot at the end zone for Devin Duvernay, but the pass fell incomplete. Roschon Johnson ran on a zone read for five yards. On third and five, Ehlinger handed the ball off to Duvernay, who scored a 13-yard touchdown. Texas leads 28-17.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 8):
Leddie Brown lost three yards on a run play. Austin Kendall hit Brown out of the backfield for a gain of 12 yards. Kendall's third down pass was intercepted by the Texas defense. The Longhorns will start with a short field.
TEXAS (Cont):
On third down, Ehlinger's pass fell incomplete. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia eight-yard line.
3RD Q:
TEXAS 21, WEST VIRGINIA 17
TEXAS (Own 25):
Roschon Johnson picked up eight yards on a run up the middle. Johnson picked up a first down on another solid run up the middle. Johnson gained three yards on a zone read. Keaontay Ingram was stopped for a loss on second down. This ended the third quarter. Texas leads 21-17.
WEST VIRGINIA (Texas 14):
Austin Kendall picked up one yard on a run to the right. Kendall threw an incomplete pass on second down. On third and nine, Kendall completed a pass to Sam James for one yard. Evan Staley hit the 29-yard field goal. Texas leads 21-17.
TEXAS (Own 22):
Sam Ehlinger took a shot on the first play over the middle intended for John Burt, which was intercepted by the Mountaineers and returned to Texas' 28-yard line. A penalty moved West Virginia up 15 more yards.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 10):
Austin Kendall completed a pass to Sean Ryan for nine yards. Leddie Brown got the first down with a three-yard run. Back-to-back passes from Kendall to Sam James picked up seven yards total. Kendall's third down pass fell incomplete. West Virginia punted the ball to the Texas 22-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 26):
Sam Ehlinger completed a screen pass to Jake Smith for nine yards. Roschon Johnson picked up the first down on a run up the middle. Keaontay Ingram picked up six more yards on a zone read run. Ehlinger picked up a first down over the middle to Smith. Ehlinger short hopped a pass to the outside intended for Brennan Eagles. Ingram picked up one yard on a run play up the middle. On third and nine at midfield, Ehlinger's pass intended for Malcolm Epps was deflected incomplete. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 10-yard line.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 28):
Kennedy McKoy lost six yards on first down. A false start backed up the Mountaineers five more yards. McKoy picked up three yards around the left end. Austin Kendall completed a pass to T.J. Simmons for a gain of seven yards. West Virginia punted the ball to the Texas 26-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 20):
Sam Ehlinger completed a pass to Devin Diuvernay for five yards. Keaontay Ingram picked up two yards on second down. Ehlinger's third down pass fell incomplete. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 28-yard line.
WEST VIRGINIA (Texas 49):
Austin Kendall took a shot downfield, which was intercepted by D'Shawn Jamison. Texas takes over at its own 20-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 20):
Keaontay Ingram checked back in after leaving the first half with a stinger injury. Ingram started the drive with a five-yard run up the middle. Ingram got his second carry of the half for two yards. On third and three, Sam Ehlinger converted the first down to Malcolm Epps. Ingram was stopped for no gain on first down. Ehlinger gained three yards on a quarterback draw up the middle. On third and seven, Ehlinger was sacked for a loss of 13 yards. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 30-yard line, but a holding penalty backed up the Longhorns and they'll have to punt again. Texas punted the ball and West Virginia fielded the punt in plus territory.
HALFTIME: TEXAS 21, WVU 14
West Virginia started out the game firing on all cylinders, taking the lead early. However, Sam Ehlinger kept the Longhorns alive with a strong first half performance, accoutning for all three of UT's touchdowns. Ehlinger has thrown for 176 yards and two passing touchdowns, while picking up 26 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. Texas may lead by a touchdown at half, but this game has been much closer than the scoreboard leads on. West Virginia has missed two field goals (one from 47 yards and the other from 36 yards) in the first half, which would make it a one-point game otherwise.
2ND Q:
TEXAS 21, WEST VIRGINIA 14
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 25):
Austin Kendall completed a swing pass to Kennedy McKoy for a gain of five yards. McKoy ran the ball up the middle for a gain of one yard. West Virginia called its second timeout of the half to avoid a delay of game penalty. Kendall hit Jovani Haskins for a gain of six yards for a first down. Martell Pettaway picked up a few yards on a run up the middle. Texas was called for an offsides penalty on second down. Pettaway was stopped for no gain. On third and two, Kendall completed the first down pass to Sean Ryan. Kendall checked down to Alec Sinkfield to get the WVU offense to the 44-yard line. West Virginia called its final timeout with 13 seconds left in the first half. Kendall completed a pass to Sam James to set up a field goal try at the end of the half. Texas used a timeout to try and ice the kicker. Evan Staley missed the 47-yard field goal and time expired on this play. Texas leads at halftime, 21-14.
TEXAS (Own 20):
Roschon Johnson picked up 16 yards on the first run of the drive. Sam Ehlinger completed a three-yard pass to Brennan Eagles. Johnson ran up the middle for 14 yards and another first down. Ehlinger connected with Cade Brewer along the left sideline for 25 yards into Mountaineers territory. Ehlinger completed a nine-yard pass on the right sideline to Devin Duvernay, who made a nice diving catch. The play went under further review. The play was upheld. Ehlinger finished the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. This was Ehlinger's third total touchdown of the game. Texas leads for the first time in the game, 21-14.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 25):
Austin Kendall pulled the ball on a zone read and picked up nine yards, but a unnecessary toughness penalty tacked on another 15 yards. Vandarius Cowan run up the middle for 10 yards. Kendall completes a pass over the middle for another first down. Kendall completed a screen pass for two yards. Kendall threw an incomplete pass on second down. On third and nine, Cowan rushed around the left end for a gain of two yards. Evan Staley missed the 36-yard field goal. Texas takes over at the 20 yard line.
TEXAS (Own 31):
Roschon Johnson picked up four yards on a run up the middle. Sam Ehlinger took a shot downfield intended for Brennan Eagles, but he over threw him. On third and six, Ehlinger checked the ball down to Johnson for a first down. Johnson took a run up the middle for a gain of four yards to midfield. Johnson picked up a first down on another run up the middle. Ehlinger short hopped a pass to the outside on an out route. Kirk Johnson picked up six yards up the middle on his first carry. On third and six, Ehlinger converted the first down on a stop route to the right sideline. Kirk Johnson picked up six yards again on a run up the middle. Roschon Johnson checked back in for Kirk Johnson, and on the next play was given the ball for a first down carry. Ehlinger capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to John Burt. Texas and West Virginia are tied 14-14.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 39):
Leddie Brown started the drive with an 11-yard run on a zone play. Kendall completed a pass over the middle to T.J. Simmons for 44 yards to the Texas five-yard line. Brown picked up two yards on first and goal, then another yard on second and goal. On third and goal, Kendall kept the ball on a zone read, and scored a one-yard touchdown. West Virginia leads 14-7.
TEXAS (Cont.):
Sam Ehlinger completed a five-yard out route to Malcolm Epps. On third and 11, Ehlinger's pass intended for Brennan Eagles sailed high. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 39-yard line.
1ST Q:
TEXAS 7, WEST VIRGINIA 7
TEXAS (Own 18):
Sam Ehlinger started the drive with a screen pass to Devin Duvernay, which picked up a few yards, but was erased by a holding penalty. On first and 20, Ehlinger ran the ball up the middle for a gain of four yards. This ended the first quarter. Texas and West Virginia are tied 7-7.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 23):
Kennedy McKoy started the drive with a 18-yard run. McKoy gained two yards on the next play, which was nullified by a holding penalty. On first and 20, McKoy took a draw play up the middle for nine yards. McKoy took a run around the left end for a gain of four yards. On third and seven, Kendall looked for McKoy on a swing pass, but it was incomplete. West Virginia punted the ball to the Texas 18-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 1):
Sam Ehlinger completed a 36-yard pass to Devin Duvernay. Ehlinger was sacked on the next play for a loss of five yards. Ehlinger threw an incomplete pass on second down. On third and 15, Ehlinger threw a screen pass intended for Roschon Johnson incomplete. Texas punted the ball to the West Virginia 23-yard line.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 38):
Cameron Dicker was reviewed for targeting on the kickoff. The referees determined it was not targeting.
Kendall completed a screen pass to Alec Sinkfield, who was blasted by Texas defensive back B.J. Foster, who just returned this week from injury. The referees went to the booth to review whether if Foster's hit was a targeting penalty. They determined the hit was not targeting.
However, Foster went into the tent to evaluate an injury following the hit. Kendall hit Kennedy McKoy out of the backfield for a loss of a yard and hit McKoy again for five yards. West Virginia punted the ball to the Texas one-yard line.
TEXAS (WVU 27):
Keaontay Ingram started the drive with a five yard run. Sam Ehlinger tied up the game with a 22-yard touchdown pass to the right corner of the end zone to Malcolm Epps. Texas and West Virginia are tied 7-7.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 24):
Austin Kendall threw an interception on the first play of the drive, which Texas returned to the Mountaineers 27-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 25):
Keaontay Ingram started the drive with a run for a loss of six yards. Sam Ehlinger completed his first pass to Ingram for three yards. On third and 13, Ehlinger converted the first down with an 18-yard scramble. Ehlinger threw an incomplete pass and then the Texas offense committed a false start penalty. On third and 13 again, Ehlinger found Devin Duvernay for a 16-yard first down. Ehlinger threw another incomplete pass. Ingram picked up three yards on the carry. On third and seven, Ehlinger hit Duvernay again for a first down conversion. Back-to-back carries from Roschon Johnson gained only one yard. For the third time in a row, Ehlinger converted the first down to Duvernay. Johnson picked up two yards on the carry. Ehlinger threw an incomplete pass. Ehlinger was sacked on third down. Cameron Dicker missed the 42-yard field goal. West Virginia leads 7-0.
WEST VIRGINIA (Own 24):
Austin Kendall started the game with a completion to Jovani Haskins for five yards. Kendall completed his next pass to Sam James for no gain. Kendall completed his third pass to T.J. Simmons for six yards for a first down. A penalty on Texas moved the ball to midfield. Another Texas defensive holding penalty moved the ball five more yards. Kendall capped off the drive with a 44-yard touchdown pass to James. West Virginia leads 7-0.
PREGAME:
Texas enters its "first true hostile environment" of the season on Saturday when the Longhorns face West Virginia. The game is Texas' first outside the Lone Star State in 2019.
The Longhorns will come to Morgantown with a 3-1 overall record, suffering their only loss to LSU at home in their second game.
Despite the lopsided match up on paper (Texas is a 10-point favorite), the Longhorns are looking to avenge a one-point loss to the Mountaineers from last season. The Mountaineers no longer have a Heisman candidate like they did last season in Will Grier – who now plays in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers – but Texas does in Sam Ehlinger.
Ehlinger has led the Texas offense thus far to score 41.8 points per game, which ranks 13th in the country.
Texas will make the trek to West Virginia with a recovering secondary, as B.J. Foster returns to the starting lineup, but are still without Caden Sterns, Josh Thompson, and Jalen Green.
Senior wide receiver Collin Johnson has missed three straight weeks due to a hamstring injury and will be a "game time decision," according to head coach Tom Herman.
"We're not going to let (Johnson) go unless he's 100% because we don't want this thing to continue to nag him, but if he says 'coach I can play and I'm the Collin I was before' we'll play him a bunch," Herman said in his Thursday post-practice press conference.
Johnson entered the field in full pads.
Texas has a 75.7% chance of winning the game, according to ESPN's Football Power Index.
The Longhorns' first true road test comes after their bye week, as well, which is more common in the past decade than you might think. In eight of the last 10 seasons, the game following Texas' bye week has been an away game and the Longhorns have performed well in such games. Texas is 8-2 in these "post-bye week" games in the past decade.
RELATED: Can you beat the KVUE Sports team in a Texas Longhorns pick 'em? Submit your predictions here.
The Texas-West Virginia game is set to air on KVUE at 2:30 p.m. CT.
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