[ November 5, 2011 · Morgantown, W.Va . ]
L
ouisville won for the first time in Morgantown since 1990 and broke a four-game losing streak to West Virginia with a 38-35 victory over the Mountaineers.
Two fumbles and special teams’ miscues proved too much for
West Virginia to overcome, even though the warm, sunny November day started off brightly for the Mountaineers.
Brad Starks returned the game’s opening kickoff 62 yards to the
Louisville 30-yard line to set up the game’s first score. Three plays later, WVU quarterback Geno Smith hit receiver Tavon Austin for a 25-yard scoring toss and a 7-0 lead.
However, it took Louisville just 2:38 to answer, as the Cardinals
marched 73 yards to tie the game on Jeremy Wright’s eight-yard run. The scoring drive was highlighted by a 55-yard run by tailback
GENO
Dominique Brown.
SMITH
Louisville took its first lead of the game with 5:44 left in the first
on Senorise Perry’s 13-yard run that ended a 78-yard drive. A 37-yard
35
38
completion from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to Eli Rogers provided the spark for the Cardinals.
The Mountaineers tied the game at 14-14 at the 12:18 mark of the
second quarter, when Stedman Bailey hauled in a five-yard pass from Smith, as the Mountaineers drove 76 yards for their second score.
West Virginia recaptured the lead with 5:44 left in the first half, when
Shawne Alston powered through for a two-yard scoring run, and a 2114 WVU lead.
WEST VIRGINIA #24/21
Louisville
But Louisville was able to tie the game at the half, taking advantage
of an 11-yard shanked punt by the Mountaineers. Six plays later, the game was tied at 21-21, when Bridgewater connected with Rogers.
The Mountaineers intercepted Bridgewater on the opening
possession of the third quarter, but could not come away with any
Louisville West Virginia
1 14 7
2 7 14
3 3 0
4 14 14
F 38 35
points, as Tyler Bitancurt missed a 32-yard field goal.
Later, the Cardinals put up the only points in the third quarter, when
kicker Chris Philpott converted on a 39-yard field goal, as Louisville regained the lead for good at 24-21.
West Virginia mounted a drive late in the third, but was stopped at
the Cardinal six-yard line as the third quarter ended. To start the fourth, Bitancurt’s 23-yard field goal to tie was blocked and returned 82 yards for a touchdown by Andrew Johnson. Instead of the game being tied, West Virginia found itself down, 31-21, with 14:42 left in the game.
NINE
Scoring and Statistical Summary
Two possessions later, the Mountaineers closed the gap to 31-28,
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
WVU LOU LOU WVU WVU LOU LOU LOU WVU LOU WVU
Tavon Austin 25 pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancurt kick) Jeremy Wright 8 rush (Chris Philpott kick) Senorise Perry 13 rush (Philpott kick) Stedman Bailey 5 pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick) Shawne Alston 2 rush (Bitancurt kick) Eli Rogers 4 pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Philpott kick) Philpott 39 FG Andrew Johnson 82 blocked FG return (Philpott kick) Alston 7 rush (Bitancurt kick) Brown 3 rush (Philpott kick) Bailey 1 pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick)
when Alston rushed in from seven-yards out to end an impressive 96yard, eight-play drive that was aided by a 46-yard completion from Smith to receiver Ivan McCartney.
Trailing by three with 8:53 left, the Mountaineers needed a stop
on defense and could not get one. The Cardinals converted on thirdand-seven and fourth-and-one to keep the ball for 7:11, resulting in a three-yard touchdown run by Brown and a 38-28 margin.
WVU added a score late, when Smith found Bailey in the corner of
the end zone, but the Cardinals recovered the onside kick to end any comeback hopes.
Smith finished with 410 yards passing, as Bailey (118 Yards) and
First Downs Rushes/Yards Passing Yardage Passes Punts Fumbles/Lost Return Yardage Penalties/Yards Time of Possession
LOU WVU 15 28 33/105 34/123 246 410 21/27/1 31/44/0 6/203/33.8 3/62/20.7 0/0 3/2 221 249 3/25 5/30 30:46 29:14
Austin (90 yards) were his favorite targets. Darwin Cook led the defense with 10 stops. Bruce Irvin had a game-high two sacks and three TFL’s.
For the Cardinals, Bridgewater passed for 246 yards, while Brown
rushed for 69 and Rogers had 69 yards receiving. Hakeem Smith led the defense with 10 tackles.
The Mountaineers rushed for 123 yards and passed for 410 to total
533 yards of offense. The Cardinals finished with 105 yards on the ground and 246 via the pass for 351 yards of total offense.
WVU RUSHING: Garrison 13-64, Alston 11-45; WVU PASSING: Smith 3144-0-410; WVU RECEIVING: Bailey 8-118, Austin 7-90; WVU TACKLES (TFL/QS): Cook 10 (1/0), Miller 8, Goode 8 (2/1); WVU INTERCEPTIONS: Goode. LOU RUSHING: Brown 14-69; LOU PASSING: Bridgewater 21-27-1-246; LOU RECEIVING: Rogers 5-63; LOU TACKLES (TFL/QS): Smith 10, Evans 9; LOU INTERCEPTIONS: None.
Attendance - 57,287
138