West Virginia’s 2022 season finale comes on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Boone Pickens Stadium against an Oklahoma State program that’s had the Mountaineers’ number.
The Cowboys have won seven straight in the series and eight of 10 since WVU joined the Big 12.
Neal Brown’s future as head coach at West Virginia remains in limbo. Brown is 21-25 in four seasons, including 13-21 in the Big 12. With a loss today, the Mountaineers would be winless away from home in Big 12 play for the second time under Brown.
Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders was surprisingly projected as a game-time decision this morning and reports from Stillwater suggest the Cowboys could be without their No. 1 signal-caller today.
3:30 p.m. — FINAL: WEST VIRGINIA 24, Oklahoma State 19. The Mountaineers (5-7, 3-6) needed a final defensive stand and got it by forcing four incomplete passes. West Virginia avoided disaster when punter Oliver Straw couldn’t handle a snap, but he still managed to get off a 28-yard kick. Otherwise, the Cowboys (7-5, 4-5) would’ve started in the red zone. WVU finishes on a high note and beats Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the same season for the first time ever.
3:18 p.m. — Oklahoma State reaches the Mountaineers’ 28-yard line, but Rangel’s pass on fourth-and-3 falls incomplete and West Virginia takes over there. A costly first down holding penalty on Preston Wilson forced the Cowboys into needing 20 yards to move the chains. The Mountaineers need one first down to wrap up the victory. OSU has all three timeouts and 1:50 remains.
3:10 p.m. — SCORE: West Virginia uses eight running plays to go 44 yards and extends its lead to five points on Casey Legg’s 34-yard field goal. WEST VIRGINIA 24, Oklahoma State 19, 5:51 4th qtr
3:00 p.m. — The Cowboys go three-and-out and again fail to hit a big pass play that was there for the taking. Rangel’s long throw to Braydon Johnson on third-and-7 looked to be one of his best passes today, but the wideout couldn’t bring it in. West Virginia takes over at its 40 with 11:18 remaining.
2:55 p.m. — Oklahoma State has an issue on a handoff exchange and the ball falls to the turf and is recovered by Dante Stills in his final college football game. However, the Mountaineers immediately go three-and-out and punt from the Cowboys’ 48. Oliver Straw’s boot goes directly into the end zone for a touchback. OSU starts from its 20.
2:47 p.m.. — West Virginia goes three-and-out and the Cowboys will take over at their 31 with 14:51 to play in the fourth quarter.
2:40 p.m. — SCORE: Ollie Gordon’s 23-yard run marks Oklahoma State’s second touchdown of the contest. The Cowboys go for two and the tie, but Rangel’s pass falls incomplete. WEST VIRGINIA 21, Oklahoma State 19, 0:24 3rd qtr
OLLIE GORDON 🫶@Ollie_Gordon2 | 📺 @ESPNCFB pic.twitter.com/NudCRfZelf
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) November 26, 2022
2:35 p.m. — Tony Mathis is stopped near the line of scrimmage on a fourth-and-1 attempt from West Virginia at its own 49-yard line. OSU will start there with 2:16 left in the third quarter.
2:25 p.m. — SCORE: The Cowboys capitalize on Presley’s 36-yard kickoff return that gave them good field position, but have to settle for Brown’s 38-yard field goal that brings them to within one possession. WEST VIRGINIA 21, Oklahoma State 13, 5:59 3rd qtr
2:16 p.m. — SCORE: Anderson keeps his feet moving and breaks off a 57-yard touchdown run to make it a two-score game for the first time today. One play before his second long rushing touchdown of the contest, Anderson broke off a 15-yard run. WEST VIRGINIA 21, Oklahoma State 10, 9:53 3rd qtr
#BigLeagueBacks roll deep!
⛰ 21 🤠 10 | 3Q 9:46 pic.twitter.com/F1uGeg206v
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) November 26, 2022
2:15 p.m. — West Virginia forces another punt, but does itself no favors when Anthony Del Negro jumps offside on the punt, negating a 69-yard return from Preston Fox that would’ve left the Mountaineers starting inside the Cowboys’ 10. While OSU still chose to punt on fourth-and-2, WVU will now start at its 28 with 10:26 to play in the third quarter.
2:05 p.m. — SCORE: Anderson’s 54-yard touchdown run two plays after he picks up the fourth down puts West Virginia back in front. Marchiol found Sam James on a 15-yard pass one play before the score. WEST VIRGINIA 14, Oklahoma State 10, 12:45 3rd qtr
Jaylen Anderson 54 yards to the house‼️#Big12FB x @WVUFootball
📺 @ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/D8842LX38d
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 26, 2022
2:00 p.m. — Greene takes a shot to the head/neck area and is clearly hobbled and comes off the field. TV cameras capture him heading to the locker room. Marchiol is back in at QB. On fourth-and-1 from their own 29, the Mountaineers go for it and Jaylen Anderson gains 2 yards, allowing WVU to keep possession.
1:40 p.m. — HALFTIME STATS: Oklahoma State has a 190-111 advantage in total yards. The Cowboys have all but 48 of the game’s 206 passing yards. Both teams are struggling on third down. The Mountaineers have converted 2-of-7 attempts to the Cowboys’ 4-of-12.
1:35 p.m. — HALFTIME: OKLAHOMA STATE 10, West Virginia 7. The Cowboys take their first lead of the afternoon on Tanner Brown’s 22-yard field goal 14 seconds before halftime.
1:22 p.m. — West Virginia forces a turnover on downs with the Cowboys inside the Mountaineers’ 10, but WVU can’t sustain much of anything offensively and punts it back to the Cowboys.
1:10 p.m. — Greene’s pass on the first play of WVU’s sixth series is off the mark and intercepted by Jason Taylor II, giving the Cowboys the ball at the Mountaineers’ 33 with a prime opportunity for their first lead today.
psstt… @jimthorpeaward…@JCTII_ | 📺 @ESPNCFB pic.twitter.com/Rs1TAY7F0z
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) November 26, 2022
12:45 p.m. — SCORE: Brennan Presley scores easily on a 4-yard run off a well-designed play that brought the Mountaineers’ attention elsewhere on the first play of the second quarter. WEST VIRGINIA 7, OKLAHOMA STATE 7, 14:56 2nd qtr
He tricked the announcers with his celly 🕺 🤣 @CowboyFB pic.twitter.com/wgqjY4xrNm
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 26, 2022
12:40 p.m. — The Mountaineers lead 7-0 through one quarter, but the Cowboys are marching and will open the second quarter with first-and-goal from the WVU 4.
12:30 p.m. — Kpogba’s sack helps produce a three-and-out and WVU turns to true freshman quarterback Nicco Marchiol for its third series. Marchiol runs for 3 yards and then throws two incomplete passes leading to West Virginia’s first three-and-out.
12:22 p.m. — SCORE: The Mountaineers force a three-and-out that includes a split sack between Lee Kpgoba and Edward Vesterinen. Following a 30-yard punt, Greene takes the first play of WVU’s second series for a 36-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw. WEST VIRGINIA 7, Oklahoma State 0, 7:11 1st qtr
Garrett Greene steps on the gas! ⛽️#Big12FB x @WVUfootball
📺 @ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/l5h2DEmDdb
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 26, 2022
12:15 p.m. — The teams exchange punts on their opening drives. West Virginia’s was more productive and included three first downs, but a second-and-10 sack of Garrett Greene by Kody Walterscheid created an 11-yard loss and led to the series ending with a punt. OSU starts its second possession from its 12.
12:03 p.m. — Oklahoma State starts with the ball and with true freshman Garret Rangel at quarterback in place of Sanders.
out here in the elements today#HailWV pic.twitter.com/2iaQUnLGle
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) November 26, 2022
Your essential pregame links:
Nester undecided on future with uncertainties aplenty
Three Guys Before the Game – Oklahoma State preview
Coaches hope for simplified approach from Greene in second start
Brown not concerned with lack of motivation for Mountaineers