West Virginia staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming an 11-point deficit with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter to defeat Kansas 32-28 at Milan Puskar Stadium on Saturday afternoon. After a two-hour weather delay, West Virginia’s quarterback engineered two crucial late-game drives, scoring 15 points to secure the win.
With just 26 seconds remaining, quarterback Greene connected with a receiver for a 15-yard touchdown that sealed the victory. Following the game, West Virginia’s coach expressed his exhaustion but pride in the team’s perseverance and ability to turn the game around. He noted that the victory was especially significant after last week’s disappointing loss to Pittsburgh, where they failed to maintain a similar lead.
West Virginia began its final drive with 2:22 on the clock starting from their own 33-yard line. Greene initiated the drive with an 11-yard completion and, with the help of a few key plays, advanced to the Jayhawks’ 29-yard line. After a timeout and a pass interference penalty set the stage, Greene found Gallagher in the end zone.
Kansas attempted to respond, making it to West Virginia’s 40-yard line, but a key strip-sack by Bradley ended their hopes, allowing Greene to kneel down and finish the game. On the day, Greene finished with 295 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 87 rushing yards. His main target, Clement, had seven receptions for 150 yards.
After a defensive stalemate in the first half, the game opened up in the second. The Jayhawks equalized with a well-executed 75-yard touchdown drive early in the second half. West Virginia briefly regained the lead on a field goal, but Kansas surged ahead with a number of strong runs.
In the closing minutes, the pressure mounted as West Virginia clawed back, reclaiming momentum after trailing. A significant pass interference penalty against Kansas proved costly, allowing the Mountaineers to reach the end zone again.
With the end of the game approaching, Kansas was able to threaten West Virginia’s defense, but the Mountaineers held firm. Kansas’s Daniel Hishaw rushed effectively and the Jayhawks totaled 247 yards on the ground, led by Neal with 110 yards.
Despite the defensive struggles through the season, West Virginia made strategic changes that contributed to their success in the game. A crowd of 52,428 witnessed the thrilling matchup. West Virginia now looks forward to a break before facing No. 14 Oklahoma State on October 5. Coach Brown emphasized the need for the pause as the team has been physically and emotionally taxed. Kansas will continue their schedule next week against TCU.