Efficient Offense, Dominant Defense Lifts WVU over TCU 24-6

The top-ranked defense in the Big 12 came to play in Morgantown on Saturday as the West Virginia Mountaineers topped the TCU Horned Frogs 24-6.

The Mountaineers (5-3, 4-3 Big 12) kept TCU (3-4, 3-4) out of the endzone for the entire game, allowing just two field goals. TCU had not won a game when rushing for less than 200 yards this season and that continued Saturday as WVU held the Horned Frogs to just 134 total yards on the ground.

The Mountaineer offense opened the game backed up at their own one-yard line following a 34-yard punt bu TCU’s Jordy Sandy. The poor field position did nothing to hinder WVU, however, as the Mountaineers scored a touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Jarret Doege to cap off a 15-play, 99-yard drive.

TCU kicked a field goal on its next drive, but the Mountaineers again drove the length of the field, this time scoring on a 26-yard reception by T.J Simmons to open up a 14-3 lead over the Horned Frogs. The teams traded a few punts before heading into their respective locker rooms for halftime.

The teams traded field goals to start the second half but afterward continued punting the ball back and forth through the end of the third quarter. It was not until TCU muffed a punt early in the fourth quarter, recovered by WVu safety Sean Mahone, that either team scored again.

After taking over at the TCU 42-yard line, it took just two plays for Doege to find Simmons again for his second touchdown of the game, this time from 38 yards out. That made the score 24-6 and really put pressure on the struggling Horned Frog offense.

TCU went three-and-out on its next drive and made it down to the WVU six-yard line on its final drive before throwing an interception that sealed the game for WVU.

Doege finished with 212 passing yards, breaking a three-game streak of passing for more than 300 yards. He finished 19-26 (73.1%), his highest completion percentage in Big 12 play this season with three total touchdowns and no interceptions, his fourth-straight game with no interceptions.

Junior running back Leddie Brown ran for 156 yards on 24 carries and had three runs of more than 30 yards. Simmons led the team with 90 receiving yards on four catches with two touchdowns. He also had 26 yards on a pair of runs.

On defense, linebacker Tony Fields II (14) and Exree Loe (12) both finished with double-digit tackles while Tykee Smith had the interception and true freshman Akheem Mesidor had a sack.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan finished 16-29 for 161 with an interception and was held to just 19 rushing yards on 10 carries.

West Virginia and TCU will both have their final off weeks of the season next week before playing their final two Big 12 games of the season. WVU has matched its win total from last season with at least two games left to play in 2020.