WVU Football Dominates BYU from Start to Finish in 37-7 Win

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A nationally televised home game under the lights ended up being all the motivation WVU needed on this Saturday night.

West Virginia’s most impressive performance of the season started off with the same aggressiveness that worked so well at UCF, and it was the bread and butter run game that got the Mountaineers into the end zone on their opening possession. CJ Donaldson powered WVU most of the way with 29 yards and then muscled past the BYU defense for the score.

The defense then joined in on the fun and held the momentum for West Virginia by stopping BYU on a fourth down attempt. Garrett Greene and Taylon Ray connected for a 30-yard pass play that ended up setting up another Mountaineer touchdown, increasing the lead to 14-0.

Watch: CJ Donaldson Powers WVU to Big Early Lead Over BYU

Another BYU failed fourth down attempt and WVU field goal later and the home team would hold a 17-0 advantage throughout most of the first half.

But the Mountaineers were far from finished scoring. The route was on after a Greene led West Virginia on a 93-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a Preston Fox touchdown reception. The scoreboard then read WVU 24 and BYU 0.

Aubrey Burks even recovered a fumble to give the offense one last crack at things before the end of the half. And that led to even more points for the Mountaineers and a 27-0 edge.

For a brief moment BYU showed a glimmer of life, thinking they ran the half opening kickoff back for a touchdown. A holding call erased the effort and West Virginia was back in business. Another short field goal by Hayes made it 30-0.

Fast forward to the final minute of the third quarter and tight end Kole Taylor busted through the BYU defense and dragged a defender to the end zone. WVU would go up 37-0 thanks to the strength of Taylor.

BYU would score to avoid being shut out, but the game was long decided at that point. West Virginia went home with a 37-7 victory.

The win clinches bowl eligibility as the Mountaineers continue to make sure 2023 goes down as the year the program climbs once again.