WVU Turns Power on Too Late in Loss to TCU, Falling to 0-5 in Big 12

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – On a night designated to honor West Virginia’s connection to the coal industry, WVU fans were subjected to the kind of darkness indicative of the 2025 season as a whole.

WVU’s defense held strong early on, keeping the Horned Frogs to only one field goal and out of the end zone on their first two offensive possessions, but exhaustion eventually hit late in the first quarter. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover eventually found a rhythm, one that led to a touchdown and a 10-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the opening session.

After a couple failed fourth down conversions, the WVU defense came alive with a sack and bringing pressure to Hoover. Then, Scotty Fox, straight his second straight game, provided the spark the Mountaineers have been looking for with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Grayson Barnes.

Reminiscent of the first half at UCF, West Virginia was keeping the score competitive as the scoreboard read 10-7 with 11:50 left in the half.

Unfortunately for the WVU fans in attendance, the light show within Milan Puskar Stadium lasted longer than that momentum. Hoover would lead the Horned Frogs on an 11-play, 70-yard answer drive, reclaiming the two-score advantage of 17-7.

Even when stopping TCU from reaching the end zone, WVU would still watch three points added to the score.

The Mountaineer defense brought some much-needed intensity with them to the second half, finally forcing TCU to punt to open the second half. On offense, Fox started to feed Vaughn, resulting in two receptions for 28 yards on the drive, but no call on what seemed to be pass interference on a third and long deep ball led to the same old story for West Virginia – leave the field and watch Oliver Straw punt the ball away.

Another stop by the defense allowed Fox to continue to find Vaughn, resulting in going 60 yards before Kade Hensley kicked a 28-yard field goal.

After both teams traded off turning the ball over on downs, the Horned Frogs tacked on a field goal of their own in the final minutes.

Fox threw his second touchdown pass and West Virginia recovered an onside kick with about three minutes left, giving the Mountaineers some hope for a miraculous comeback down six.

At the end of the night when the lights were all turned off once and for all, West Virginia’s journey to one of the worst seasons in program history fell to the new low of 2-6 and 0-5 in Big 12 play.