Field Level Media
Nov 27, 2021
Leddie Brown and Tony Mathis each logged 100-yard rushing performances and Jarret Doege fired three touchdown passes Saturday as West Virginia became bowl-eligible by downing Kansas 34-28 at Lawrence, Kan.
Brown surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season, gaining 156 yards on 19 carries, including a 44-yard touchdown. Mathis added 118 yards as West Virginia rushed for a season-high 264 yards.
Doege completed 16 of 21 passes for 170 yards and overcame a pick-six as the Mountaineers (6-6, 4-5 Big 12) rolled to 436 yards of total offense. Sean Ryan led all West Virginia receivers with five grabs for 87 yards.
After Kansas (2-10, 1-8) forged a 21-21 tie early in the second half with a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown by Gavin Potter and a two-point conversion pass to tackle Earl Bostick, the Mountaineers stiffened.
They scored 13 unanswered points while getting end zone interceptions from Josh Chandler-Semedo at the 10:31 and 3:12 marks of the fourth quarter.
Jalon Daniels scored on a 3-yard rush with 1:46 remaining, but the Jayhawks could not recover an onside kick and the Mountaineers ran out the clock. Daniels completed 22 of 32 passes for 249 yards with one touchdown. Amaur Pesek-Hickson added 60 yards on 12 rushes.
Kansas finished last in the Big 12 for the fifth straight season.
Doege threw all three of his touchdowns in the first half, completing 13 of 16 passes for 157 yards to stake the Mountaineers to a 21-13 halftime lead.
Winston Wright caught a pair of 14-yard TD strikes before Doege executed a late 57-yard march in just 1:23, finding Sam James for a 7-yard score with 17 seconds left.
Brown rushed for 89 yards on 12 carries as West Virginia generated 261 first-half yards, including 10 gains of 10 yards or more against a Kansas defense ranked 126th nationally.
Kansas managed to cap two of its first three possessions with field goals before Daniels fired an 8-yard touchdown to Jared Casey with 7:26 left to draw the Jayhawks within 14-13. Daniels passed for 134 first-half yards.
--Field Level Media