The Sports Xchange
Nov 14, 2015
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Wendell Smallwood ran for 165 yards and Skyler Howard tossed two touchdowns as West Virginia defeated turnover-prone Texas 38-20?on Saturday.
Jovon Durante made a 53-yard touchdown catch and Daikiel Shorts added an 8-yarder for the Mountaineers (5-4, 2-4), who can become bowl-eligible with a win at lowly Kansas next week.
Smallwood's big day put him over 1,000 yards and softened up the Texas defense for a few timely throws from Howard, who completed 10-of-12 for 122 yards before sealing the win with a late 2-yard touchdown run.
Longhorns freshman D'onta Foreman ran for 147 yards on 18 carries despite leaving temporarily with a finger injury. He ripped off a 65-yard touchdown but also lost a fumble that linebacker Jared Barber returned 42 yards for West Virginia's first score.
Texas (4-6, 3-4) lost three fumbles, one after Nick Kwiatkoski stripped short-yardage quarterback Tyrone Swoopes at the West Virginia 26. The Mountaineers subsequently went 87 yards in four plays, capped by Durante's first touchdown since Oct. 3, to lead 21-10 at half.
Texas starter Jerrod Heard tossed a 5-yard touchdown to Daje Johnson but was picked off twice in the fourth quarter by Daryl Worley on a fourth-down bomb and then on a poor throw grabbed by the leaping Kwiatkoski.