SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 31, 2013
West Virginia 24, William & Mary 17: Paul Millard threw for 237 yards and one touchdown as the host Mountaineers survived a scare from the Tribe to improve their record to 11-0 all-time against FCS teams.
Senior running back Charles Sims rushed for 120 yards and scored his first touchdown in a West Virginia uniform on the Mountaineers' first possession. Wendell Smallwood chipped in with the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter as the Mountaineers erased a 10-point halftime deficit.
William & Mary quarterback Michael Graham was 18-of-27 for 207 yards with a touchdown pass to Darnell Laws and ran for another. Junior wide receiver Tre McBride caught three passes for 108 yards, including two 40-yard receptions that set up both William & Mary scores.
The Mountaineers jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to Sims' 11-yard touchdown run with 11:08 remaining in the first quarter. William & Mary reeled off 17 unanswered points to give the Tribe a surprising half-time advantage.
West Virginia made it 17-17 on Ronald Carswell's 69-yard touchdown reception with 3:15 left in the third quarter. The Mountaineers went ahead for good following Smallwood's 2-yard run with 3:22 remaining.
GAME NOTEBOOK: West Virginia QB Clint Trickett entered with 8:49 remaining in the second quarter but went 0-for-2 in two possessions. …Laws made a game-high eight receptions. … The Mountaineers have won 10 straight home openers to improve their record to 98-29-4.