Field Level Media
Sep 21, 2019
Junior quarterback Austin Kendall passed for 202 yards, completing 25 of 37 attempts Saturday as West Virginia used a balanced attack to upend Kansas 29-24 at Lawrence, Kan.
The Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) rotated three running backs, led by Kennedy McKoy with 73 yards, while generating 192 yards on the ground.
Leddie Brown added 70 yards rushing and Marcell Pettaway had touchdown runs of 23 and 7 yards in the second half.
West Virginia fell 38-7 at Missouri in its only nonconference road game but never trailed against Kansas (2-2, 0-1), which suffered its 10th straight defeat in a Big 12 opener.
The Mountaineers stuck to the ground for most of their yardage on a 51-yard TD drive that took 11 fourth-quarter plays and killed 5:36 off the clock. A two-point conversion pass failed, but West Virginia gained a 29-17 lead.
Senior quarterback Carter Stanley fired for 275 yards and three touchdowns for Kansas, including a 75-yard scoring strike to Andrew Parchment. An interception by the Mountaineers' Keith Washington set up their time-consuming fourth-quarter drive.
After rushing for 329 yards a week earlier in an upset win at Boston College, the Jayhawks managed just 142 on the ground. Pooka Williams gained a team-high 76 yards.
The Jayhawks responded in the fourth quarter with a 70-yard touchdown drive, which included a second touchdown reception by Parchment. The 3-yarder came with 2:10 remaining but Kansas did not take possession of the ball again until 31 seconds remained.
Kicker Evan Staley booted a 37-yard field goal that bounded off the right upright to end the first half and gave the Mountaineers a 10-7 lead. Kendall completed 5 of 6 passes after taking possession with just 49 seconds left.
West Virginia scored on its first series, driving 71 yards and converting all three of its third downs before McKoy scored from 3 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
Kansas converted just one third down the entire half but forged a 7-7 tie on a 28-yard pass from Stanley to Kwamie Lassiter with 12:06 remaining in the second quarter. The Jayhawks failed to record a first down on five of seven first-half possessions.
--Field Level Media