MORGANTOWN, West Virginia (KXAN) — Texas upset West Virginia, 28-14, to lock up its first bowl berth since 2014.
The Longhorns iced the game in the fourth on a leaping Daniel Young touchdown from one yard out to make it 28-14 with 5:07. The touchdown came just two plays after a Gary Johnson strip sack of Chris Chugunov that Chris Nelson recovered at the six yard line.
Chugunov played for most of the game in place of injured Mountaineer quarterback Will Grier. Late in the first quarter, Grier was knocked out of the game with a gruesome injury to the middle finger on his throwing hand. To make matters worse for West Virginia, the injury happened on a touchback that gave Texas the ball at the 20 after Grierf fumbled the ball out of the endzone on what was first ruled a touchdown, but overturned on a review.
Two possessions later, Sam Ehlinger threw a four-yard touchdown to Kendall Moore to take a 7-0 lead. It wasn’t just Moore’s first touchdown at Texas — it was also his first catch as a Longhorn.
Shane Buechele got the start at quarterback, but Ehlinger led the Longhorns to the win. The true freshman threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He added another 68 yards on nine carries.
Texas scored on its next possession when Ehlinger hit Chris Warren on a seam route for a 20-yard touchdown.
The Longhorns went into the half up 14-0, but West Virginia got back in the game on a 94-yard interception returned for a touchdown. Facing first and goal from the WVU five yard line, Ehlinger threw up the ball to try to avoid getting sacked, but threw it right to Kenny Robinson who ran it back, virtually untouched.
Just before the end of the quarter, Kyle Porter stretched Texas’ lead back to 14 points with a 10-yard touchdown run. Freshman Daniel Young set up the play with a 36-yard run the play before. Young led all rushers with 85 yards.
West Virginia made it a one-possession game again in the fourth on a 12-yard touchdown from Chugunov to Ka’Raun White before Texas put the game away.
With a bowl game already locked up, the Longhorns return home for a Friday game against Texas Tech to wrap up the regular season.