MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nicco Marchiol threw a landing pass in his first get started, CJ Donaldson added a brief TD run and West Virginia held off Texas Tech 20-13 in their Big 12 opener on Saturday.
Texas Tech backup quarterback Behren Morton got here on for the injured Tyler Shough in the primary quarter and put in combination a couple of scoring drives. But Morton, who had thrown for 325 yards and two touchdowns against the Mountaineers a year ago in Texas Tech’s 48-10 win, could not carry the Red Raiders again from a 13-3 deficit this time.
Morton drove the Red Raiders from their 28 to the West Virginia 11, however he threw 4 instantly incompletions, the ultimate one with 11 seconds left.
On an afternoon that noticed former standout defensive finish Bruce Irvin inducted into West Virginia’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) restricted Texas Tech (1-3, 0-1) to 56 overall yards in the primary part and 321 general in a steady drizzle from the outer bands of Tropical Storm Ophelia.
Shough, who had sat out the 2 earlier video games towards West Virginia with accidents, took onerous hits on consecutive performs past due in the primary quarter and was once pushed off the sphere on a cart with an harm to his decrease left leg.
The groups traded 79-yard scoring drives early in the fourth quarter. Morton discovered Jerand Bradley with a 6-yard scoring pass. Marchiol responded with a 9-yard TD toss to Kole Taylor to position West Virginia forward 20-10.
Morton then threw a 16-yard pass to Bradley on 3rd right down to arrange Texas Tech on the West Virginia 16. But Morton threw 3 instantly incompletions and the Red Raiders settled for Gino Garcia’s 2nd box function, a 34-yarder with 4:45 left.
Morton completed 13 of 37 for 158 yards.
Marchiol, a redshirt freshman, were given his first occupation get started in position of Garrett Greene, who was once held out with an ankle sprain sustained every week in the past in a 17-6 win over Pittsburgh. Marchiol threw two interceptions — one who went off the fingers of broad receiver Devin Carter. But Texas Tech controlled most effective 3 issues off the ones errors.
Marchiol put in combination sufficient sustained drives to make a distinction. Donaldson ran for 34 yards on a 75-yard pressure that ended along with his 2-yard run past due in the primary quarter. Marchiol later ran 19 yards on 3rd right down to arrange certainly one of two box targets by means of Michael Hayes.
Marchiol led West Virginia with 72 dashing yards. But he did not see a number of open receivers and was once held to twelve of 21 passing for 78 yards.
Brooks ran for 131 of his 149 yards in the second one part for Texas Tech.
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas Tech: Time ran out at the Red Raiders, who outplayed the Mountaineers after halftime however could not put in combination sufficient key performs.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers have gained 3 instantly video games for the primary time below trainer Neal Brown, who’s 25-26 in his 5th season. West Virginia additionally snapped a four-game shedding streak to the Red Raiders.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech hosts Houston subsequent Saturday.
West Virginia travels to TCU subsequent Saturday evening.
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AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll