Well Mountaineers this 2019 West Virginia football team had a little bit left in them after all rallying for a 4th quarter touchdown with just over 2 minutes in the game to take a 20-17 lead and hang on to beat the Purple Frogs on their home field and knock them out of a potential bowl bid. It was a sloppy and rather ugly game for the Mountaineer offense and Jarrett Doege in particular as he completed 20 of 35 for just 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the before mentioned game winner to Isaiah Esdale but also overthrew several open receivers and tossed 3 interceptions the first 3 times he attempted to go deep.

Despite all that you cannot help but be impressed with the Mountaineer defense and the grit they showed in these last three games of the season winning 2 of them both on the road. West Virginia seemed to never think they were out of this game and they were not and that is a testament to Head Coach Neal Brown and his coaching staff as he had their heads in the game with just over 2 minutes left trailing 17-13 in a game that even if they win would not salvage a losing season but they hung in and pulled out this game which was a great game to build on for the 2020 season.

The game itself started out as a chess match with TCU taking the opening kick and starting at their own 25 yard line but 6 plays in WVU corner Tykee Smith intercepted a Max Duggan pass and returned it 39 yards to the TCU 14 and 3 plays later Jarrett Doege hit Leddie Brown with a 3 yard touchdown pass and at the 10:40 mark of the 1st quarter it was 7-0 EERs.

After both teams traded punts the Horned Frogs got on the board with a 75 yard drive on just 4 plays highlighted by a 64 run by sophomore wide out Taye Barber that sat the Frogs up 1st and goal at the Mountaineer 11 yard line and 3 plays later senior tailback Sewo Olonilua banged it home from 3 yards out and it was tied up at 7-7 and it would stay that way until the beginning of the 2nd quarter when TCU drove 54 yards on 11 plays and took a 10-7 lead on a 30 yard Jonathon Song field goal but the Mountaineers wasted no time evening things up taking the ensuing kick and marching 52 yards on 10 plays before the drive stalled at the Frogs 23 yard line and Evan Staley banged home a 40 yard field goal and it was a 10-10 game and remained that way at the half.

WVU got the ball to start the 2nd half but 3 plays into the drive Jarret Doege tossed his 2nd interception and the Horned Frogs were in business 1st and 10 at the TCU 47 but the mountaineer defense held and forced a Frog punt but unfortunately the EERs offense couldnt move the football and the Horned Frogs would take control of this game on the ensuing punt by WVU senior punter Josh Growden when TCU junior wide receiver Jalen Reagor returned it 70 yards for a touchdown and just like that with 10:32 to go in the 3rd quarter it was 17-10 Purple Frogs and I was starting to think this was going to be another 2nd half where the Mountaineers offense wasnt going to do enough to win if they fell behind at any point.

The Mountaineer offense would however get back on the board with 3:59 to go in the 3rd quarter after a Sean Mahone interception of a Max Duggan pass gave the EERs the ball at the TCU 47-yard line. WVU would move the ball 40 yards on 5 plays before the drive would stall at the Frogs 7 yard line where Evan Staley banged home another field goal this time from 24 yards out and it was 17-13 Frogs as we neared the end of the 3rd quarter. Despite the field goal to tighten the game up I still didnt really believe the Mountaineers offense would generate a touchdown drive to win this game but was I ever wrong.

After both teams punted twice WVU would get the ball back 1st and 10 at their own 39 with just 4:40 to go and mounted a 61-yard drive on 7 plays taking the lead with a beautiful 35 yard over the shoulder touchdown pass from Jarret Doege to Isaiah Esdale and with 2:10 to go in the football game West Virginia had stunned the home crown and taken a 20-17 lead. It was very tense with TCU having all 3 time outs and West Virginias inability to run the football AT ALL to get a first down and secure the victory we had to endure TWO MORE POSSESSIONS by the Purple Frog offense before West Virginia could officially run out the clock and win this football game denying the home crowd who came to see their football team become bowl eligible against what I am sure they believed to be a lesser WVU football team. However the best laid plans dont always work out and this game ended with TCU and WVU both finishing with disappointing 5-7 seasons.

Now we head into what will no doubt be a very busy and eventful off season for Mountaineers Head Coach Neal Brown and his coaches. WVU will need to have impact recruits in the December 22nd and February 5th signing periods as well as taking a long look at the athletes that have entered the transfer portal from the other schools across the country. There were a number of positive performances by underclassmen that would suggest that better days are coming for West Virginia Football in 2020.

Until Next Time

Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Mountaineers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!