Mountaineers Struggle In The Red Zone, Fall To Oklahoma State 20-13
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Dru Brown threw two touchdown passes in his first start, Chuba Hubbard surpassed 100 yards rushing for the ninth consecutive game and No. 22 Oklahoma State beat West Virginia 20-13 on Saturday.
Brown and national rushing leader Hubbard generated just enough offense for the Cowboys (8-3, 5-3 Big 12, No. 21 CFP), who won their fourth straight.
Hubbard ran 26 times for 106 yards, far below his 173-yard average, but he showed off his receiving skills.
He took a screen pass and ran 46 yards to set up Oklahoma State's first touchdown. Hubbard finished with seven catches for 88 yards, both career highs. Hubbard entered the game with 82 receiving yards all season and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy had emphasized earlier in the week he didn't throw to Hubbard that often out of fear of injury.
Brown marched Oklahoma State the length of the field early in the fourth quarter, hitting Dillon Stoner with a 2-yard scoring pass for a 17-13 lead.
West Virginia (4-7, 2-6) didn't have as much luck inside the red zone.
The Mountaineers couldn't convert on three plays from the 1-yard line in the second quarter and they twice had to settle for short field goals.
Leddie Brown converted a fourth-and-1 from the Oklahoma State 18 with 2:37 left in the game. But Jarret Doege threw three incompletions, the Mountaineers turned the ball over on downs and Oklahoma State ran out the clock.
Doege finished 28 of 38 for 307 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were outgained 333-285 but managed to make the most of it. Brown, a graduate transfer from Hawaii, completed 22 of 29 passes for 196 yards in place of the injured Spencer Sanders.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers' bowl hopes are over. A defense that looked impressive against Hubbard in the first half gave him just enough room to break free after halftime and the offense was limited to 128 yards after halftime.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State plays No. 8 Oklahoma in the Bedlam game next Saturday in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
West Virginia finishes its season at TCU on Friday.
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