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They needed overtime, but the Texas Longhorns came away with a 47-40 win against West Virginia on Saturday. The win was the Longhorns' sixth in a row and improved Texas to 6-0 in Big 12 play.
The Longhorns tied the game with a field goal late in the fourth quarter and took the early advantage in overtime. Case McCoy hit Alex De La Torre for an opening touchdown. It appeared West Virginia was going to force a second overtime after the Mountaineers drove deep into Texas territory on the first play. The Longhorn defense stiffened, however, and WVU's fourth-down attempt ended in an interception.
The game couldn't have started much better for West Virginia. The Mountaineers blocked a punt on Texas' first drive, leading to a safety. They added a touchdown on the ensuing offensive possession to jump out to a 9-0 lead. Texas rallied to take the lead back and the teams traded field goals at the end of the half, with West Virginia leading 19-13 at halftime.
The back-and-forth action continued in the second half. West Virginia led by as many as 10, but the Longhorns once again came right back. After trading touchdowns, the defenses were able to finally have some success. Trailing 40-37, the Longhorns were able top WVU on a third-and-short, giving the offense one final chance for the win. West Virginia appeared on its way to the upset, but the Longhorns were able to convert a 4th-and-7 to keep their final drive moving. They came up short in the redzone and had to settle for a tying field goal to force overtime.
West Virginia was forced to play the majority of the game without starting quarterback Clint Trickett after the junior quarterback suffered an apparent head injury during the first quarter.
Box Score Hero:
McCoy finished with 283 passing yards and three touchdowns. Malcolm Brown had a solid game on the ground, rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Rankings Ramifications:
With the win, Texas could climb into the BCS top 25.
But Did They Cover?
The Longhorns opened as a 7.5-point favorite, giving those who bet on WVU the win.
For More On This Game:
Burnt Orange Nation is your home for complete Texas coverage. For more on the Mountaineers, head over to The Smoking Musket.
Next Week's Schedule:
Texas will return home next week to take on No. 14 Oklahoma State. West Virginia will go on the road to face Kansas.
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