West Virginia football brought back Rich Rodriguez to rejuvenate the ailing program and long suffering fan base, and it just took a massive step toward fulfilling that mission. The Mountaineers (3-6) entered Houston's TDECU Stadium as double-digit underdogs on Saturday afternoon, and they will leave with a 45-35 win over the No. 22 Cougars (7-2).
Lumbering through a five-game losing streak and facing a squad with Playoff hopes, few people could have reasonably expected West Virginia to make such a thunderous statement. The huge upset victory is made even more remarkable by a jarring piece of information. Before this thrillingly successful trip to Space City, the Mountaineers had not defeated an AP top-25 team since besting Iowa State on Oct. 30, 2021, per Taylor Kennedy of the Charleston Gazette-Mail. That equates to an 11-game drought.
And now it is over. True freshman quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns and threw for another 157 and one TD, a productive follow-up to his impressive outing in last Saturday's loss to TCU. West Virginia as a team accumulated 246 yards on the ground, but it was its defensive effort that defined the action.
The Mountaineers forced four turnovers and were all over quarterback Conner Weigman. The former five-star recruit threw two interceptions and committed a fumble, which led to a total of 17 points for the visitors. An 80-yard pick-six midway through the third quarter, courtesy of senior cornerback Jordan Scruggs, put West Virginia up 31-21 and snatched momentum from Houston's grasp. Although Rodriguez's squad is still unlikely to play a bowl game this year, one must acknowledge the importance of this outcome.
West Virginia football just essentially ended the Cougars' campaign. Most importantly, it can move forward with a whole new level of confidence, one that could serve the team well next season. It is far too early to say the Mountaineers are back, but progress is taking shape. And that is all Morgantown can ask for right now.
