West Virginia falls 45-13 at UCF

West Virginia dropped their fourth consecutive game in a 45-13 road loss to UCF Saturday to fall to 2-5, 0-4 in the Big 12.
True freshman Scotty Fox earned the start at quarterback but played only two series, before redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins took over. Fox would reenter the game in the third quarter. The two combined to throw for 79 yards and rush for 50 more and a score.
The Mountaineers got the football first with Fox under center and picked up a first down by penalty but then had to punt the football but the boot from Oliver Straw pinned it at the one. But on the ensuing play, Myles Montgomery ripped off a 39-yard run to flip the field.
UCF would move the football to the Mountaineer 40-yard line and elected to roll the dice on fourth and four only for Tayven Jackson to roll to his left and drop the ball into Chris Domercant for a touchdown to give the Knights an early 7-0 lead and cap off a 97-yard drive.
West Virginia took over at their own 35 to start the next drive and was able to move the football into UCF territory largely on the ground but was forced to attempt a 4th and 13 which was unsuccessful giving the football back to the Knights with a 7-0 lead.
The Knights then ran it back converting on another fourth down deep in West Virginia territory with Jackson connecting with Domercant this time from 34-yards out to give UCF a 14-0 lead.
The Mountaineers would pick up a first down on their next drive but then stall giving the football back to the Knights with a two touchdown lead. However, this time on fourth down the defense would be able to generate a stop after the Knights rolled the dice inside their own 40 to give the offense the ball back.
Wilkins came in at quarterback and moved the Mountaineers with the short field inside the ten yard line. On third down, Wilkins took off on the left side and was able to get into the end zone on a six yard run to cut the Knights lead in half at 14-7 early in the second quarter.
UCF effectively moved the football down the field on their ensuing drive but for the second consecutive possession the defense was able to rise up on fourth down and stuffed two run attempts on third and fourth down at their own 13-yard line to get the football back.
However, it would be a three and out for the offense and UCF would take over at their own 44-yard line but the Mountaineers would get their own three and out to take over inside their own 10 trailing 14-7.
The Mountaineers would pick up a first down on the next drive and had another one but a holding penalty wiped out a second one and the offense would be forced to punt with just 2:14 left in the half.
West Virginia was able to force a three and out and then Straw picked up 12-yards on a fake punt to extend the drive and put the football near midfield. But a penalty on UCF extended the drive again and Kade Hensley would misfire on a 44-yard field goal to keep the score at 14-7 at half.
UCF opened the third quarter pinned inside their own 10 but were able to move the football to midfield and picked up 20-yards on a critical third and 9. From there, the Knights would cap off the drive on a 12-yard touchdown run to put them ahead 21-7.
West Virginia would then turn the ball over on a sack of Wilkins where the ball would squirt free into the arms of Keli Lawson who returned it for a touchdown to give the Knights a commanding 28-7 edge.
After a punt, West Virginia’s defense was able to force an interception on a good play by Jason Chambers to give the offense the ball back at their own 38-yard line training 28-7. Fox would then reenter the game but the offense would stall out and be forced to punt near midfield.
The Knights would strike once again with an 83-yard touchdown run by Jaden Nixon to give UCF a 35-7 lead with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter. The Knights would then tack on a 51-yard field goal and a late touchdown to move ahead 45-7.
The Mountaineers would record an interception late by Jordan Walker to set the offense up at the one but a bad snap pushed the ball back to the 20-yard line. However, the Mountaineers would be able to punch the ball into the end zone on a one-yard Diore Hubbard run to cut it to 45-13 after a Hensley point after touchdown miss.
The Mountaineers will return home to take on TCU at 6 p.m. next Saturday in what has been dubbed as a Coal Rush game.
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