Edwards' short TD run in overtime leads West Virginia over Pittsburgh 31-24 in the Backyard Brawl
Edwards' short TD run in overtime leads West Virginia over Pittsburgh 31-24 in the Backyard Brawl
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Tye Edwards rushed for three touchdowns, including a 1-yarder in overtime to lift West Virginia to a 31-24 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night in the Backyard Brawl.
Nicco Marchiol, benched for five series in the second half, led West Virginia on a furious comeback. The Mountaineers scored 10 points in the final five minutes of regulation to send it to overtime, then Marchiol led the eight-play scoring drive on the first series of overtime.
Pitt had the chance after Edwards’ overtime score but went nowhere. Eli Holstein threw incomplete on fourth-and-20 to end the game.
West Virginia bounced back from a pitiful performance on the road a week ago at Ohio. West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez won in his first matchup with Pitt since 2007, when the Panthers prevailed 13-9 and denied the Mountaineers a trip to the BCS national championship game.
He has said this game wouldn’t erase any of the angst from that loss. But the result set off a celebration from the sellout crowd.
Pittsburgh lost for the fourth straight time in Morgantown.
{{/usCountry}}Pittsburgh lost for the fourth straight time in Morgantown.
{{/usCountry}}Holstein brought Pitt back from a 7-3 halftime deficit with a short TD run and a 14-yard scoring toss to Raphael Williams Jr. for a 24-14 lead with 9:23 left in the fourth quarter.
{{/usCountry}}Holstein brought Pitt back from a 7-3 halftime deficit with a short TD run and a 14-yard scoring toss to Raphael Williams Jr. for a 24-14 lead with 9:23 left in the fourth quarter.
{{/usCountry}}Marchiol then returned to the game to lead one drive that resulted in a field goal and, after West Virginia’s defense forced a punt, the Mountaineers got the ball back at their 13 with under 3 minutes left.
{{/usCountry}}Marchiol then returned to the game to lead one drive that resulted in a field goal and, after West Virginia’s defense forced a punt, the Mountaineers got the ball back at their 13 with under 3 minutes left.
{{/usCountry}}Marchiol led the Mountaineers down the field, hitting tight end Grayson Barnes with a 2-yard TD toss to tie the score at 24-24 with 11 seconds left.
{{/usCountry}}Marchiol led the Mountaineers down the field, hitting tight end Grayson Barnes with a 2-yard TD toss to tie the score at 24-24 with 11 seconds left.
{{/usCountry}}Edwards ran 25 times for 141 yards, including other TD runs of 12 and 1 yards. He got the bulk of the carries in place of Jahiem White, who was lost for the season a week ago with a knee injury.
{{/usCountry}}Edwards ran 25 times for 141 yards, including other TD runs of 12 and 1 yards. He got the bulk of the carries in place of Jahiem White, who was lost for the season a week ago with a knee injury.
{{/usCountry}}Holstein finished 22 of 37 for 303 yards. Pitt leading rusher Desmond Reid had 30 rushing yards in the first 11 minutes of the first quarter but didn’t get a carry the rest of the game.
Pittsburgh: Unlike last year, when Holstein engineered a comeback win for the Panthers over West Virginia as a freshman, he couldn't get it done this time.
West Virginia: Marchiol came up huge after two backup quarterbacks got little done for the Mountaineers. Scotty Fox Jr. threw a pair of interceptions in the third quarter that gave Pitt the ball in West Virginia territory and led to a pair of field goals. Marchiol finished 19 of 25 for 192 yards.
Pittsburgh: Is idle next Saturday and hosts Louisville in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Sept. 27.
West Virginia: Plays at Kansas in their Big 12 opener next Saturday night.
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