West Virginia boat raced by Oklahoma in final Big 12 showdown, Mountaineers fall 59-20

The good news is West Virginia won’t play Oklahoma again for the foreseeable future. The bad news is West Virginia was completely dominated in prime time for a national network audience.

The Mountaineers (6-4, 4-3) started strong, with a game-opening touchdown by running back CJ Donaldson, setting an early tone. However, the Sooners (8-2, 5-2) quickly responded, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel engineering an eight-play, 75-yard drive culminating in Gabriel’s two-yard keeper for a touchdown.

After the promising opening drive, the Mountaineers struggled to maintain momentum. A missed field goal, failed fourth-down conversions, and defensive lapses allowed the Sooners to capitalize, scoring on five of their six drives in the first half.

Despite a scoring drive before halftime, West Virginia found themselves trailing 31-14.

As the second half unfolded, the Mountaineers faced an uphill battle, trying to contain Gabriel’s prolific passing. The Sooners extended their lead with a 60-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter, further solidifying their control over the game. Despite West Virginia’s efforts to respond with a touchdown of their own, the gap widened, and turnovers plagued their attempts to mount a comeback.

Gabriel’s would go on to end his night with five passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns, leading the Sooners to a 59-20 victory.

Garrett Greene finished the night 10-of-27 for 154 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Nicco Marchiol entered the game late, ending the game with an interception on 0-of-4 passing.

CJ Donaldson racked up 79 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries before leaving the game with an apparent injury. Devin Carter led receivers with three receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. Kole Taylor finished with one three-yard catch for a touchdown.

The Mountaineers will have a chance to bounce back with back-to-back winnable games, starting next Saturday when the Cincinnati Bearcats return to Morgantown for the first time since 2010. Kickoff is set for 2:30PM ET and will be broadcast exclusively on Big 12 Now on ESPN +.