The visiting West Virginia Mountaineers turned three turnovers by Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby into 17 points in registering a 31-24 win on Saturday.
Despite being outgained 436-249, West Virginia (5-4, 4-2 Big 12 Conference) won for the second straight week on the road and drew to within a game of bowl eligibility while Cincinnati (5-4, 3-3) fell for the second straight outing.
Leading 24-21, West Virginia’s Trey Lathan forced a backward pass with a hit on Sorsby and Tyrin Bradley Jr. picked up the ball and ran 14 yards for the game-clinching score with 3:30 left in regulation.
Cincinnati drove for Nathan Hawks’ 29-yard field goal with 36 seconds remaining, but West Virginia recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.
West Virginia quarterback Nicco Marchiol completed just 9 of 15 passes for 156 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Cincinnati’s Sorsby completed 25 of 36 for 279 yards, one touchdown and one interception while rushing for 48 total yards, including a 12-yard score.
The Bearcats gained the early momentum when the defense stopped West Virginia on downs on its opening drive, then marched 68 yards in 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead.
Corey Kiner capped the drive with a 2-yard run to the left outside pylon for his second touchdown of the season.
Already up, 7-0, the Bearcats were driving for another score when they faced fourth-and-1 from the West Virginia 20 early in the second quarter. Kekoura Tarnue broke free rushing Sorsby and was bringing him to the ground when Sorsby flipped the ball in desperation toward running back Evan Pryor.
West Virginia safety Anthony Wilson Jr. picked off the pass and raced 79 yards untouched for the game-tying touchdown.
On the ensuing series, Sorsby had third-and-4 from the Cincinnati 31. Sorsby took off on a scramble and had the first down when he was stripped of the ball from behind by Reid Carrico. Tarnue recovered at the Cincinnati 37. Marchiol connected on a 28-yard pass to Jahiem White to the Cincinnati 9, but West Virginia settled for a field goal and a 10-7 lead.
The game swung back in Cincinnati’s direction when Logan Wilson intercepted a pass for Rodney Gallagher III in the end zone. On the next play from scrimmage, Sorsby found Pryor all alone in the left flat and Pryor raced up the left sideline 80 yards for the score that drew Cincinnati within 10, 24-14.
Sorsby cut West Virginia’s lead to 24-21 with a 12-yard spinning touchdown run with 9:42 left in the fourth. After a Preston Fox returned the kickoff 43 yards to the Cincinnati 49, the Cincinnati defense forced a punt and got the ball back at their 6.
