Mountaineers almost blow lead, but 4th-quarter interception seals it

LANDOVER, Md. — Skyler Howard passed for 332 yards and accounted for two touchdowns and Rasul Douglas returned an interception 54 yards for a score as West Virginia beat BYU, 35-32, Saturday to head into Big 12 Conference play unbeaten.

Howard went 31 for 40 with an interception and Hopewell alumnus Rushel Shell had two short touchdown runs for the Mountaineers (3-0). West Virginia grabbed a 35-19 lead with 11:27 left in the fourth quarter when Howard hit Daikiel Shorts for a 9-yard score. Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said he could sense his team got too excited about being up 16.

“We have to be one of those teams that’s constantly on the gas pedal and we let up,” West Virginia tackle Kyle Bosch said.

The Cougars scored two touchdowns in less than four minutes to cut their deficit to three with 5:55 remaining and got one last chance to put together a game-winning drive after a miscommunication between Howard and center Tyler Orlosky led to a West Virginia fumble near BYU’s goal line.

Taysom Hill drove BYU to the West Virginia 28, but his last pass to the end zone was tipped away from a receiver by West Virginia’s Nan Kyeremeh and intercepted by Maurice Fleming to seal it.

“When they’re driving down the field, they’re completing things. They’re getting some calls. They’re inching down the field, you’re hoping for another opportunity,” Howard said.

BYU (1-3) has lost three in a row by a total of seven points after opening the season with a two-point win on a last second field goal.

BYU was one of 11 teams Big 12 officials met with earlier this month in Dallas as they consider whether to expand the 10-team league. The Cougars’ performance on the field against West Virginia is not likely to sway Rushel Shell is congratulated after one of his two touchdowns against BYU. things. If nothing else, their fans did a nice job of showing off the school’s national reach. The lower level of FedEx Field behind the BYU bench was well stocked with the white and blue of the Cougars — despite being 2,000 miles away from their campus in Provo, Utah.

The Big 12 is all about offense, and the Cougars did their best to keep up with the fast-paced Mountaineers. Hill threw for 241 yards and ran for 101 and Jamaal Williams had 169 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, but each of the Cougars’ stars had key turnovers. Hill threw three interceptions, two on tipped passes, and Williams lost a fumble that led to a West Virginia touchdown.

“It’s easy to sit there and say I wish we had done things differently,” Hill said. “That’s kind of like the story of life.”