HailWV “Big 12 in 11” series, Part 1: WVU at Baylor

Floyd Casey Stadium; Waco, TX

It’s the football offseason, and the basketball team is causing everyone to pull their hair out in frustration.

I recently came up with the idea of simulating games between WVU and the 2011 Big 12 (minus Texas A&M & Missouri.)

Just think about this for a minute… WVU gets to the Big12 a year early… 2011, which was also Dana Holgorsen’s first year as Head Coach.

Every game was simulated only once. I mean, honestly, these teams only have one chance per season to win, so why should I have to simulate a game 10 or even 100 times? I don’t have the time to do that (I do have a day job, like most of you do, I’m sure). There was a particular site I used to simulate these games, and after this simulated season, I will give them a plug.

Game #1 is against Baylor, Octobe 1, 2011. This one should be a doozy with Geno Smith vs. Robert Griffin III. Coming off a loss to LSU, the Mountaineers look to change the momentum with their Big 12 debut against the Baylor Bears.

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

7

7

14

7

35

7

21

7

10

45

Heartbreaking score, isn’t it?

To start things off, WVU struck first in the 1st quarter with Geno Smith completing a 6 yard pass to Ivan McCartney at the 9:48 mark. However, Baylor would answer back several minutes later when Robert Griffin III completed an 18 yard pass to Tevin Reese with 6:05 to go in the 1st quarter.

WVU

9:48

TD

Ivan McCartney 6 yd. pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick)

7-0

Baylor

6:05

TD

Tevin Reese 18 yd. pass from Griffin (Jones kick)

7-7

The 2nd quarter, yes, folks, this is where it got ugly.

After WVU returned a Baylor punt 76 yards (thanks to Tavon Austin) and went up 14-7, Baylor just played lights out in the 2nd quarter. At the 7:48 mark, Baylor’s kicker Aaron Jones completely whiffed a 34 yard FG, but that didn’t stop them. With 6:10 to go, RG3 connected with Kendall Wright for a 7 yd red zone pass to tie the game. 5 minutes passed by without a score, however, we’d like to note that Bruce Irvin sacked RG3 in this quarter. At the 1:39 mark, Jarred Salubi ran the ball in for a 6 yard score, putting the score 21-14. WVU got the Baylor kickoff and on the 2nd play of this drive, Geno throws an interception from WVU’s own 38 yd line. Baylor didn’t take long to get back into the Red Zone, and with the clock at 0:51, Terrance Williams caught a 12 yard pass from RG3 to put the Baylor Bears up 28-14 going into halftime.

WVU

10:20

TD

76 yd punt return by Tavon Austin (Bitancurt kick)

14-7

Baylor

6:10

TD

Kendall Wright 7 yd. pass from Griffin (Jones kick)

14-14

Baylor

1:39

TD

Jarred Salubi 6 yd. run (Jones kick)

14-21

Baylor

0:51

TD

Terrance Williams 12 yd. pass from Griffin (Jones kick)

14-28

In the 3rd quarter, Baylor strikes yet again as Jerod Monk catches an 11 yard pass from RG3 to make the score 35-14 with 11:47 to go in the 3rd. It did appear that WVU was not going to lay down in their 2011 Big 12 debut, as Geno Smith threw a 35 yard TD to none other than his favorite receiver Tavon Austin at the 8:02 mark, bringing the score to 35-21. For a while, the score didn’t change, as both WVU and Baylor traded the ball back and forth between 3 & outs… at the 4:18 mark, Tyler Bitancurt shanked a 43 yard FG. Baylor also couldn’t get going as he got sacked twice in this scoring drought by both Trevor Demko and Shaq Rowell. As time was winding down to :30 in the 3rd quarter, Geno Smith did the famous “Colorado School of Mines” play with Devon Brown from 8 yards out from the end zone to be down by 1 TD (Baylor- 35, WVU- 28.)

Baylor

11:47

TD

Jerod Monk 11 yd. pass from Griffin (Jones kick)

14-35

WVU

8:02

TD

Tavon Austin 35 yd. pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick)

21-35

WVU

0:30

TD

Devon Brown 8 yd. pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick)

28-35

4th quarter approaches, and Baylor struck early with a RG3 TD pass for 4 yards to Jordan Najvar, making the score 42-28 in Baylor’s favor at 11:43 to go in the game. That absolutely deflated WVU and they absolutely could not get anything going, and Geno Smith got sacked twice this quarter. With 7:53 to go, Baylor’s Aaron Jones put through a 37 yard field goal, increasing Baylor’s lead to 17. Just when you thought WVU did quit, however, Dustin Garrison caught a 1 yd pass from Geno with the clock down to 4:52, making the score 45-35 in favor of Baylor. Baylor had a 3 and out, and WVU killed any hopes they had when Geno threw his 2nd INT with 1:49 to go in the game. That allowed Baylor to milk the clock and close out the game.

Baylor

11:43

TD

Jordan Najvar 4 yd. pass from Griffin (Jones kick)

28-42

Baylor

7:53

FG

Aaron Jones 37 yds.

28-45

WVU

4:52

TD

Dustin Garrison 1 yd. pass from Smith (Bitancurt kick)

35-45

WVU- 35
Baylor- 45

Here are the stats from today’s game.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Baylor Bears

First Downs

26

29

– Rushing

6

11

– Passing

19

18

– Penalty

1

0

3rd Down Eff

4/11

9/15

4th Down Eff

1/2

0/0

Rushes-Yards

37-78

54-169

Avg Rush

2.1

3.1

Comp-Att-Int

23-33-2

21-24-0

Passing Yards

296

336

Sacks-Yards

2-10

4-22

Fumbles-Lost

0-0

1-0

Punts-Avg

4-41.0

4-41.0

KR-Avg

8-23.9

6-19.7

PR-Avg

4-26.0

4-14.0

Penalties-Yard

3-17

6-44

Time of Possession

26:05

33:55

Here are some more stats, comparing how both teams players did.

Rushing

Att

Yds

20+

L

TD

Shawne Alston

10

44

0

15

0

Dustin Garrison

16

32

0

7

0

Vernard Roberts

3

6

0

5

0

Geno Smith

8

-4

0

3

0

Rushing

Att

Yds

20+

L

TD

Terrance Ganaway

18

71

0

17

0

Jarred Salubi

11

50

0

17

1

Robert Griffin

23

41

0

16

0

Glasco Martin

2

7

0

6

0

Rec

Yds

20+

40+

L

TD

Tavon Austin

7

99

1

0

35

1

Devon Brown

4

78

1

1

40

1

Stedman Bailey

4

45

0

0

13

0

Tyler Urban

3

32

0

0

15

0

Ivan McCartney

3

25

0

0

13

1

Dustin Garrison

2

17

0

0

16

1

Rec

Yds

20+

40+

L

TD

Kendall Wright

9

144

2

1

42

1

Terrance Williams

4

84

2

0

29

1

Jordan Najvar

3

42

1

0

22

1

Tevin Reese

3

42

0

0

18

1

Jerod Monk

2

24

0

0

13

1

Comp.

Att.

Yards

TD

INT

Geno Smith

23

33

296

4

2

Comp.

Att.

Yards

TD

INT

Robert Griffin

21

24

336

5

0

Sacks

INT

Trevor Demko

1

0

Bruce Irvin

1

0

Taige Redman

1

0

Shaq Rowell

1

0

Sacks

INT

Mike Hicks

1

0

Josh Wilson

1

0

Joe Williams

0

1

Sam Holl

0

1

Made

Missed

Tyler Bitancurt

–

43

Made

Missed

Aaron Jones

37

34

Player of the Game

Robert Griffin (Baylor Bears)

WVU is 0-1 in the Big 12, and 2-2 overall. Not a good start in the conference, but they don’t have any time to think about today’s loss. Next up, it’s Homecoming in Morgantown, WV and the Mountaineers welcome the political kingpins of the Big 12 Conference, the Texas Longhorns.

Be sure to tune in next week for Texas @ WVU, only on HailWV.com!