PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- West Virginia overcame remarkable offensive inadequacies, turned to its defense to hold on --- and, in a larger sense, carry the Mountaineers -- and escaped with a 24-21 victory against Rutgers (8-4, 3-4) today at Rutgers Stadium in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Immediately after the game, the No. 24 Mountaineers (9-3, 5-2) accepted a bid to play in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1.

The Mountaineers stormed right through Rutgers to begin things, going 86 yards on five plays and taking a 7-0 lead when Noel Devine jetted around the left side from 6 yards out.

After the Scarlet Knights narrowed it to 7-3 on a 38-yard field goal from San San Te, the Mountaineers went on an even more impressive drive, going 80 yards on 9 plays and pushing it to 14-3 when fullback Ryan Clarke dove over the top from the 1.

That score came with 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter and capped an ultraefficient first quarter for the Mountaineers.

In the first 15 minutes, West Virginia's offense ran 17 plays for 169 yards -- split masterfully as 85 came through the air and 84 on the ground --- and quarterback Jarrett Brown hit on all six of his passes while Devine rushed for 39 yards.

The second quarter slowed, though, with the game heading into halftime the same way the first 15 minutes ended, with the Mountaineers ahead, 14-3.

The greatest measure of the grinding halt in the second quarter? The teams combined for 4 yards of offense in that span.

The third quarter provided some relief for a contest that dragged immensely, bordering on a snoozer.

West Virginia stretched it to 21-3 when Sidney Glover returned an interception 24 yards for a score early in the third.

But, talk about your buzz kills, Rutgers' Joe Lefeged returned the subsequent kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-11, after a successful two-point conversion.

Then Te made a 27-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the third quarter to slice it to 21-14, before last week's hero against Pitt, West Virginia's Tyler Bitancurt, matched him, kicking a 41-yard field goal early in the fourth to make it 24-14.

Again, it was short-lived.

On the very first offensive snap after the Bitancurt field goal, Rutgers receiver Mohamed Sanu pulled in a 62-yard touchdown from quarterback Tom Savage to squeeze the Mountaineers' lead down to 24-21 with 8:31 left.

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