Blocked kick seals victory for West Virginia
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West Virginia's Vernard Roberts, right, and Matt Moro celebrate their dramatic victory Saturday in Cincinnati. Eain Smith blocked a field-goal attempt that would have tied the score.
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CINCINNATI -- Eain Smith's outstretched right hand blocked a tying field-goal attempt as time expired Saturday, giving West Virginia a dramatic 24-21 win against No. 23 Cincinnati.
The Bearcats, leaders of the Big East Conference, attempted to surge back in the game's final 2:01 and drove to the West Virginia 14 with their backup quarterback.
That set up Tony Milano for a 31-yard attempt with seven seconds left.
The kick was low, Smith dived for the block and the Mountaineers celebrated, rushing the field at Paul Brown Stadium.
The win means West Virginia, now 7-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big East, stayed alive in the race for a league title. And more important perhaps, the Mountaineers found a way to win a game with an incredibly thin margin of error.
"This was a classic example of just trying to find a way to win," coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Offensively, we could've done it at the end, and we didn't. Field-goal team could've knocked it through and made it a six-point game, but we didn't. Defensively, we could've caved in there at the end and let them score a touchdown. But we didn't and blocked a field goal for the win. Found a way to win. ... I think we grew as a football team today."
It was West Virginia's first blocked field goal since 2004.
"I got my hands up. Blocked it. We win the game," Smith said with a wide smile. "It was a low trajectory kick. ... I'm ecstatic right now. It was my first block in a game; I'll take it."
It was a long day as West Virginia amassed 14 penalties in a game that lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes, had six plays go under review, one challenged and overturned only for the officials to forget what down came next.
Quarterback Geno Smith was sacked for a loss of 8 yards on the first play of the game, and the defense missed multiple tackles on the Bearcats' first drive of the game and trailed, 7-0, with just 1:51 elapsed.
"This is crucial for us to get this victory. It was kind of win or go home," Geno Smith said. "The things we've dealt with have molded us for this. [When] we get in tough situations, we don't put our heads down anymore. You don't see guys with those blank stares. You see guys motivating one another."
First Published November 13, 2011 12:00 am
