WVU needed a 52-yard field goal by Pat McAfee at the end of regulation to tie the game at 20-20 and send the game into overtime.

Down 20-9, with 1:11 left, the Mountaineers scored a touchdown with 18 seconds left on Dorrell Jalloh’s three-yard touchdown reception, followed by Pat White’s run on the two-point conversion to make it 20-17.

Mortty Ivy then recovered an onside kick, and Jalloh’s 21-yard reception moved the ball to Cincinnati’s 35 to put the Mountaineers in field goal position for McAfee.

In overtime, The Mountaineers (6-3, 3-1 BIG EAST) got to the Bearcat seven before White was sacked for a three-yard loss on third and goal. That led to a 27-yard field goal by McAfee to put West Virginia in front, 23-20. However, the Bearcats (7-2, 3-1 BIG EAST) responded by getting a 2-yard TD pass from Tony Pike to tight end Kazeem Alli to win the game.

“That was one heck of a football game,” WVU Coach Bill Stewart says. “I want to compliment the Mountaineers and how we battled back. I’m so proud of our football team and our football coaches. I’m as proud as I can be for our guys and the way we fought back.” White was 20-for-38 for 219 yards with two touchdowns to lead WVU. Tailback Noel Devine tallied 58 yards rushing and had six receptions for 48 yards.

Jock Sanders totaled five catches for 52 yards, and Jalloh finished with four catches for 54 yards and a score.

On defense, linebacker J.T. Thomas led the unit with 11 tackles, including ½ sack and 2 ½ tackles for losses. Brandon Hogan finished with nine tackles, and Ivy recorded seven wrap-ups on the night.

“The Mountaineer faithful cheered their hearts out tonight,” Stewart says. “Bill Stewart won’t forget it, and it will make us work harder and recruit harder.”

The Bearcats came up big on defense as the Mountaineers found it extremely difficult to run or pass for most of the game. WVU’s inability to put together sustained drives cost them as the Mountaineer defense was forced out on the field for much of the game.

WVU got behind quickly 10-0 as a result of a pair of its special teams. Cincinnati kick returner Mardy Gilyard began the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Bearcats a 7-0 advantage with only 16 seconds elapsed. Gilyard followed his wall to the right and cut back left when he got toward midfield before going the rest of the way untouched.

After punter McAfee shanked a 26-yard punt, combined with a personal foul penalty by WVU, the Bearcats started at the Mountaineers’ 33 yard line. The WVU defense, kept Cincinnati from getting a first down, and Bearcat kicker Jake Rogers nailed a 45-yard field goal to make it 10-0, Bearcats.

On the WVU’s ensuing drive the Mountaineers responded when White found wide receiver Alric Arnett for a 19-yard post pattern in the end zone, reducing the deficit to 10-7. The drive was keyed by a 30-yard reception over the middle by Sanders on third and nine.

A Devine fumble on third-and-one at the WVU 33 yard line helped set up a 30-yard field goal by Rogers to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 13-7.

The Bearcats struck again with 5:23 left in the second quarter when Pike escaped pressure from his left and took off to his right to scamper in for a 4-yard touchdown run. The Bearcats mixed the run and the pass on its 12-play, 77-yard drive to create a 20-7 advantage.

A 66-yard screen pass from Pike to tailback John Goebel down the left sideline set up another scoring opportunity for the Bearcats, but Rodgers’ 29-yard field goal attempt hit the left post.

Both defenses ruled the third quarter. Cincinnati managed just one first down (a 13-yard rush from Jacob Ramsey) while the Mountaineers had four three-and-outs.

The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday, Nov. 22, for a conference matchup against Louisville at Papa John's Stadium. The game time has yet to be announced.