West Virginia falls to Brown, Hubbard, No. 22 Oklahoma State

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Dru Brown threw two touchdown passes in his first start, Chuba Hubbard surpassed 100 yards rushing for the ninth consecutive game and No. 22 Oklahoma State beat West Virginia, 20-13, on Saturday.

Brown and national rushing leader Hubbard generated just enough offense for the Cowboys (8-3, 5-3 Big 12, No. 21 CFP), who won their fourth straight.

“Good win for us,” coach Mike Gundy said. “I was really proud of Dru, the way he took care of the ball and didn’t turn it over. In the second half, we just started riding Chuba.”

Hubbard ran 26 times for 106 yards, far below his 173-yard average, but he ran for 47 yards on two key second-half drives that helped Oklahoma State take control and showed off his receiving skills the entire game.

He took a screen pass and ran 46 yards to set up Oklahoma State’s first touchdown. Hubbard finished with seven catches for 88 yards, both career highs. Hubbard entered the game with 82 receiving yards all season, and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy had emphasized earlier in the week he didn’t throw to Hubbard that often out of fear of injury.

Brown marched Oklahoma State the length of the field early in the fourth quarter, hitting Dillon Stoner with a 2-yard scoring pass for a 17-13 lead.

West Virginia (4-7, 2-6) didn’t have as much luck inside the red zone.

The Mountaineers couldn’t convert on three plays from the 1-yard line in the second quarter, and they twice had to settle for short field goals.

Leddie Brown converted a fourth-and-1 from the Oklahoma State 18 with 2 minutes, 37 seconds left in the game. But Jarret Doege threw three incompletions, the Mountaineers turned the ball over on downs and Oklahoma State ran out the clock.

“Just too many missed opportunities. That sums it up,” West Virginia coach Neal Brown said. “Credit them. They made enough plays at the end of the game.”

Doege finished 28 of 38 for 307 yards in his second start since taking over for Austin Kendall, including a 34-yard scoring toss in the second quarter to his roommate, George Campbell. Seven of Campbell’s 19 receptions this season have gone for touchdowns.

The Cowboys were outgained 333-285 but managed to make the most of it. Brown, a graduate transfer from Hawaii, completed 22 of 29 passes for 196 yards in place of the injured Spencer Sanders.

The Mountaineers lost for the sixth time in seven games, and their bowl hopes are over. A defense that looked impressive against Hubbard in the first half gave him just enough room to break free after halftime, and the offense was limited to 128 yards and three points after halftime.

West Virginia finishes its season Friday at TCU.