2012 Baylor vs. West Virginia football game

The 2012 Baylor vs. West Virginia football game was a regular-season college football game between the Baylor Bears (ranked 25) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (ranked 9). The game was played at Milan Puskar Stadium on September 29, 2012, in Morgantown, West Virginia. West Virginia defeated Baylor 70–63 in the first ever matchup between the two schools. The game was tied at 35 apiece heading into halftime; afterwards, West Virginia scored three straight touchdowns to take a 21-point lead. Baylor closed the gap to 56–49 in the fourth quarter, but West Virginia scored two more touchdowns to put the game out of reach. The game set numerous NCAA and Big 12 records, including the highest-scoring game between two ranked teams in FBS history, and the highest-scoring game in Big 12 history, with a combined 133 points scored.

Background

Baylor After losing Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III to the NFL, 5th year head coach Art Briles and freshman quarterback Nick Florence, who had served as Griffin's backup the previous season, led Baylor to an undefeated record in their first three games, with wins over SMU, No. 2 ranked Sam Houston State, and Louisiana Monroe, which expanded on a 9-game winning streak dating back to the 2011 season. Florence threw for over 300 passing yards in each of those games, with 341 vs. SMU, 312 vs. Sam Houston State, and 351 vs. Louisiana Monroe. Florence led the nation in total offense, with 387.7 yards per game, and ranked second in the Big 12 in passing yards, with 334.7 per game. It was the first conference game for Baylor, and the first time they would ever face off against West Virginia.

West Virginia The 2012 season was the very first season that West Virginia was in the Big 12, as they had switched from the Big East after 2011. West Virginia was coming off a dominant win in the 2012 Orange Bowl against Clemson at the conclusion of their 2011 season. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was one of the frontrunners to win the Heisman Trophy, as he had not thrown an interception in the first three games and threw for 12 touchdown passes and 900 passing yards. Under second-year head coach Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia defeated in-state rival Marshall in week 1, James Madison in week 2, and Maryland in week 3, which made them ranked number 9 heading into their week 4 matchup with Baylor.

Game summary

Score summary

Game statistics

Team statistics StatBaylorWest VirginiaFirst Downs 34 33 Rushing 5 5 Passing 22 19 Penalty 1 3Total Offense 700 807 Rushing 119 151 Passing 581 656Rushing Att–TD (Avg.) 45–4 (11.25) 25–2(12.50)Passing Comp/Att (TD–Int) 29/47 (5–1) 45/51 (8–0)Fumbles–Lost 1–0 0–0Penalties–Yards 6–56 6–78Punts–Yards 2–92 2–76 Avg per Punt 46 38Time of Possession 25:04 33:553rd Down Conversions 11/16 12/154th Down Conversions 1/1 0/0PATs–Attempts 9–9 10–10Field Goals–Attempts (Long) 0–2 (33) 0–1 (50)

Game leaders Team Category Player StatisticsBaylor Passing Nick Florence 29/47, 581 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jarred Salubi 20 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD Receiving Terrance Williams 17 receptions, 314 yards, 2 TDWest Virginia Passing Geno Smith 45/51, 656 yards, 8TD Rushing Andrew Buie 25 carries, 82 yards, 2 TD Receiving Stedman Bailey 13 receptions, 303 yards, 5 TD

Records

FBS and Big 12 records

Highest scoring game between two ranked teams in FBS history (133 points) First FBS game with two 300-yard receivers (Terrance Williams; 314) (Stedman Bailey; 303) Most touchdown passes in a game by a Big 12 quarterback (Geno Smith; 8) Most receiving yards in a game by a Big 12 receiver (Terrance Williams, 314)

School records

Most passing yards in a game by a West Virginia quarterback (Geno Smith, 656) Most receiving touchdowns in a game by a West Virginia receiver (Stedman Bailey; 5) Most passing yards in a game by a Baylor quarterback (Nick Florence; 581)

Aftermath Both teams would go on to finish the season unranked. West Virginia suffered five straight losses after this game, including a 55–14 loss to Kansas State that effectively knocked Smith out of the Heisman Trophy race. West Virginia finished the season 7–6, which ended in a loss to former Big East rival Syracuse in the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl. Baylor would go on to upset Kansas State, which was ranked No. 1 in the country at the time, en route to an 8–5 finish with a win against UCLA in the 2012 Holiday Bowl.

2012 Baylor vs. West Virginia football game

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