MORGANTOWN — The West Virginia University football team tried its best not to let a disappointing 2024 regular season turn into a disappointing appearance in Tuesday night’s Frisco Bowl.
Down 18 points in the third quarter, the Mountaineers had a chance to win in the game’s final minute, but a Garrett Greene interception ended the rally and left WVU with a 42-37 loss to No. 25 Memphis.
Memphis (11-2) won 11 games for just the second time in school history, sending WVU (6-7) to its fourth losing season in its last six.
The loss ended a tumultuous season for the Mountaineers, who watched Neal Brown get fired as head coach after a disappointing loss to Texas Tech to end the regular season. Rich Rodriguez – who was in attendance in Frisco, Texas, on Tuesday – will lead the team into the future
Interim head coach Chad Scott praised the players’ resilience over the last couple of weeks.
“These guys had every reason to quit and fold and turn it in and they refused to do that,” Scott said. “The way these guys responded to adversity was elite.”
West Virginia, despite falling behind 17-0 in the first half and trailing by multiple scores for most of the game, was able to pull to within a touchdown in the fourth quarter and, with less than a minute to go, had its shot at the upset following a missed Tristian Vandenburg field goal. That miss gave WVU the ball at its 31 and the Mountaineers were able to get the ball to Memphis’ 37.
Yet WVU quarterback Garrett Greene’s final pass was intercepted by Elijah Herring at the Memphis 16 and returned to the Memphis 21. There was some drama on that play as well. Preston Fox popped the ball out of Herring’s hands and it seemingly was recovered by WVU. However, the officials ruled that Herring was sliding when he was hit, so he was ruled down before the ball left his hands.
“That was the same play we hit several times throughout the game,” Scott said of the play that led to the interception, “and we just fell short. Everyone felt great about the play call and the guys felt comfortable with it. We just fell short.”
That pick marred what had been a standout performance from Greene, who finished with the second 300-yard passing game of his career and two touchdowns, and added 95 yards and another touchdown on seven carries, including a 56-yard score.
Greene completed 29 of 40 passes and 11 of those throws were caught by Hudson Clement for 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“We were watching all throughout bowl prep where the sports are and where the balls were going to be hitting,” Greene said. “(Clement) did a great job of getting to his landmarks and getting there on time.”
“I think we were just both on the same page about the game plan,” Clement said. “I run my routes, he throws the ball. He’s giving me a chance and I’m going to try to make it count for him.”
The Mountaineers were able to pull within one score twice, but couldn’t get any closer. The last time came after a second and third effort by Donaldson led to a 1-yard touchdown run to make the score 42-37. WVU saw a previous 1-yard Donaldson touchdown cut Memphis’ lead to 35-30 with 12:02 left in the game, capping a 16-play, 90-yard drive. Memphis needed just two plays and 65 seconds to regain its breathing room.
Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan found DeMeer Blankumsee for an 89-yard reception on Memphis’ next play from scrimmage. Blankumsee stumbled at the WVU 1 as he was trying to score. Brandon Thomas scored on the next play to put Memphis up 42-30.
That big throw from Henigan was just one of many West Virginia’s defense allowed on the night. The Mountaineers’ soft pass coverage underneath allowed Henigan to connect on short passes that turned into larger gains in the open field. Memphis had nine plays of at least 18 yards.
The Tigers jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first half and entered halftime ahead 28-14. A three-yard Mario Anderson touchdown run put Memphis up 35-17 in the third quarter before West Virginia started its rally.
Donaldson rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Henigan threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-26 passing, while Mario Anderson was Memphis’ leading rusher with 70 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Memphis also had a pair of receivers with more than 100 yards. Roc Taylor finished with 116 yards on five catches, while Blankumsee finished with 120 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
Now WVU turns toward the future and Rodriguez, who talked to the ESPN broadcasting team at the start of the second quarter. He’ll see how his roster stacks up after the transfer portal closes later this month.
— Story by Derek Redd
