MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — CJ Donaldson contributed with two short rushing touchdowns, leading West Virginia to a 31-21 victory over UCF on Saturday and securing bowl eligibility for the Mountaineers.
In his final game at home, Garrett Greene connected on a touchdown pass, while Jahiem White added a short rushing score for West Virginia, who now holds a record of 6-5 overall and 5-3 within the Big 12 Conference.
The Mountaineers avoided the prospect of a fifth consecutive home loss, a scenario that has not occurred since 1990. The outcome leaves uncertainty around the future of coach Neal Brown, as speculation continues about whether this win will be sufficient for him to retain his position.
Meanwhile, UCF fell to 4-7 with a 2-6 mark in conference play, marking their second straight season with a losing record under coach Gus Malzahn.
Donaldson, who typically averages around 53 rushing yards per game, had a standout performance with a total of 96 yards. He kicked off the game strongly, amassing 56 yards in his initial four carries, which included a 1-yard run during West Virginia’s first possession.
In a pivotal moment, West Virginia cornerback Dontez Fagan recovered a fumble from UCF quarterback Dylan Rizk. Following the turnover, Donaldson rushed for an additional 28 yards, culminating in White’s 3-yard touchdown run.
Greene initially struggled in the passing department throughout the first half but rebounded just before halftime, completing 4 of 6 passes for 65 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Gallagher that brought the score to 21-7.
Rizk managed to complete 11 of 21 passes for 172 yards, featuring a 45-yard touchdown connection with Kobe Hudson. RJ Harvey, leading the Big 12 in rushing, tallied 130 yards and scored twice, including a 9-yard touchdown that narrowed the gap to 31-21 with five minutes remaining.
However, UCF’s attempt at an onside kick failed to travel the necessary 10 yards. Greene then sealed the game by completing two fourth-down throws, allowing West Virginia to run out the clock. Greene concluded the game with 13 completions on 21 attempts for 118 yards.
In terms of statistics, UCF outperformed West Virginia in total yardage, racking up 348 yards compared to West Virginia’s 318, but they have now lost seven of their last eight games after starting the season strong with a 3-0 record.
Looking ahead, UCF is set to host Utah on Friday night, while West Virginia will wrap up its regular season against Texas Tech next Saturday.