Just under .500, West Virginia is in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday to break its two-game losing streak.
After entering with a doubtful status, offensive tackle Wyatt Milum and quarterback Neal Brown are officially ruled out for the 7 p.m. kickoff.
Without Greene, sophomore Nicco Marchiol will step in as a starter for the first time since playing Texas Tech last season. Marchiol threw 13 passes in the second half last weekend, completing six for 58 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Johnny Williams IV is making his first career start at left tackle in place of Milum.
Captains in Tucson are Preston Fox, Ja’Quay Hubbard, Reid Carrico, Sean Martin, and Fatorma Mulbah. Carrico will be WVU’s flag carrier.
Quarter 1:
West Virginia won the coin toss and chose to start the game on offense.
Marchiol starts off the game well, running a quick tempo to start 5-for-6 passing, including a nine-yard completion with Treylan Davis.
WVU’s offensive line makes two false starts in the first possession but otherwise shines, ending in a season-best 45-yard field goal by Michael Hayes. WVU leads 3-0.
On defense, WVU struggles against top collegiate receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who makes a 28-yard catch, but shines against the Arizona run game. Kekoura Tarnue forces running back Quali Conley to fumble, and Garnett Hollis takes it to WVU’s 19.
Another false start interrupts back-to-back 15-yard first down catches, the first by Rodney Gallagher III and the second by tight end Kole Taylor. WVU advances to Arizona’s 22-yard line before taking a timeout with 2:51 left in the quarter.
WVU’s drive is successful, as Hayes fakes a 42-yard field goal attempt as Leighton Bechdel takes it 14 yards for a touchdown. Hayes makes the extra point to go up 10-0 in the first.
Marchiol is 8-10 for 92 yards through one quarter. Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson rushed for 20 and 13 yards respectively in the first. Traylon Ray leads WVU receivers with 24 yards on one catch. McMillan has 31 yards on two catches for Arizona.
Arizona is at its own 28 to start the second quarter. WVU leads 10-0.
Quarter 2:
WVU cornerback Dontez Fagan goes down with an injury on the first play of the quarter.
McMillan leads two quick Arizona first downs, making a 19-yard catch before throwing a 14-yard pass to quarterback Noah Fifita.
After a few more successful gains, Quali Conley runs it in one yard for his seventh rushing touchdown of the year. Tyler Loop makes the extra point to cut the WVU lead to 10-7.
Jahiem White makes WVU’s first major offensive play of the quarter, running for 55 yards to Arizona’s 8-yard line.
Defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei is down with an injury. West Virginia is at Arizona’s eight.
Marchiol scrambles in closer then throws a three-yard pass to Hudson Clement after a break for the Mountaineers’ second touchdown of the game. Hayes’ extra point is good, and WVU leads 17-7. 2:55 remains in the half.
WVU allows a six-yard gain, stops Conley for no gain, then stops Fifita after the two-minute timeout to force an Arizona punt, fair caught by Preston Fox. Arizona nearly earns a penalty, but it is waived off.
Marchiol runs for 17 yards but fumbles it out of bounds. Arizona nearly recovers it in bounds, but WVU regains possession at its own 42-yard line after the Wildcats’ challenge. Arizona calls a timeout with 1:13 remaining.
Out of the timeout, Marchiol finds Donaldson for three yards, and Arizona calls another timeout.
Marchiol finds White, but he fails to gain any yardage, and Oliver Straw punts it 47 yards for West Virginia with 49 seconds remaining.
Arizona fails to score in the final seconds. West Virginia leads 17-7 at the half.
Nicco Marchiol is 11-for-13 with 98 passing yards and six carries for 29 yards in his first start of the season. West Virginia has 245 total yards to Arizona’s 154. WVU nearly tripled Arizona’s rushing gains with 147 to the Wildcats’ 54.
Quarter 3:
TJ Jackson gets a sack to force a 12-yard loss. Conley cannot make up for it, and Arizona punts to its own 44. West Virginia has the ball with 12:53 remaining.
WVU and Arizona trade penalties. Marchiol cannot convert, but what was initially called as a four-yard loss is ruled incomplete, so the Mountaineers go for it on 4th & 3. Marchiol finds Justin Robinson for an eight-yard first down reception on Arizona’s 30.
On 4th & 1, CJ Donaldson takes the run and breaks away for a 20-yard touchdown. Hayes makes the extra point, putting WVU up 24-7 with 7:59 remaining in the third.
McMillan makes a 13-yard catch for a first down, but Fifita fails to advance the Wildcats to another. Michael Salgado-Medina punts to Preston Fox, who returns it to the WVU 16 with 5:22 remaining.
West Virginia gains three yards in the possession, which ends with a dropped pass intended for Kole Taylor. Straw punts out of bounds to the Arizona 35. 3:42 remains in the third.
Conley goes for 18 yards and Fifita finds McMillan for 23 to put Arizona in scoring position. WVU misreads the offense, and tight end Sam Olson is left open for a 23-yard touchdown catch. Tyler Loop misses the extra point attempt, keeping Arizona down 24-13 with 1:18 left in the third.
Marchiol gets sacked for a six-yard loss, which is made up for by a seven-yard run by Rodney Gallagher. The third quarter ends with WVU on its own 26.
Quarter 4:
Hudson Clement saves WVU from a three-and-out possession, making a 17-yard catch behind a defender for the first down.
Nicco Marchiol finds Traylon Ray, who breaks away for a 54-yard touchdown through contact. Hayes makes the extra point to put WVU up 31-13.
Arizona grabs two first downs but commits a false start before getting pushed to 4th & 7 at WVU’s 46. Fifita finds McMillan for the first down with a 17-yard reception.
Hammond Russell IV sacks Noah Fifita, then WVU forces an incomplete but cannot keep Arizona from scoring, as Fifita finds McMillan for a 34-yard catch for the touchdown. McMillan has nine catches for 153 yards.
Fifita makes time on the two-point conversion attempt but cannot complete his pass to Olson. WVU leads 31-19. 8:52 remains in the game.
Jahiem White kicks off the possession with a 12-yard run after lining up as a receiver, but Kole Taylor gets called with holding to negate the play. West Virginia cannot recover and is forced to punt with 6:02 remaining.
Fifita finds sophomore receiver Chris Hunter, who takes off for 16 yards. McMillan takes off before the throw and makes a 49-yard catch on the next play before getting shut down quick.
Garnett Hollis shuts down a touchdown pass attempt, and McMillan misses the catch on 2nd & 6. McMillan misses another, but a holding penalty before the play gives Arizona a first down at the 3-yard line.
Fifita loses the ball on the first but scrambles for a touchdown on the second down. Kekoura Tarnue gets injured trying to make the tackle. Loop makes the extra point attempt to cut the WVU lead to 31-26 with 4:35 left in the game.
Marchiol finds Taylor for seven yards before Jahiem White takes two carries to get the WVU first down.
Marchiol finds Anderson for a nine-yard catch on 3rd & 7 to keep possession entering the 2-minute timeout.
WVU kills time, as Marchiol takes a knee twice to put the clock at 56 seconds. WVU takes a timeout with 34 seconds remaining. Marchiol takes a knee out of the timeout, and West Virginia wins 31-26.
