Greg Schiano, Rutgers Scarlet Knights Buried by Steady Dose of Snow and Offense

A steady dose of snowfall, a steady dose of efficient offense and 20 unanswered points allowed the Top-25 Mountaineers a victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday afternoon at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Coming out of the break, the Mountaineers were down 10, looking at an uphill battle against both Rutgers and the weather.

Don't tell that to Geno Smith, however, as the WVU quarterback threw for two scores and rushed for another, ultimately sealing the game for the Mountaineers.

After an emotional entrance from the Knights (led by Eric LeGrand), a snow globe-type game began between the two Big East rivals.

In the middle of the first quarter, Rutgers garnered great field position but was unable to succeed. Instead, San San Te entered the field and booted a 40-yarder, giving the Scarlet Knights a 3-0 lead.

On the ensuing drive, Shawne Alston scooted through and around the RU defense, going 52 yards for the score. The defense was so poor that it only took three plays for the Mounties to take a 7-3 lead.

The Scarlet Knights' opportunistic defense put RU in scoring position when a blitz forced West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith to fumble, and Manny Abreu pounced on the ball at WVU’s 11-yard line.

Three plays later, Gary Nova hit Mohammed Sanu, who bounced off a tackle and bolted across the goal line to put Rutgers on top, 10-7.

Following the TD, WVU ran a reverse to Tavon Austin. He took the ball and proceeded to scamper 80 yards for the score, giving West Virginia a 14-10 lead.

When Rutgers received the ball back, the game full of big plays continued with another one. On the fourth play of a 64-yard drive, QB Gary Nova again hooked up with a receiver, this time Mark Harrison.

Harrison caught the ball and cruised in for the 45-yard score. The touchdown was the third score in under two minutes.

In the second quarter, WVU took over after a Rutgers turnover. Shawne Alston took a handoff and went two yards into the end zone, his second score of the game.

The touchdown flip-flopped the score again, this time putting WVU on top, 21-17.

The next two scores were both by Rutgers RB Jawan Jamison. At the 9:23 mark, Jamison barreled in from one yard out. Six-plus minutes later, he found pay dirt again, this time from 18 yards out.

The second Jamison touchdown capped an 11-play, 74-yard drive, by far the best RU drive of the game.

Entering halftime, the Scarlet Knights were ahead, 31-21.

The second half was all Geno Smith and the Mountaineers.

WVU scored the first of three touchdowns in the third quarter when QB Geno Smith found Stedman Bailey for a 19-yard score.

The touchdown trimmed the Rutgers lead to three, 31-28.

Three drives later, after Rutgers failed to convert on a fake field goal, the Mountaineers and Smith found the end zone again. This time, Smith went one yard on a QB run.

West Virginia missed the point after, but it didn't matter. Nova fumbled later in the quarter, and the West Virginia Mountaineers capped off the game with one final TD pass.

The win brings WVU to 6-2 (2-1). It was a big win for the Mountaineers, keeping their Big East championship hopes alive.

As for Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights' second straight loss drops them to 5-3 and 2-2 in the conference. The "L" drops them in the Big East standings, and they lose valuable ground.

Rutgers will continue the homestand next week, as the University of South Florida Bulls come to town. The Bulls are 4-3 (0-3) and have dropped their last three games.

Next week will be an interesting tell as to how the RU season will finish up.