By the Numbers: WVU

There were the completely underwhelming numbers before this game: 1:00 PM. 12/29 (a Monday). Seating capacity around 59,000. 7-5 vs 7-5. And then the game happened, and, as almost everyone predicted, it was a lot of fun. (More entertaining than the other two Big 12 losses that day as well AMIRITE?)

In a way, it was a microcosm of a lot of things, and perhaps a representative summary of 2014 also. Or maybe that's just us trying to shoehorn. Either way, we jumped out early, then fell behind by double-digits just as quickly, and then Kyle Allen grabbed a hold of this team and showed exactly why, amid all the coaching carousel happenings,  and all the recruiting news swirling around for the last couple of weeks, he was ranked the #1 QB coming out of high school. If Auburn was his coming-out party, this game was his "I think I'm gonna stay here a while" party. He jumped right up after that terrible pick-six that put us down by 10 points and marched down the field and never looked back and that is just what the whole team needed.

1. Turnover. It was a bad one, the worst kind, and WVU had another couple of dropped picks, but in the end we broke even on the turnover battle and that was enough. The forced throws will hopefully get addressed in the off-season. Kyle hasn't even been on campus a year yet so there's plenty of room to mature.

2. Touchdowns for Malcome Kennedy. Great to see him go out with a good game, and also great because I got to say "MALCOME OVER THE MIDDLE" one  more time. And might I add that the excessive celebration penalty on his first TD was grade-A horse shit. He's the least excessive guy out there. He jumped in the air.

3. Tommy Sanders went out with a little bit of fire as well. He had a terrible personal foul penalty, but also grabbed 1.5 sacks and a QB hurry.

4. Passing TDs for Kyle. Plus one rushing and it's no wonder he was named player of the game.

5. Yards per rush (OK 4.9 I rounded up) on 48 attempts. If this is the kind of dedication to the run we can expect plus a very experienced OL coach who likes to run, plus a trio of extremely skilled backs coming back next year, then I am somewhat excited about our run game in 2015.

6. KASER LASERS. He averaged 40.8 yards per boot, even with that shanktastic bomb. Long of 55 and three inside the 20 yard line. Just a final warmup for the most ballyhooed senior punting campaign ever known to man.

7. Catches for Kevin White, including a 49-yard bomb. White is an outstanding WR, and while we certainly didn't corral him by any stretch of the imagination, we also didn't let him completely dominate us single-handedly like Larry Fitzgerald did in 2003 [cowers under desk].

8. Tackles for loss by the D. This was impressive as it wasn't just a product of the pass rush, especially without a DC. Guys were getting to the ball more.

9. Tackles by Donovan Wilson after he came in for the ejected Howard Matthews at strong safety. I'm no expert, but I was impressed with Wilson and it seemed like he was all over the place making plays (including in the passing game).

11.5. Sacks on the year for Myles. He managed another half of one yesterday.

13. Josh Reynolds' TD grab in the first quarter broke the school record held by Mike Evans and Jeff Fuller for most touchdown receptions in a season. He's just a sophomore, so we've got at least one more year with him.

25. Carries for Tra Carson. We wanted a mix-up in the run game planning and we got it. He punished people in the second half en route to a career-high 133 yards. Throwing Trey in there to spell him was the perfect complement.

59-59. The season is now over, so we can finally say it: Josh Lambo was perfect on extra points. For a whole year. 100%. No misses. If anyone can find out when the last time that happened in Aggie Football, you win a shiny new GBH slap-bracelet*.

*(does not exist)