West Virginia storms back

Patrick White was bruised and determined with the Gator Bowl hanging in the balance.

The quarterback played through ankle, hand and neck injuries to lead West Virginia back from an 18-point deficit in the second half for a 38-35 win over Georgia Tech on Monday.

“He kind of willed us to victory,” West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez said.

White completed nine of 15 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 145 yards and a score.

He handled the bulk of the carries with tailback Steve Slaton, the country’s third-leading rusher at 144 yards a game, limited because of a badly bruised left thigh. Slaton’s status was uncertain before kickoff, and the sophomore managed only 11 yards in three carries -- all in the first half. Owen Schmitt ran 13 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

“I was hurting a lot, but I had to block it out. I had to play ball,” White said. “It makes me want to play harder -- when I’m injured I get a little angry.”

The teams set a Gator Bowl record for scoring, breaking the previous mark set in Tennessee’s 45-23 win over Virginia Tech in 1994, and records for total yardage (928), most plays (121) and most first downs (40).

Georgia Tech (9-5) tried a 54-yard field goal on fourth and nine with five minutes left that could have tied the score, but Travis Bell’s kick fell well short. West Virginia then ran out the clock.

It was an astonishing turnaround from the first half, in which Georgia Tech sophomore quarterback Taylor Bennett and All-American receiver Calvin Johnson picked apart West Virginia’s secondary.

It was Georgia Tech’s third loss in a row by three points, including the regular-season closer at Georgia and the Atlantic Coast Conference championship against Wake Forest.

“That’s been our story this season with all these losses at the end,” Yellow Jackets linebacker KaMichael Hall said. The Mountaineers (11-2) also couldn’t stop Tashard Choice, who ran 27 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson finished with 186 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

Bennett, starting for the second time in his career, was 19 for 29 for 326 yards. He was playing in place of Reggie Ball, a four-year starter ruled academically ineligible a week-and-a-half ago.

It was West Virginia’s third Gator Bowl appearance in the last four years, and fifth overall, but the Mountaineers’ first win.

Tech opened the second half by recovering an onside kick at its own 46-yard line. Choice had a 17-yard run and Johnson jumped between two defenders for a 32-yard pass before Choice ran it in from five yards out to put the Yellow Jackets up, 35-17.

White then caught Georgia Tech off-guard in the third quarter for a 57-yard touchdown pass and the comeback was on.