West Virginia defeats Baylor, 70-63, in a Big 12 shootout

You thought Baylor’s 67-56 win over Washington in last year’s Alamo Bowl was wild?

Shoot, that was a snoozer compared to West Virginia’s Big 12 debut on Saturday in Morgantown.

In a game that almost defied description, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was finally able to take a knee in the end to preserve a 70-63 victory over Baylor.

Smith can now strike the Heisman Trophy pose after a performance that exceeded anything Robert Griffin III did last season.

You want remarkable? Smith finished with 656 passing yards and eight touchdown passes, with no interceptions. Smith had two more TD passes than incomplete passes, finishing 45 for 51.

Las Vegas set the “over-under” at 81 in this game and didn’t come close as the schools combined for 133 points and 1,507 yards.

The game was so crazy it drew the attention of Angel star rookie Mike Trout, sitting out a rain delay in Texas.

“Wow,” @trouty20 tweeted. “West Virginia Lol QB and WR lol breaking records!”

West Virginia’s basketball team scored 70 or more points only 14 times last year.

Baylor quarterback Nick Florence, who replayed RGIII this year, had a Heisman-like performance himself, completing 29 of 47 passes for 581 yards and five touchdowns.

Neither team, remarkably, produced a 100-yard rusher in the game, but West Virginia receiver Steadman Bailey finished with 13 catches for 303 yards with five touchdowns. Teammate Tavon Austin had 215 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Baylor receiver Terrance Williams had 17 interceptions for 314 yards and two touchdowns.

What to make of this mess?

Is West Virginia really that prolific?

We’ll find out next week when the Mountaineers play at Texas, which has the Big 12’s best defense.

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