Two years straight, South Florida had beaten West Virginia soundly. For a third straight year, they were about to do so again.
West Virginia kicker Pat McAfee could have put the game away with 5:36 to play, but his 48-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left, giving the Bulls, trailing by six, one final possession with plenty of time to work with.
USF, under the leadership of junior quarterback Matt Grothe, moved methodically down the field, converting three third downs on the drive before moving into the WVU red zone.
On third-and-12, Grothe fired the ball towards A.J. Love, who could not hold on. Facing a fourth-and-12 from the WVU 16 with 30 seconds left, USF called timeout. The Mountaineers followed with a timeout of their own.
Grothe took the snap, rolled to his right, and surveyed the field. Wideout Jessie Hester appeared to be open in one corner, but for whatever reason, Grothe did not throw to him. Instead, he looked for Taurus Johnson.
The ball hung in the air for what seemed to be years before WVU cornerback Ellis Lankster, one of 19 seniors playing his final game in Morgantown, got enough of a hand on it to bat it away.
One quarterback kneel later, Pat White walked away from the playing surface he has dominated like no other for the past four years. South Florida’s streak against West Virginia had ended.
After taking a lengthy victory lap around the stadium, White was escorted from the field on a golf cart, waving farewell to the white-clad Mountaineer faithful who still stood on their feet.