White passes West Virginia to victory and makes some history

During four record-breaking seasons at West Virginia, Pat White made comeback victories and bowl wins routine.

His grand finale, though, was distinct. The most prolific running quarterback in college football history had the best passing game of his career, cementing his status as one of the best players in school history and perhaps showing he can take his game to the NFL too.

White threw for 332 yards in his final college game, including the game-winning 20-yard touchdown pass to Alric Arnett midway through the fourth quarter in West Virginia’s 31-30 victory over North Carolina on Saturday in the Meineke Bowl at Charlotte, N.C.

The senior was voted MVP of a bowl for the third straight year and finished 4-0 in postseason games, helping West Virginia (9-4) end a disappointing season on a positive note.

“I’m sitting by the greatest winner in college football today,” West Virginia Coach Bill Stewart said of White. “He’s the greatest to ever wear the old gold and blue. It’s a fitting tribute that this man’s the MVP.”

White, the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher for quarterbacks with 4,480 yards, became the first quarterback to win four bowl games as a starter.

It took a great performance to win MVP over Hakeem Nicks, who caught eight passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns for the Tar Heels (8-5). But T.J. Yates’ otherwise strong game was marred when a pass was intercepted by Pat Lazear with under two minutes left, ending Coach Butch Davis’ hopes of a bowl win to complete his turnaround season.

“It’s disappointing to lose this game, but I’m very proud of this football team and the strides we’ve made,” said Davis, whose team was 4-8 last year and playing in their first bowl since 2004.

As Davis spoke, Stewart was leading the crowd in cheers in a sweet ending to a tumultuous season for the much-maligned replacement for Rich Rodriguez.

Entering the season as prohibitive favorites to win the Big East, the Mountaineers started 1-2. They recovered to win five straight, only to go 2-2 over their final four games to end their BCS bowl hopes.

After West Virginia’s J.T. Thomas recovered Shaun Draughn’s fumble at the Mountaineers 30, White threw a 41-yard pass over the middle to Jock Sanders, picked up nine yards on a running play and then rifled a pass between two defenders to Arnett for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:14 left.

“Knowing that this is the last time I’m going to put on this uniform, I definitely wanted to go out on top,” White said. “We accomplished that.”

--

Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13 -- Derek Nicholson and Dakota Wilson returned fumbles for touchdowns, Christian Ponder threw two touchdown passes and the Seminoles (9-4) beat the Badgers (7-6) in the Champs Sports Bowl at Orlando, Fla.

Nicholson had two fumble recoveries, including one he returned 75 yards for a first-quarter touchdown. Punter Graham Gano averaged 48.2 yards and had three kicks downed inside the five to earn MVP.

P.J. Hill ran for 140 yards in 15 carries for Wisconsin.