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Allen's 5 TDs lead Texas A&M over WVU

Dec 30, 2014 - 2:01 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Freshman quarterback Kyle Allen accounted for five touchdowns and Texas A&M held on for a 45-37 win over West Virginia in Monday's Liberty Bowl.

Allen passed for 294 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a score as the Aggies (8-5) won a fourth consecutive bowl game.

Skyler Howard threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start for the Mountaineers (7-6).

Howard's 4-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Wellman with 2:32 remaining pulled West Virginia within 45-37, but Allen hit Malcome Kennedy over the middle for a 21-yard completion on 3rd-and-3 to help Texas A&M run out the clock and clinch a 4-0 bowl record for Aggies seniors.

"That's something that no one can ever take from them and puts them in a class by themselves," said Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin.

Allen's lone interception was returned for a touchdown in a high-scoring first half. He threw two touchdown passes to Kennedy and one each to Josh Reynolds and Trey Williams, who also ran for a score.

The Aggies rushed for 235 yards in the win, with Tra Carson carrying the ball 25 times for 133.

"We made a concerted effort in the last couple of weeks to do some things in the run game," said Sumlin. "It takes pressure off Kyle to not have to make every play."

Howard made his second career start for senior quarterback Clint Trickett, who announced on Friday that he was retiring from football after suffering five concussions in 14 months.

Senior Kevin White, a projected first-round draft pick, had seven catches for 129 yards and a touchdown for the Mountaineers, who have dropped four of their last five bowl games.

Mario Alford and Elijah Wellman also had touchdown receptions in the loss.

It was the last game at West Virginia for offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shannon Dawson, who is leaving the Mountaineers to take the same jobs at Kentucky.

"We didn't play good enough," said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen. "Too many missed opportunities. ... They were bigger, faster and stronger than we were."

The teams combined for 532 yards of offense in the first half and nine of their 16 drives ended in points. Allen and Howard each threw for 195 yards, with Allen passing for three touchdowns and running for a 14-yard score in the final minute that gave Texas A&M a 28-27 lead going into the break.

Allen's interception was returned 35 yards for a touchdown by safety K.J. Dillon to give the Mountaineers a 17-7 lead in the first quarter.

Howard had two touchdown passes in the half, including a 49-yard strike to White that had West Virginia ahead 27-21 before Texas A&M's late score.

The Aggies scored the first 10 points in the second half, taking a 38-27 lead on Williams' 18-yard touchdown run. Later, Kennedy's 9-yard touchdown catch pushed their lead to 45-30 near the end of the third quarter.

Game Notes

Texas A&M said student assistant Michael Richardson, who was twice caught by TV cameras hitting West Virginia players on the sideline, was asked by Sumlin to remain in the locker room for the second half ... It was the first-ever meeting between the teams ... Texas A&M improved to 17-19 in bowl games, including 3-0 under Sumlin ...West Virginia is 14-19 in bowls and 1-2 under Holgorsen.