After the first quarter, WVU trails No. 12 Oklahoma, 10-3. The game did not begin well, as Landry Jones led the Sooners downfield for a touchdown on the opening possession, delivering a touchdown pass on a four-yard strike to Trey Millard. It got worse on WVU's first possession, which ended when Aaron Colvin picked off Geno Smith's pass at the Oklahoma 45 and ran it back for 22 yards to the Mountaineers' 33.
WVU managed a stop, though, holding the Sooners to a 33-yard field goal. The Mountaineers then turned to the exciting Tavon Austin, who frequently lined up in the backfield. The speedy Austin reeled off a 31-yard run that got the Mountaineers into the red zone. A few plays later, Smith passed to Stedman Bailey on 3rd-and-8, and Bailey just missed the first down on a play that was upheld on review. The Mountaineers had to settle for a field goal, and Oklahoma had the ball back as the quarter came to an end.