The first week of Big 12 football just wrapped, and man, West Virginia’s Cam Cook is already going off! This dude is leading the entire conference with a massive 142 rushing yards right out of the gate. That’s a statement, plain and simple, and it came in a big win for the Mountaineers over Coastal Carolina. Talk about making an impact from week one!
Cook and the Ground Game Monsters Show Up Big
Cook’s 142 yards didn’t just top the league, he also hammered home two rushing touchdowns, showing he’s not just moving the chains, he’s finishing drives. That’s the kind of production you need from your star back. But he wasn’t alone at the top of the yardage list: Jeremy Payne from TCU also hit 142 yards, proving there’s some serious talent ready to chew up turf in the Big 12. And get this: West Virginia had another monster on the ground, Michael Hawkins Jr, who stacked up 103 yards. Two guys over 100 yards in Week 1? That’s a terrifying ground game to face! Other notable rushers hitting the century mark included Duke Watson from UCF with 110 yards and Gi’Bran Payne from Cincinnati with 108.
But not everyone had a dream start. LJ Martin, BYU’s reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, was noticeably quiet. The dude only managed 54 rushing yards on seven attempts. You expect way more from the OPOY, right? That’s a head-scratcher and something to watch in the coming weeks. Will he bounce back, or is this a sign of trouble?
Cincinnati’s QB Threat and the Missing Buffaloes
While running backs stole the show in yards, Cincinnati quarterback JC French proved he’s a true dual-threat monster. On just 10 attempts, French averaged a stellar 5.2 yards per carry and unbelievably scored three rushing touchdowns! Three! For a quarterback! That’s wild, and it puts him at the top of the conference for rushing scores. He wasn’t just running, either; French also tossed a passing touchdown in Cincinnati’s dominant 34-15 win over Boston College. This guy is going to be a nightmare for defensive coordinators trying to game plan.
And speaking of nightmares, where are the Colorado running backs? The Buffaloes put up nearly 200 rushing yards as a team, which is a solid number, but not a single Colorado running back cracked the top 10 list for individual rushing yards. What does that tell you? Maybe it’s a committee approach, or they just don’t have that standout bell-cow back yet. You gotta wonder if that’s a sustainable strategy for them as the season wears on. Beyond French, other guys hitting multiple rushing scores include Jaylen Raynor (Iowa State, 2), Kedrick Reescano (Arizona, 2), Landen Chambers (UCF, 2), and Yasin Willis (Kansas, 2).
Week 1 is officially in the books, but this is just the beginning. Can Cook keep up this insane pace? Will LJ Martin shake off the rust and remind everyone why he’s the reigning OPOY? And seriously, how do you stop a QB like French? Every single yard, every touchdown, it all counts. We’re just getting started, folks, and I can’t wait to see what Week 2 brings!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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