West Virginia just got absolutely walloped 52-31 by Arizona on October 10, and that kind of beatdown has everyone looking at their defense, especially with Cincinnati rolling into Morgantown this Saturday at noon. Both of these Big 12 squads started hot, with the Mountaineers kicking off 3-0 and the Bearcats ripping off a 4-0 run, but now they’re both reeling after dropping three straight for WVU and a 34-7 “Fafita’d” loss to Arizona for UC. You know the term “must-win” is gonna be thrown around by everyone this weekend.
Mountaineers’ Ground Attack is Legit, But Can it Win Alone?
Look, West Virginia has some serious weapons on the ground. Cam Cook is a beast, coming in as the No. 3 runner in the entire country with 793 yards already, averaging 153 per game. He came over with head coach Rich Rodriguez from Jacksonville State, so you know they’ve got that chemistry locked. And their quarterback, Michael Hawkins Jr., isn’t just handing off. He’s tied for No. 8 in the nation with 672 rushing yards, putting up 117 per game himself. UC’s own head coach, Scott Satterfield, knows what’s up, saying, “Anytime you’re playing 11-on-11, and your quarterback can run, it’s hard to defend.” Satterfield even highlighted Hawkins’ elusiveness and speed, noting he’s a “different-style runner than Kansas State’s quarterback,” someone who “can make you miss.” He expects Hawkins, like Cook, to get 20 carries. That means UC’s defense has to commit “a lot of hats down” and “tackle well” if they want to slow that train. For comparison, UC’s top two rushers, Gi’Bran Payne and Cole Tabb, are only at 78.4 and 66 yards, respectively. West Virginia has outrushed every team they’ve played this year, but here’s the kicker: they’ve lost three straight.
That Aerial Attack, Or Lack Thereof, and Cincinnati’s Chance
So, if West Virginia’s running game is so dominant, why are they on a three-game skid? It’s simple: they’re getting absolutely torched through the air. They’ve been outgained passing in all three of those losses. Oklahoma State shredded them for 389 yards through the air compared to WVU’s mere 132. Iowa State outpassed them 312-227, and Arizona, with Noah Fifita, dropped 341 passing yards on them to WVU’s 291 in that 52-31 drubbing. That’s a huge problem.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, might just have the arm to exploit that. Their quarterback, JC French IV, is No. 20 in the country with nearly a 70% completion percentage. While Hawkins Jr. is way down at No. 127 out of 128 teams with a 52.3% completion rate, his passing efficiency rating (151.10, 7 TDs, 1 INT) is actually slightly better than French’s (150.83, 6 TDs, 0 INTs), who sits at No. 44 compared to Hawkins’ No. 43. Still, French has a solid target in JV Gibson, who’s got 18 grabs and almost a 15-yards-per-catch average. Gibson might be extra fired up, too. French said after Gibson went without a catch at Arizona, “He (Gibson) didn’t have a great game last game… I think that fueled him to be a hard worker this week. He was texting me the other night saying, ‘We’ve got to go this week. This will be our week.’ I appreciate that.” If Gibson and French can connect, they could give West Virginia’s shaky pass defense fits.
This Saturday at noon in Morgantown, it’s not just another game. Both teams are fighting to get back on track after those hot starts crumbled, especially with undefeated Big 12 teams like BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, and Oklahoma State still out there. West Virginia leads the series 18-3-1, and they’ve taken the last four, including a 31-24 win in 2024 that saw Brendan Sorsby plagued by turnovers. UC’s last series win was way back in 2009, a 24-21 home victory that kept Brian Kelly’s UC team undefeated at 10-0. Their last win in Morgantown? That was 2008, thanks to a 52-yard field goal from Pat McAfee. Can UC finally break the Mountaineers’ four-game win streak in the series and prove they’re not just a running team? With both squads desperate, this one’s gonna be a brawl!
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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