Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for a career-high 464 yards and Jack Cassidy kicked a 35-yard field goal as time ran out to lift West Virginia to a thrilling 45-42 win over Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon at Milan Puskar Stadium.
It was the Mountaineers’ (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) first walk-off game winner since 2022 when Casey Legg kicked a 25-yard field goal to beat Oklahoma 23-20.
The Bearcats (4-2, 1-2) have lost two straight, with a bye week in between losses.
“It was crazy,” Hawkins said. “For the offense, we’ve just got to keep scoring. That’s the goal every week. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the game. Don’t look at the scoreboard, just take it play by play. But it was an unreal game to be in.”
With 5:35 remaining, Cincinnati went ahead 42-35 on Cole Tabb’s 6-yard touchdown. However, WVU answered on just five plays when Hawkins found Cam Cook for a 40-yard pass.
The Bearcats were forced to punt on the next series and managed to pin the Mountaineers at their own 1 with 2:05 left. On third down, Hawkins connected with Prince Strachan for a 41-yard pass before finding him again for a 40-yard gain two plays later. Then Cassidy came on and hit the game winner.
JC French had a season-high three touchdown passes and ran for another score for Cincinnati, completing 22 of 30 passes for 389 yards. Tabb scored twice on the ground and caught a touchdown pass.
Hawkins completed 25 of 33 passes for 464 yards, the most by a WVU quarterback since Will Grier threw for 539 yards against Oklahoma in 2018. DJ Epps finished with one touchdown and 163 yards. Cook was limited to 40 yards on the ground.
The Bearcats finished with 622 total yards of offense compared to the Mountaineers’ 598.
WVU travels to TCU next Saturday.
Photo Credit: Kelsie LeRose, WVSN
