Arizona heads to Morgantown with plenty of offensive confidence and a defense that just proved it can stand up to a real test. After rolling past previously unbeaten Cincinnati, 34-7, Brent Brennan’s Wildcats are 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play as they prepare for a tricky road trip to West Virginia.
The matchup brings together two teams moving in very different directions. Arizona enters off its most convincing win of the season, while West Virginia is trying to stop a two-game skid after back-to-back losses that have taken some shine off an early breakthrough.
The Mountaineers beat then-No. 25 Virginia, 38-27, in Week 3, but since then they’ve dropped a 41-24 home game to Oklahoma State and then lost a shootout at Iowa State, 45-42, when Cyclones running back Aiden Flora scored his fifth touchdown with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter.
What makes this game so intriguing is the collision between Arizona’s newly proven run defense and West Virginia’s relentless ground attack. Cincinnati came in with some challenge on the ground, and the Wildcats answered by holding the Bearcats to a season-low 87 rushing yards. That’s a useful warm-up for what’s next, because West Virginia brings the best rushing attack in the country.
The Mountaineers have piled up 1,470 rushing yards, the most in the FBS. That total is 133 more than second-place Army and 190 more than the next high-major team, South Carolina. West Virginia is averaging 294 rushing yards per game, which ranks third nationally, and its 17 rushing touchdowns are tied for third.
A huge reason for that production is quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who has become a major factor as a runner. He has 574 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, tied with Florida running back Jadan Baugh for the most in the country. Hawkins has also handled himself well through the air, throwing for 836 yards with a 7:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio over West Virginia’s first five games.
Arizona will be encouraged, though, by what the numbers say about the other side of the ball. West Virginia has been dangerous on offense, but its defense has been a problem.
The Mountaineers allow 168.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks 108th nationally, and they’ve been even more vulnerable against the pass, giving up 288.2 yards per game through the air. That mark ranks 133rd out of 138 FBS teams and leaves only Stanford behind them among Power 4 programs.
Even with wideouts Gio Richardson, Chris Hunter, and Tre Spivey unavailable, Arizona moved the ball effectively against Cincinnati last week, and the Wildcats should have a strong chance to do it again on Saturday. The early 9:00 a.m. kickoff adds another wrinkle, but the matchup itself points to another chance for Arizona’s offense to keep rolling.
Arizona is 1-4 against the spread, while West Virginia is 2-2-1. The game is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia.
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For Arizona, the miss carries a little extra sting because Awakas name already carried a familiar Wildcats link through his family background. Florida sold him on being a top priority and on its belief in his upside, and that was enough to separate the Gators from a crowded field of contenders. The Wildcats will keep working the frontcourt board, but this recruitment offered a reminder that even when a connection exists, it does not always end with a reunion. [Read more 🡒]