West Virginia walked into Charlotte needing a real proof point and left with one of the loudest wins of Rich Rodriguez’s return. The Mountaineers knocked off No. 25 Virginia 38-27 on Saturday night in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium, turning a game they were expected to lose into a statement that changes the conversation around this 3-0 start.
Virginia came in riding a 2-0 record and a No. 25 ranking, having piled up a 93-11 scoring edge against NC State and Norfolk State. The Cavaliers were also favored by 10.5 points, which made West Virginia’s response even more striking once the game started to tilt.
The early part of the night belonged to Virginia, which grabbed a 14-7 lead after the first quarter. But West Virginia settled in quickly, and quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. kept the Mountaineers from blinking. He hit DJ Epps on a 29-yard touchdown to even the score at 14, then finished off the first half with a 15-yard touchdown run that sent WVU to the locker room up 21-14.
By that point, Hawkins had already accounted for three touchdowns, and Epps had become his favorite target. That connection stayed alive in the third quarter, when Virginia pulled even at 21 before Hawkins found Epps again for a touchdown that pushed West Virginia back in front 28-21 heading into the fourth.
From there, the Mountaineers tightened the screws. After Virginia missed a field goal, West Virginia answered with an 8-play, 78-yard march that ended in Hawkins’ 5-yard touchdown run and stretched the lead to 35-21 with 5:24 left. The Mountaineers added another field goal after that to finish the job.
For West Virginia, it was the biggest win of the RichRod era, and the article makes clear it was bigger than last year’s Pitt game. More importantly, it leaves the Mountaineers heading into Big 12 play with momentum and rising expectations ahead of next week’s home game against Oklahoma State.
For the Big 12, the result also counts as a major non-conference punch: a ranked ACC team taken down by a double-digit underdog on a national stage.
In Other News...
Virginia Just Handed West Virginia Fans A New Reason To Clap Back
Virginias football account gave West Virginia fans something to chew on this week when it posted a hype video with the caption Defend our state ahead of the teams meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. The clip leaned into regional landmarks and history, and even without the usual rivalry buildup, it landed like a shot across the bow for plenty of Mountaineer supporters watching from afar.
The reaction online showed how quickly a neutral matchup can pick up edge when one side frames it as more than a game. West Virginia and Virginia are not locked into a traditional rivalry, but moments like this can give a regional meeting a little extra bite, especially when fans on both sides read the message as a territorial challenge. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Saw Something In WVU's Win Fans Will Love
Rich Rodriguez had plenty to like after West Virginia handled the kind of game that can turn on one possession, and he seemed especially pleased with the way his team finished. Against a ranked opponent, the Mountaineers leaned on effective running plays late and showed the kind of poise coaches want to see when a lead has to be protected, not chased.
The other part Rodriguez pointed to was how the defense settled in after a rough start and started delivering the stops that changed the feel of the game. He also singled out Michael Hawkins for the way he has grown through his third game, praised Jaden Bray for his explosive plays, and noted DJ Epps for his competitive edge and timely catches, a sign there may be even more to like as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Just Made A Statement Fans Have Been Waiting For
West Virginia finally has the kind of win that can change the mood around a season, and it came against a ranked Virginia team in a 38-27 victory that should resonate well beyond one Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. led the way with a five-touchdown performance, mixing two scoring passes with three more on the ground as the Mountaineers played with the kind of confidence and edge their fans have been waiting to see.
DJ Epps also helped tilt the field in West Virginias favor, while defensive backs Nick Taylor and Matt Sieg made their presence felt in the kind of game where every stop and every extra possession mattered. For a program looking to build momentum, this was more than just an eye-catching result against No. 25 Virginia. It was the sort of complete effort that raises a bigger question now: how much can the Mountaineers carry from it going forward? [Read more 🡒]