The wildest stretch of West Virginia’s loss to Texas Tech came in the final minutes, when the game kept flipping back and forth and the Mountaineers kept finding ways to stay alive - until they didn’t.
At one point, ESPN analytics had WVU with a 74.4% chance to pull off the upset. That was after the Mountaineers had built a 48-41 lead and the defense had finally started to settle in, opening the second half with four straight stops. It looked like the road win was there for the taking.
Then the game turned on a string of plays that swung momentum in both directions.
West Virginia’s defense got the first big break when it forced a punt on the ensuing drive after Mike Hawkins’ rushing touchdown put Texas Tech ahead 48-41. That stop nudged WVU’s win probability up to 65.4%, and for a moment the Mountaineers had the kind of response they needed.
But the next stretch was where things started to unravel. On 3rd and 7, Nick Taylor was flagged for pass interference, and that kept the Red Raiders moving.
A few snaps later, Chams Diagne was called for DPI on 3rd and 10, another penalty that extended the drive and took a bite out of WVU’s momentum. Texas Tech eventually settled for a field goal, but the damage was done.
West Virginia had a chance to answer, and the defense even helped keep the pressure on. Cam Cook was stuffed on 3rd and 1, and that stop gave the Mountaineers another opening.
But on offense, the next key moment came when Castellanos completed a 19-yard pass to Kenny Johnson on 3rd and 6, followed by a 16-yard run to the WVU 7. That set up Castellanos’ touchdown pass to Johnson with 2:44 left, and Texas Tech went up 51-48.
At that point, WVU’s win probability had dropped to 15.7%.
The critical swing before that touchdown came on Castellanos’ 4th-down heave. With West Virginia’s win probability sitting at 74.4%, he launched a prayer that Johnson hauled in for 26 yards.
If that ball falls incomplete, WVU gets the ball on the Texas Tech 48 with a four-point lead and very little time left. Instead, the drive stayed alive, and the Red Raiders kept pushing.
West Virginia still had chances after that. Hawkins was sacked on 4th down, ending one possession with the Mountaineers at 2.5% win probability. Then WVU forced turnover on downs, briefly giving itself life again at 4.7%.
The final blow came immediately after. Hawkins was sacked for a safety, and the Mountaineers’ onside kick attempt was recovered by Texas Tech, sealing it at 0%.
There were also a couple of protection breakdowns that mattered just as much as the coverage plays. On one fourth-down sequence, Nick Krahe got bullied and Hawkins was flushed left without a throw, turning the possession into a turnover on downs.
Later, Krahe was beaten again, Hawkins was forced back into his own end zone, and the result was the safety. Ryan Ward and Cyrus Traugh looked open on that play, but the pressure got there too fast.
Rich Rod said after the game that he probably would have gone for it on 4th and short if he had to do it again, but on his own 34-yard line, it was still a tough call.
The biggest momentum swing of the night may have been the one WVU couldn’t cash in on after that Diagne penalty. Instead of getting off the field, the Mountaineers let the drive continue, and Texas Tech made them pay.
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WVU Wasted A Historic Night In A Loss Fans Will Hate
West Virginias trip to Texas Tech turned into one of those maddening Big 12 shootouts that leaves everyone exhausted and none the happier for it. In a game packed with offense and little margin for error, the Mountaineers were part of a first half that produced more than 892 yards of total offense, and Mike Hawkins Jr. still managed to carve out a place in the school record book by setting the program mark for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season.
Even with that kind of individual milestone, the result is what will sting most. West Virginia fell 53-48 after defensive breakdowns and a handful of critical late plays swung the finish in Texas Techs favor, turning a historic night for Hawkins into a loss the Mountaineers will be replaying for a while. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs PFF Review Shows Who Carried The Offense In Texas Tech Loss
Pro Football Focus review of West Virginias shootout loss to Texas Tech offered a clear snapshot of where the offense held up and where it broke down. Quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. graded out well thanks to strong passing efficiency, giving the Mountaineers enough production to stay in the game, while the offensive line had a much tougher night trying to keep the pocket clean.
The defensive grades told a similar story of a few bright spots surrounded by too many issues. K.J. Henson and linebacker Isaiah Patterson drew notice for their work, but the secondary came under fire for shaky positioning and an inability to finish plays, leaving West Virginia with more questions than answers as it looks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Hawkins Jr. Is Giving West Virginia One Huge Reason To Worry
Mike Hawkins Jr. has already put his name alongside one of the most recognizable figures in West Virginia football, and he did it in a way that keeps changing the conversation around the Mountaineers. With 19 rushing touchdowns through nine games, he broke Pat Whites mark for the most rushing scores by a West Virginia player in a single season, a reminder of just how central he has become to the offense.
The bigger issue for West Virginia is what comes next. Hawkins has a chance to keep climbing the record book and potentially set a standard for a non-service academy quarterback that would draw national attention, but only if he remains in Morgantown. For a program that wants to build real momentum, his future with the Mountaineers may be every bit as important as what he has already done on the field. [Read more 🡒]