West Virginia’s defense spent most of Saturday afternoon under siege in Fort Worth. In the end, though, it was the unit that delivered the biggest moment of the game.
The Mountaineers survived a 24-20 upset win over TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium, and the closing sequence belonged to Zac Alley’s defense.
With the Horned Frogs driving at the West Virginia 14-yard line, one timeout in hand and less than 40 seconds left, Alley brought the heat. Defensive tackle David Afogho hit TCU quarterback Jaden Craig as he tried to throw, the ball came loose, and linebacker Ben Cutter fell on it at the 23.
The official play-by-play credited Nate Gabriel with the strip, but highlight clips posted on social media made it clear Afogho was the one coming off the edge. That was the third turnover forced by West Virginia, and from there the Mountaineers only needed to kneel it out.
West Virginia improved to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play, while also stretching its Fort Worth winning streak to four straight dating back to 2019.
The box score leaned heavily toward TCU in almost every way that usually matters. The Horned Frogs nearly doubled West Virginia in total offense, 484 yards to 272, and held the ball almost 15 minutes longer. But turnovers, a missed field goal and eight TCU penalties for 81 yards kept swinging the game back toward the Mountaineers.
Craig put up big numbers for TCU, finishing 33-of-47 for 372 yards and a touchdown. Michael Hawkins Jr. wasn’t nearly as sharp through the air, completing seven of 15 passes for 79 yards, but he made a major impact on the ground with 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
He also had a pair of drops working against him that could have inflated his passing total by another 100 yards. Cam Cook, another former Horned Frog, added 90 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown catch.
Hawkins is a Dallas resident, and both players were in front of family and friends.
West Virginia’s offense did just enough early to build a cushion before going quiet for long stretches. The Mountaineers put together 10 points on their first two possessions and accounted for most of their 125 first-half yards in that window. Jack Cassidy opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal after an eight-play, 39-yard drive, and on the next possession Cook broke free for a 31-yard run that set up Hawkins’ 2-yard touchdown run.
After that, the first half belonged mostly to TCU’s defense and clock control. West Virginia managed only 23 yards on its final three drives before halftime.
The Horned Frogs also held the ball nearly nine minutes longer in the opening half, got a 6-yard touchdown grab from Ka'Morreun Pimpton and a 39-yard field goal from Nate McCashland, and still had a chance to be ahead by more. McCashland missed from 43 yards late in the second quarter, and TCU also gave the ball away twice, with Cam Torbor recovering one and Chams Diagne picking off another.
West Virginia nearly cashed in after Torbor’s fumble recovery, but DJ Epps dropped a deep pass from Hawkins down the middle that could have gone for a touchdown.
TCU opened the third quarter by tying the game at 13-13 on McCashland’s 37-yard field goal to finish a nine-play, 56-yard drive. West Virginia answered with one of its best drives of the day, covering 75 yards in five plays. A third-down defensive holding call on Gil Jackson kept the series alive at the Mountaineers’ 39, Hawkins hit Prince Strachan for 21 yards, and two snaps later Hawkins broke loose for a 36-yard touchdown run - his second score of the day and 16th of the season.
Cassidy’s extra point made it 17-13, but TCU answered quickly. Geimere Latimer II’s 13-yard sack forced a punt, yet West Virginia couldn’t build on it after being pinned at its own 8, with Jaden Bray unable to secure another deep ball from Hawkins.
The Horned Frogs capitalized on the field position swing. Brian Hansen’s 41-yard punt gave TCU the ball at the West Virginia 47, Jon Denman caught a 15-yard pass to move it to the 30, and a third-down pass interference call on Kameron Reddic set the Horned Frogs up at the 2. Craig finished the drive himself to put TCU back in front, 20-17.
That lead didn’t last long. West Virginia answered with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took five minutes and featured an unnecessary roughness penalty on Koron Hayward after his sack of Hawkins. That mistake moved the Mountaineers to the 26, Cook converted on fourth down to reach the 14, and two plays later Hawkins found Cook down the seam for a 13-yard touchdown, Cook’s second touchdown catch of the season.
Cassidy’s kick put West Virginia back ahead 24-20 with 11:28 left, and from there the Mountaineers’ defense finished the job.
In Other News...
Sonny Dykes Had A Frustrated Reaction To West Virginia's Win
West Virginias 24-2 win over TCU had the kind of closing sequence that can tilt a game from competitive to lopsided in a hurry. After both teams spent much of the afternoon fighting through stalled possessions, David Afoghos late strip sack and Ben Cutters recovery gave the Mountaineers the kind of defensive break that can put a game out of reach and leave the opponent looking back at all the missed chances.
For Sonny Dykes, the frustration showed up quickly afterward. The TCU coach pointed to the Horned Frogs inability to finish drives, along with turnovers, missed field goals and other failed critical plays, as the difference in a game where his team managed to outgain West Virginia in several statistical categories. From West Virginias perspective, it was another reminder that style points do not matter much when the defense keeps producing the one play that ends the night. [Read more 🡒]
Ross Hodge Made Clear What WVU Still Must Fix Fast
West Virginias 103-66 exhibition win over Glenville State offered a cleaner look at where the Mountaineers are settling in under Ross Hodge, and where the work still needs to continue before the games count. The result moved WVU to 1-1 in preseason play, and Hodge used the postgame to frame the night as more than just a tune-up, touching on the significance of the outing and the way his team handled itself on both ends.
There was also a little bit of the usual October injury watch to sort through, along with some encouraging signs from practice that Hodge has seen from one players rebounding and competitiveness. Even in a lopsided exhibition, those are the kinds of details that matter for a roster trying to sort out its rotation and sharpen its identity before the season gets moving for real. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Defense Reaches A Breaking Point Before Crucial Bye Week
West Virginia has been grinding through eight straight weeks without a break, and the timing of the upcoming bye could hardly be better. Before it gets there, though, the Mountaineers still have one more game to navigate against TCU, with the defense carrying plenty of attention after a stretch that has left Rich Rodriguez wanting a reset far earlier than this point.
Zac Alley has described the units play as inconsistent, and that has made the open date feel less like a luxury than a necessity. The hope now is that the extra time will give West Virginia a chance to regroup, clean up the issues on that side of the ball and head into the final weeks of the regular season with a better answer for the tougher matchups ahead. [Read more 🡒]