West Virginia’s second loss came in a 45-42 shootout against Iowa State, and the game turned on a handful of plays that swung the momentum hard in the Mountaineers’ direction before slipping away again.
Iowa State had started to stretch the lead to three scores early in the second half, but Isaiah Patterson’s interception stopped that surge. Then, three plays later, Rich Rodriguez took a chance on 4th and short, and Cam Cook ripped off a big run deep into Iowa State territory.
Those two moments opened the door for WVU to get back into the game, and eventually take the lead. In the end, it still wasn’t enough.
WVU also had a chance to go down and seize the lead late, but DJ Epps’ fumble put the Mountaineers in a difficult spot. Those three plays, in sequence, ended up shaping the game in a major way.
The defensive issues were familiar. West Virginia was beaten badly on a touchdown play on 2nd and 20, a snap that came down to either Chams Diagne making the wrong call by letting the post route funnel into the safety or a missing layer of help over the top.
Either way, it was another breakdown the defense could not afford. Zac Alley’s group continues to look confused, out of position, and slow to the football, with poor angles and shaky communication feeding the problems.
At this point, getting to bowl eligibility is going to be a challenge if that side of the ball keeps playing this way.
On offense, the passing game still looks like it needs work before it can really hit its stride. Mike Hawkins Jr. missed on a few throws, some passes were dropped, and pressure got to him often, especially in the first half.
There is still belief that this can become a highly efficient passing attack, but it needs more live reps to sharpen the timing and build comfort. WVU did throw it more than 20 times in this game, but after barely leaning on the pass through the first four games, it is going to take time for everything to sync up.
In Other News...
West Virginias Cincinnati Weekend Is Turning Into A Program Showcase
West Virginias Oct. 17 home game against Cincinnati is getting a bigger stage, with the Big 12 announcing the matchup will air on TNT and also be simulcast on TruTV and HBO Max. For a program that has spent the fall trying to turn home dates into full-event weekends, it fits neatly with what is already building around the game in Morgantown.
The Mountaineers are layering in a Stripe the Stadium theme, group ticket packages for alumni and the induction of the 36th WVU Sports Hall of Fame class, while the Big 12 Fall Tour is also set to stop in town with a free kickoff concert on Oct. 10. It is the kind of calendar that gives the Cincinnati game more weight than just another conference Saturday, and West Virginia will be hoping the extra attention translates into a packed house and a lively atmosphere. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Mourns A Heartbreaking Loss In Its Recruiting Class
A heartbreaking loss struck West Virginias recruiting class on Monday morning when Chris Wilson, a senior at Yorktown High School and a committed defensive line recruit for the Mountaineers, was killed in a shooting. The incident remains under investigation, and authorities have not released additional details.
Yorktown High School principal Stacey Brewer issued a statement expressing condolences to Wilsons family and the school community while also confirming there is no threat to students or schools. For West Virginia, the news goes far beyond football, cutting into the lives of coaches, teammates and a program that had welcomed Wilson as part of its future. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginias Fast Start Is Reviving A Feeling Fans Missed
Five games into the season, West Virginias offense has given fans reason to flash back to one of the programs most beloved stretches. The comparison centers on Mike Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook alongside Pat White and Steve Slaton from 2006, a season that still sits near the top of the Mountaineers modern memories because of how smoothly the quarterback-runback pairing fit together and how hard it was for defenses to sort out who was doing what.
The numbers are not identical, and the styles are not carbon copies, but the similarities are enough to make the conversation worth having. Hawkins Jr. and Cook have already drawn the kind of attention that comes when a backfield starts to feel layered and dangerous at the same time, with the passing and rushing production inviting side-by-side study rather than simple nostalgia. For West Virginia, the interesting part is not just the flash of a fast start, but whether it can sustain the kind of offensive rhythm that once made this pairing feel inevitable. [Read more 🡒]