West Virginia’s 38-27 win over No. 25 Virginia gave the Mountaineers a clean sweep through three games, and the Pro Football Focus grades back up what the scoreboard already said: this was a solid night across the board, with just one rough edge on a shanked punt.
The headliner, by a mile, was quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. He checked in at 94.1 for the game, making it back-to-back weeks above 90.0 and pushing his season grade to 93.5.
That’s the best quarterback mark in the country through Week 3. Hawkins has been dangerous with the ball in his hands, sharp throwing it, and, just as importantly, careful with it.
Running back Cam Cook also turned in a strong number at 84.7, while wideout DJ Epps landed at 79.2. On the other side of the receiving room, John Neider finished at 63.3, and tight end Josh Sapp came in at 54.9.
Up front, there were mixed results. Kevin Brown posted a 39.2 at left tackle in what was described as a game he’ll want to learn from.
The true freshman had some positive snaps on tape, but Virginia got to him for four pressures. At the interior spots, Nick Krahe graded out at 54.5, Josh Aisosa at 54.2, Wes King at 64.0, Amare Grayson at 62.7, and Carsten Casady at 58.5.
On defense, linebacker Ashton Woods was one of the biggest risers with a 78.7. It was his best game as a Mountaineer by far, and it came against legitimate competition after a strong showing the week before.
In the secondary, Nick Taylor was even better, earning an 81.2 after a night where Virginia threw at him four times and managed only seven yards on two catches. He held up on contested downfield throws, kept receivers from separating, and brought the kind of physical edge that stood out all night.
The rest of the defensive grades broke down like this: Corey McIntyre Jr. at 68.4, Nate Gabriel at 62.9, Zeke Durham-Campbell at 56.5, Harper Holloman at 57.4, Ben Cutter at 62.9, Isaiah Patterson at 53.1, Chams Diagne at 62.4, Geimere Latimer at 63.2, Andrew Powdrell at 70.2, and Kamari Wilson at 58.0.
In Other News...
Tony Elliott Just Confirmed How Dangerous West Virginia Really Looked
Mike Hawkins Jr. gave West Virginia the kind of opener that can change the mood around a program in a hurry. In a 38-27 win over No. 25 Virginia, the Mountaineers quarterback hit 10 of 17 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, then added 123 rushing yards and three more scores to power an offense that looked far more explosive than many expected entering the night.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott came away impressed enough to say so, and his comments only sharpened the sense that West Virginias defense under Zac Alley was part of the story too. Elliott pointed to how the Mountaineers controlled the game and took away quarterback Beau Pribulas legs, a detail that matters because it suggests West Virginia was not just winning with one hot hand, but showing the kind of structure that can make opponents uncomfortable for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Looks Tougher Than Expected But One Concern Still Lingers
West Virginia came away from its latest game looking a little sturdier than many expected, with a calm, effective quarterback helping steady things and a physical presence on defense giving the Mountaineers a harder edge. Taylor stood out on that side of the ball, and Ashton Woods has quietly put together a strong run over the last two weeks, giving the defense some real momentum as the season moves forward.
The one area still worth watching is up front, where the offensive line had its roughest stretches. A true freshman on the line allowed four pressures, a reminder that development can show up quickly when the competition gets tighter, even if the long-term outlook remains encouraging. For West Virginia, the encouraging part is clear enough, but the next step is making sure that growth in the trenches catches up with the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
WVU's Fast Start Now Faces A Big 12 Test Fans Know Too Well
West Virginias encouraging start got a real boost with the win over No. 25 Virginia, a result that gave the Mountaineers some early momentum heading into the heart of the schedule. Now the focus shifts to the Big 12 opener, where Oklahoma State arrives as the kind of conference opponent that can quickly tell a team what it really has.
For WVU, this is the familiar part of the calendar where the tone changes fast. The broadcast details and the records are all part of the setup, but the bigger backdrop is the history between these teams, which has usually made this matchup feel bigger than a single September or October game. Fans know the drill by now: a promising start means little unless the Mountaineers can carry it into the league grind and handle one of the Big 12 tests that has given them trouble before. [Read more 🡒]