WVU Football Pulls Out Shootout in Final Seconds, Beats Bearcats 45-42

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The weather cooperated. The fans eventually filled in the stadium. It was up to the WVU football team to show up as well and get back on track against Cincinnati. It wasn’t pretty, but West Virginia did accomplish their one goal of the day: leave the field with a win.

Instantly putting pressure on the West Virginia defense, Bearcats quarterback JC French tried to air it out on the first play of the game. The Mountaineers broke that pass up, but then had trouble stopping Cincinnati’s run-first offense, most notably allowing French to run for 39 yards and then cap off the drive the same way he started the possession, with his arm. French’s short touchdown pass put the Bearcats up 7-0, silencing the home fans early in the opening quarter.

It was then time for Mike Hawkins, Cam Cook and company to get to work on offense. But the hope of WVU providing a quick answer was quickly squashed after one first down conversion. And then the Mountaineer defense allowed a wide open completion, reminiscent of the week prior, allowing French to get Cincinnati out of having to start way back in their own territory. An almost fumble recovery then proceeded forcing Cincinnati to turn the ball over on downs, although that momentum was lost in a hurry when the offense failed to move the ball.

But once again able to rely on the defense to get them the ball back, Hawkins carries the Mountaineers down the field on a 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive. Hawkins showed off his athleticism by leaping over a defender to extend the scoring play and get West Virginia into the end zone to tie the game.

However, the Bearcats would eventually answer. After some defensive stops, Isaiah Johnson found pay dirt thanks to a 51-yard run down the sideline, giving Cincinnati 1 14-7 edge with 4:55 left in the first half.

Hawkins put the Mountaineers on his back, connecting with favorite target wide receiver DJ Epps for a big 43-yard completion on a fourth and three attempt. A couple plays later, Hawkins punched in WVU’s second score of the day. Cincinnati wasted no time in responding, finishing off their third touchdown with a 28-yard run by Cole Tabb, making the score 21-14 with 1:22 remaining before halftime. That’s where the scoreboard would stay despite a mostly successful WVU offensive possession, ruined by a missed 49-yard field goal attempt.

Despite the downer of the missed field goal, West Virginia picked up the crowd by scoring to open the second half. Hawkins runs set up a short pass to even the score at 21. French put the Bearcats back on top, running it a one-yard score with 1:34 on the third quarter game clock on a fourth down try to make up for the prior failed attempts.

West Virginia tied it with a 37-yard touchdown rope from Hawkins to Epps, only to have Cincinnati put seven more points of their own on the board. Cole Tabb had a pair of touchdowns with 113 yards rushing and 51 as a pass catcher. Conversely, Hawkins had 260 through the air and 74 on the ground at that point for the Mountaineers.

In keeping with the trend of the game, Amari Larimer completed WVU’s fifth touchdown, evening the score to 35 all with 7:29 to go. The question became, which team’s defense would make a play. French made sure it wasn’t West Virginia, unleashing a bomb for 59 yards to Malachi Henry that set up the Bearcats’ sixth score as they surpassed 600 yards of offense (615).

But the Mountaineers weren’t dead yet…

Hawkins to Cook for 40 yards scored West Virginia’s sixth touchdown, matching Cincinnati at 42. And then a defensive stop gave Hawkins a chance as the clock moved under two minutes. Starting way back at their own one, Prince Strachan’s hands saved the day, hauling in receptions of 41 and 39 yards to keep the drive alive and moved the Mountaineers into the red zone.

West Virginia’s record moved to 4-3 (1-3, Big 12) with a road trip to TCU to face the Horned Frogs on deck.