Countdown to Kickoff: Impressive Ground Attacks on Display Today

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Two of the top rushing teams in the Big 12 Conference will meet at high noon today when West Virginia faces Cincinnati in a Homecoming contest at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The Mountaineers (3-3 and 0-3 in Big 12 play) currently boast the fourth-best rushing attack in the country, averaging 295.5 yards per game, headlined by two of the college football's elite ball carriers.

Cam Cook ranks third nationally in rushing this week with 793 yards - just 42 yards shy of NCAA leader Dylan Riley of Boise State.

Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is five spots below Cook in eighth place with 692 yards, giving West Virginia its best one-two rushing combo since Steve Slaton and Pat White.

Throw in coach Rich Rodriguez's play calling and offensive line coach Rick Trickett's oversight of the blocking, and this year's team is recreating the record-setting success the Mountaineers enjoyed on the ground back in the early 2000s.

WVU ran for a school-record 3,939 yards in 2006, an average of 303 yards per game, to rank third in the country behind just the two service academies that season.

The school's three-best rushing campaigns happened during a five-year span from 2002-07, and it was also the only period in school history when the Mountaineers had dual 1,000-yard rushers in the same year.

That occurred twice in 2006 and 2007 when Slaton and White produced the rare feat.

To give you an idea of what Cook and Hawkins are doing so far, through six games, Cook is on pace to rush for more than 1,500 yards and Hawkins is on schedule to surpass 1,300 yards during a 12-game regular season.

Hawkins is already 16^th in school history with 12 rushing touchdowns and needs just six more to equal the school record of 18 established in 1997 by Amos Zereoue and equaled by White in 2006.

Cook now has his sights set on Slaton's school-record 1,744 rushing yards generated in 2006 with half of the regular season still remaining.

Like Rodriguez, Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield has had a long history of success running the football at Appalachian State, Louisville and now Cincinnati. Satterfield's offenses have consistently averaged more than 200 yards per game on the ground, and the Bearcats are right on schedule this year.

Notre Dame transfer Gi'Bran Payne ranks ninth in the Big 12 this week with 392 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, and his sidekick Cole Tabb has been the team's home-run threat with 330 yards and an impressive 9.7 yards-per-rush average.

UC (4-1, 1-1) is getting additional help on the ground from quarterback JC French IV, a Georgia Southern transfer, who has contributed 193 yards and a team-best five rushing touchdowns.

What is making Satterfield's zone rushing scheme go is an experienced offensive line led by center Taran Tyo and guard Xavier Lozowicki, two NFL prospects who have helped control the line of scrimmage.

The Bearcats ran for a season-high 418 yards in a 62-10 victory over Western Carolina, but a 271-yard rushing performance three weeks ago in a 31-26 victory over Kansas State is the one worth highlighting.

Cincinnati averaged 7.1 yards per carry against the Wildcats that day and got three rushing touchdowns from Tabb, who finished with 124 yards on just 11 totes.

That's a major concern for a West Virginia defense that has struggled mightily stopping teams this season. The Bearcats are 65^th in 20-plus-yard plays; 34^th in 40-plus-yard plays and 12^th nationally with five plays of 50 yards or longer.

Therefore, holding on to the football and consuming the clock to protect the defense will be Rodriguez's No. 1 objective today against Cincinnati.

West Virginia had the ball for nearly 11 minutes longer than Arizona last Saturday; enjoyed a 104-to-51 advantage in total plays and still lost the game by three touchdowns. Six of the eight 20-plus-yard plays West Virginia surrendered last Saturday happened in the second half when the Wildcats took control of the contest.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati will be a well-rested team having enjoyed a break in its schedule last weekend which gives them extra time to heal and game plan for the Mountaineers.

In addition to ending their three-game conference skid, the Mountaineers are also looking to snap a seven-game losing streak in Homecoming games. WVU's last Homecoming triumph happened in 2018 when it topped Kansas 38-22.

Rodriguez won all seven of his Homecoming clashes during his first stint at WVU before dropping last year's game to TCU 23-17.

Here is today's Countdown to Kickoff:

10 – The Mountaineers have now rushed for more than 200 yards in a game TEN times in 18 contests since coach Rich Rodriguez's return last year.

9 – West Virginia has defeated Cincinnati NINE times in games played in Morgantown and owns an overall 9-2-1 record against the Bearcats. The lone tie was a 7-7 decision back in 1940.

8 – The Mountaineer defense has produced at least four tackles for losses in all but EIGHT of their last 52 games.

7 – WVU is looking to snap its SEVEN-game losing streak in Homecoming games dating back to a 2018 victory over Kansas. Rich Rodriguez won all SEVEN of his Homecoming games at WVU during his first tenure before losing last season against TCU.

6 – Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. needs just SIX more rushing touchdowns to equal the single-season record of 18 established in 1997 by Amos Zereoue and duplicated by Pat White in 2006.

5 – Hawkins ranks FIFTH nationally this week in points responsible for with 114. That accounts for rushing touchdowns and touchdown passes.

4 – West Virginia ranks FOURTH nationally this week in rushing with an average of 295.5 yards per game.

3 – Rodriguez ranks THIRD among all active Power Four coaches with 197 career victories.

2 – The Mountaineers currently boast TWO players ranked among the nation's top 10 rushers this week in running back Cam Cook (third) and quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (eighth).

1 – WVU continues to rank FIRST in the country averaging 18.2 yards per completion.

Cincinnati is making its 13^th visit to Morgantown and its second since joining the Big 12 in 2023. Overall, West Virginia owns an 18-3-1 record against the Bearcats, including a 9-2-1 record in games played in Morgantown.

UC's last win here came in 2008 in overtime.

The game has been designated "Stripe the Stadium" with attending fans encouraged to wear gold in even-numbered sections and blue in odd-numbered sections.

Those sitting in the Diversified Energy Terrace, and all WVU students, are urged to wear gold.

Today's contest will be televised nationally on TNT, TruTV and HBO MAX with J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr. and Jared Greenberg on the call.

Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage begins at 9 a.m. with the GoMart Mountaineer Tailgate Show leading into regular network coverage with Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace and Jed Drenning at 11 a.m. on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com, and the Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.

Be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.

Tale of the Tape	UC (4-1)	WVU (3-3)
Points Per Game	33.8	36.3
Points Against	23.2	32.7
Rushing Yards Per Game	230.8	295.5
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game	141.6	163.8
Passing Yards Per Game	196.8	184.8
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game	260.0	297.0
Total Yards Per Game	427.6	480.3
Total Yards Allowed Per Game	401.6	460.8
First Downs For	102	140
First Downs Against	112	132
Fumbles/Lost	6/2	7/6
Interceptions/Return Yards	4/0	4/5
Net Punting	44.4	39.1
Field Goal/Attempts	3/5	5/5
Time of Possession	29:09	28:58
Penalties/Yards	36/332	37/309
3rd Down Conversions	31/64	47/94
3rd Down Conversion Defense	31/68	25/71
4th Down Conversions	6/10	5/13
4th Down Conversion Defense	2/7	4/8
Sacks By/Yards Lost	11/60	13/86

Schedule

Countdown to Kickoff: Impressive Ground Attacks on Display Today

Players Mentioned

Cam Cook

Michael Hawkins Jr.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Impressive Ground Attacks on Display Today

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Cam Cook

Michael Hawkins Jr.

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