October 24, 2026 07:00 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The popular expression "an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object" certainly applies to today's West Virginia-TCU football game being played at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
The West Virginia University offense, averaging nearly 38 points and almost 500 yards per game, has been an unstoppable force through seven games so far this season.
And the TCU defense, allowing a paltry 12 points and 264 yards per game, has been an immovable object.
Therefore, something has got to give later this afternoon.
The oddsmakers are betting on the 3-3 Horned Frogs slowing down the 4-3 Mountaineers, based on the latest odds.
In last Saturday's rivalry game 17-6 victory over Baylor, TCU harassed quarterback DJ Lagway into misfiring on 31 of his 53 pass attempts while limiting Baylor to just 54 yards rushing and two field goals.
The Frogs have surrendered just eight touchdowns so far this year - three of those coming in a 21-13 loss to UCF back on Sept. 26. BYU, now ranked No. 2 this week following last Saturday's 28-24 victory over Notre Dame, managed only 17 points in a seven-point win against them earlier this month.
TCU boasts an athletic defensive front led by the duo of Markis Deal and Ansel Din-Mbuh and a pair of long and physical defensive ends in Zach Chapman and Paul Oyewale. Behind them is an active and physical back seven that swarms to the football and excels in open-field tackling.
"They are very athletic and can make you look silly up front," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez noted. "You've got to stay out of third-and-long where they do lots of their different blitzes."
Defensive coordinator Andy Avalos is a Dan Hawkins protégé who combines a blending of old-school and modern football to put his guys in the right spots to make plays.
Yet as good as TCU has been at stopping the run (92 ypg. and 2.9 ypc.), film-watchers and experienced football people believe the Horned Frogs might be even better at stopping the pass. TCU is long and athletic in the secondary; they tackle well and are not afraid of being put on an island in pass coverage.
Lagway, who was slowed by an ankle sprain during Baylor's game last Saturday, had a miserable time dealing with TCU's secondary.
"Best defense in the league," Rodriguez said. "Statistically, they're No. 1 in most categories. They don't give up anything easy. Baylor has a really good football team, and TCU controlled that thing from start to finish."
Rodriguez believes TCU's front four is as athletic as any defense he's studied in the last couple of years, which will be something new and unique for West Virginia's offensive line to contend with.
On the flip side, TCU has yet to face a dual-threat quarterback as dynamic and as lethal as West Virginia's Michael Hawkins Jr. has been so far this season.
The Walter Camp National Player of the Week has already accounted for 24 total touchdowns in seven games and is just four rushing touchdowns shy of the school single-season record of 18.
Before last Saturday's 45-42, come-from-behind victory over Cincinnati, the defensive template for stopping Hawkins was to load up the box and force him to beat you with his arm.
The Bearcats tried doing that last Saturday and were successful in limiting the Mountaineers to a season-low 134 yards rushing, but Hawkins responded with the fifth-best single-game passing performance in school history. He completed 25 of his 33 aerials for 464 yards and three touchdowns, while adding two more scores on the ground.
It was the first time this year Hawkins's right arm rather than his legs won a football game, so focusing solely on stopping West Virginia's rushing attack now comes with some peril.
That's the conundrum facing the TCU defense later today, which makes this such an intriguing matchup.
Backfield mate Cam Cook is contributing 119 yards per game on the ground, good for fifth in the country this week, and he will be reuniting with some of his old TCU teammates after spending two seasons with the Horned Frogs in 2023-24.
The Round Rock, Texas, resident indicated earlier this week that he hit up his teammates for some additional tickets to accommodate all of the family members wanting to attend Saturday's game. Hawkins, a Dallas resident, has claimed the remaining spares.
Rodriguez and TCU coach Sonny Dykes have a coaching history that dates back to their days working in the Pac 12, and last year, the heavily favored Horned Frogs escaped Morgantown with a 23-17 victory.
"We are hopefully starting to figure some things out offensively," Dykes said, "but we still have to get our run game going."
Amon G. Carter Stadium has normally been an inhospitable venue to opposing teams, but West Virginia has experienced considerable success there, especially since 2019 where it has won the last three games, including a 29-17 triumph in 2021.
Overall, WVU now leads the series with an 8-6 record that includes a 4-2 mark in Fort Worth.
Here is today's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – The Mountaineers' 167 first downs rank TENTH nationally among all FBS teams.
9 – Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is now NINTH in single-season rushing touchdowns at West Virginia with 14 and needs just four to match the school record of 18 established by Amos Zereoue in 1997 and duplicated by Pat White in 2006.
8 – West Virginia ranks EIGHTH nationally in total offense this week averaging 497.1 yards per game.
7 – The Mountaineer offense is averaging more than SEVEN yards per play on third down so far this season. In 107 opportunities, West Virginia has produced 767 yards for an average of 7.2 yards per play. That's the highest average on any down. The others are 6.3 yards per play on first down, 6.2 yards per play on second down, and 5.7 yards per play on fourth down.
6 – West Virginia has scored at least 20 points in a quarter two times so far this year (UT Martin and Cincinnati), marking the SIXTH consecutive year that's happened.
5 – Michael Hawkins is seeking his FIFTH game with multiple touchdowns passing and running this season. His four are currently tied with Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes (2016) for the second-most in Big 12 history; and he is just one shy of the five Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts produced in 2019.
4 – West Virginia has won FOUR times at Amon G. Carter Stadium, including the last three meetings here in 2019 (20-17), 2021 (29-17) and 2023 (24-21).
3 – Rich Rodriguez ranks THIRD among all active Power Four coaches with 198 career victories. Just 103 coaches at all levels have won more than 200 games in a career.
2 – As of this week, West Virginia is the only school in the country boasting TWO players rushing for more than 700 yards and ranking in the top 10 nationally in that category. Cam Cook (833) currently ranks fifth and Michael Hawkins (749) is 10th this week.
1 – Wide receiver DJ Epps, recently added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, presently ranks FIRST nationally in yards per reception (25.27) and 20th in receiving yards (556).
ESPN2 (Chuckie Kempf, Dustin Fox and Laura Stickells) has been assigned national television coverage for the game, which will get underway at noon.
Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage gets things started at 9 a.m. 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.
Afterward, be sure to stop back for complete postgame coverage.
The West Virginia University offense, averaging nearly 38 points and almost 500 yards per game, has been an unstoppable force through seven games so far this season.
And the TCU defense, allowing a paltry 12 points and 264 yards per game, has been an immovable object.
Therefore, something has got to give later this afternoon.
The oddsmakers are betting on the 3-3 Horned Frogs slowing down the 4-3 Mountaineers, based on the latest odds.
In last Saturday's rivalry game 17-6 victory over Baylor, TCU harassed quarterback DJ Lagway into misfiring on 31 of his 53 pass attempts while limiting Baylor to just 54 yards rushing and two field goals.
The Frogs have surrendered just eight touchdowns so far this year - three of those coming in a 21-13 loss to UCF back on Sept. 26. BYU, now ranked No. 2 this week following last Saturday's 28-24 victory over Notre Dame, managed only 17 points in a seven-point win against them earlier this month.
TCU boasts an athletic defensive front led by the duo of Markis Deal and Ansel Din-Mbuh and a pair of long and physical defensive ends in Zach Chapman and Paul Oyewale. Behind them is an active and physical back seven that swarms to the football and excels in open-field tackling.
"They are very athletic and can make you look silly up front," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez noted. "You've got to stay out of third-and-long where they do lots of their different blitzes."
Defensive coordinator Andy Avalos is a Dan Hawkins protégé who combines a blending of old-school and modern football to put his guys in the right spots to make plays.
Yet as good as TCU has been at stopping the run (92 ypg. and 2.9 ypc.), film-watchers and experienced football people believe the Horned Frogs might be even better at stopping the pass. TCU is long and athletic in the secondary; they tackle well and are not afraid of being put on an island in pass coverage.
Lagway, who was slowed by an ankle sprain during Baylor's game last Saturday, had a miserable time dealing with TCU's secondary.
"Best defense in the league," Rodriguez said. "Statistically, they're No. 1 in most categories. They don't give up anything easy. Baylor has a really good football team, and TCU controlled that thing from start to finish."
Rodriguez believes TCU's front four is as athletic as any defense he's studied in the last couple of years, which will be something new and unique for West Virginia's offensive line to contend with.
On the flip side, TCU has yet to face a dual-threat quarterback as dynamic and as lethal as West Virginia's Michael Hawkins Jr. has been so far this season.
The Walter Camp National Player of the Week has already accounted for 24 total touchdowns in seven games and is just four rushing touchdowns shy of the school single-season record of 18.
Before last Saturday's 45-42, come-from-behind victory over Cincinnati, the defensive template for stopping Hawkins was to load up the box and force him to beat you with his arm.
The Bearcats tried doing that last Saturday and were successful in limiting the Mountaineers to a season-low 134 yards rushing, but Hawkins responded with the fifth-best single-game passing performance in school history. He completed 25 of his 33 aerials for 464 yards and three touchdowns, while adding two more scores on the ground.
It was the first time this year Hawkins's right arm rather than his legs won a football game, so focusing solely on stopping West Virginia's rushing attack now comes with some peril.
That's the conundrum facing the TCU defense later today, which makes this such an intriguing matchup.
Backfield mate Cam Cook is contributing 119 yards per game on the ground, good for fifth in the country this week, and he will be reuniting with some of his old TCU teammates after spending two seasons with the Horned Frogs in 2023-24.
The Round Rock, Texas, resident indicated earlier this week that he hit up his teammates for some additional tickets to accommodate all of the family members wanting to attend Saturday's game. Hawkins, a Dallas resident, has claimed the remaining spares.
Rodriguez and TCU coach Sonny Dykes have a coaching history that dates back to their days working in the Pac 12, and last year, the heavily favored Horned Frogs escaped Morgantown with a 23-17 victory.
"We are hopefully starting to figure some things out offensively," Dykes said, "but we still have to get our run game going."
Amon G. Carter Stadium has normally been an inhospitable venue to opposing teams, but West Virginia has experienced considerable success there, especially since 2019 where it has won the last three games, including a 29-17 triumph in 2021.
Overall, WVU now leads the series with an 8-6 record that includes a 4-2 mark in Fort Worth.
Here is today's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – The Mountaineers' 167 first downs rank TENTH nationally among all FBS teams.
9 – Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is now NINTH in single-season rushing touchdowns at West Virginia with 14 and needs just four to match the school record of 18 established by Amos Zereoue in 1997 and duplicated by Pat White in 2006.
8 – West Virginia ranks EIGHTH nationally in total offense this week averaging 497.1 yards per game.
7 – The Mountaineer offense is averaging more than SEVEN yards per play on third down so far this season. In 107 opportunities, West Virginia has produced 767 yards for an average of 7.2 yards per play. That's the highest average on any down. The others are 6.3 yards per play on first down, 6.2 yards per play on second down, and 5.7 yards per play on fourth down.
6 – West Virginia has scored at least 20 points in a quarter two times so far this year (UT Martin and Cincinnati), marking the SIXTH consecutive year that's happened.
5 – Michael Hawkins is seeking his FIFTH game with multiple touchdowns passing and running this season. His four are currently tied with Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes (2016) for the second-most in Big 12 history; and he is just one shy of the five Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts produced in 2019.
4 – West Virginia has won FOUR times at Amon G. Carter Stadium, including the last three meetings here in 2019 (20-17), 2021 (29-17) and 2023 (24-21).
3 – Rich Rodriguez ranks THIRD among all active Power Four coaches with 198 career victories. Just 103 coaches at all levels have won more than 200 games in a career.
2 – As of this week, West Virginia is the only school in the country boasting TWO players rushing for more than 700 yards and ranking in the top 10 nationally in that category. Cam Cook (833) currently ranks fifth and Michael Hawkins (749) is 10th this week.
1 – Wide receiver DJ Epps, recently added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, presently ranks FIRST nationally in yards per reception (25.27) and 20th in receiving yards (556).
ESPN2 (Chuckie Kempf, Dustin Fox and Laura Stickells) has been assigned national television coverage for the game, which will get underway at noon.
Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage gets things started at 9 a.m. 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.
Afterward, be sure to stop back for complete postgame coverage.
| Tale of the Tape | TCU (3-3) | WVU (4-3) |
| Points Per Game | 24.0 | 37.6 |
| Points Against | 12.2 | 34.0 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 110.0 | 272.4 |
| Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game | 92.0 | 173.7 |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 282.3 | 224.7 |
| Passing Yards Allowed Per Game | 172.2 | 310.1 |
| Total Yards Per Game | 392.3 | 497.1 |
| Total Yards Allowed Per Game | 264.2 | 483.9 |
| First Downs For | 122 | 167 |
| First Downs Against | 93 | 160 |
| Fumbles/Lost | 13/4 | 7/6 |
| Interceptions/Return Yards | 3/69 | 4/5 |
| Net Punting | 41.4 | 40.0 |
| Field Goal/Attempts | 6/8 | 6/7 |
| Time of Possession | 31:26 | 28:50 |
| Penalties/Yards | 41/386 | 41/340 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 34/82 | 53/107 |
| 3rd Down Conversion Defense | 26/86 | 32/84 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 6/12 | 7/15 |
| 4th Down Conversion Defense | 5/12 | 5/10 |
| Sacks By/Yards Lost | 14/87 | 15/89 |
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, October 21
Wednesday, October 21
Tuesday, October 20
Tuesday, October 20
