West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State: Week 2 Big 12 Headliner

 

    The West Virginia Mountaineers showed the hard edge of a Rich Rodriguez coached ball team against 25^th ranked Virginia last Sunday. Michael Hawkins has arrived. He may be the most exciting West Virginia baller to watch since Tavon Austin. The other half of the backfield, Cam Cook is perhaps just as explosive and electrifying. Cam has been an absolute workhorse averaging 23.3 carries for 105.66 yards. The defense showed up and looked like a serious unit for the first time this season after they nearly blundered away the game against CCU. Electricity is once again being produced at Milan Puskar Stadium just in time for Big 12 play, and what better opponent to open up conference play with than an Oklahoma State team also looking to make some unexpected noise in college football.           

The Big 12 has some juice early in this season. There are four teams from the conference currently ranked in the AP top 25.  The previously unknown force of Oklahoma State bested a highly ranked Oregon team but lost there week 1 matchup against Tulsa in an ugly way. The media maligned Mountaineers snatched the little number 25 off of the Virginia Cavaliers’ scorebug. The Utes trounced the Razorbacks in the same fashion that the leviathans of the SEC do it. Since Oklahoma and Texas left the Big 12, BYU and Texas Tech have taken over as the torchbearers of the conference. It seems an inevitability that one of these teams will be featured in the Big 12 championship.  

            Who is Michael Hawkins Jr? Is he the second coming of Pat White? Is he just a flash in the pan? Is he an effulgent Football God come to deliver the Mountaineers to glory? Right now, I’m leaning towards the latter. He has the best total QBR in college football right now according to David Hale of ESPN. This guy is a blessing to the eyes on the football field. He is poetry in motion. He’s a guy that could make Chris Berman red in the face and short of breath with the “whoops” and “whops”.

            I want to give special recognition to Nick Taylor wearing number 19 on the Mountaineers defense. He’s been a Mountaineer his whole college career coming from App State after his 2024 freshman season. Nick saw meaningful snaps in Morgantown last year and recorded an interception against Utah in 2025. He brought a sort of corporal punishment to the Cavaliers that is necessary on a successful football team. He was out there playing with reckless abandon. He plays bring the pain style football. He looks like he’s trying to destroy players physical forms and steal their souls. I support you Nick, just mind the noggin.  

            It feels pretty damn good to be a Mountaineer fan right now. We have young talent and a seriously dedicated coach who knows how to bring the best out of the young men who wear gold and blue on Saturdays. I will be part of the deluge of gold flowing from the blue lot to Milan Puskar stadium this weekend, and I’m revved up to root the Mountaineers with my family and friends. LGM and thanks for reading.