Cincinnati Bearcats is 7-6 in the 2025 sample and averages 30.3 points with 407.3 yards per game. The offense produced 176.1 rushing yards and 231.2 passing yards per game while converting 38.7% on third down. That profile points to an offense that is most comfortable when it avoids obvious passing situations.
Pregame intelligence active
West VirginiaWVU2026 seasonBig 12 matchupVS
CincinnatiC2026 seasonMilan Puskar Stadium · Morgantown, W.Va.TNT / truTV / HBO MaxStripe the Stadium · Homecoming
Kickoff6d 18h
Injury report1 concernsDepth chartReleased Sep 29Opponent reportVerified baseline01 · Updated Oct 9
Latest WVU Football News
View all newsWVU Athletics · Oct 3Cyclones Win Big 12 Shootout, 45–42Read full story Mountaineers On SI · Oct 9SP+ Predicts Interesting Final Score Between West Virginia and ArizonaRead full story Mountaineers On SI · Oct 9The Arrow is Pointing Up: WVU is Playing Championship-Caliber Ball in Two PhasesRead full story Mountaineers On SI · Oct 9How Many Wins Can WVU Still Get in 2026? Phil Steele Weighs InRead full story
Michael Hawkins Jr. accounted for 376 yards of offense and Cam Cook rushed for 142, helping West Virginia build 518 total yards in a back-and-forth Big 12 game.
Iowa State answered with 577 yards and recovered the decisive late fumble. WVU now turns to an October 10 home game against 4–1 Arizona.
SCOUTOpponent scouting reportUpdates from the latest available team sample
2025 completed baseline · 13 games
ESPN team data Cincinnati Bearcats
7-6 · 2025 baseline · Verified ESPN baseline snapshot · Checked Oct 10, 2026, 5:48 PM EDT
Points / game30.3
Rush yards / game176.1
Pass yards / game231.2
The available 2025 sample does not establish a complete defensive allowance profile for Cincinnati Bearcats. WVU should test the front on the ground, protect the football and adjust quickly to Cincinnati Bearcats’s coverage, pressure and personnel usage. Early-season samples are matchup indicators, not predictions; game-day availability and role changes can materially alter the picture.
The matchup in numbers
WVU vs. Cincinnati Bearcats
Waiting for a same-season sample for both teams. Different seasons are not compared.
Saved statistical baseline · Opponent source · WVU source
The latest sample leans through the air, producing 231.2 passing yards per game against 176.1 on the ground.
A 38.7% third-down rate is workable but can be stressed by creating third-and-long situations.
Three keys for WVU
- Scoring productionMatched statistical sample: WVU 37.4 vs. opponent 30.3.
- Rushing productionMatched statistical sample: WVU 294.0 vs. opponent 176.1.
- Third-down efficiencyMatched statistical sample: WVU 50.0 vs. opponent 38.7.
Three warning signs
- Cincinnati passingMatched statistical sample: WVU 178.0 vs. opponent 231.2.
02Personnel & availabilityOpen injury report
Cincinnati-week availability1 current confirmed designationArizona-week report pending. Prior Iowa State designations are historical and do not roll forward.Roster100 current records Starting lineupWorking projectionOfficial game-week changes supersede the released depth chart.
03Players to watchSelected opponent: CincinnatiSearch all players
Command playerMichael Hawkins Jr.
Michael Hawkins Jr. is our command player to follow against Cincinnati. His position puts him close to one of the game's important decisions: how WVU sustains its drives. Watch how he handles third down and decides when to throw or take off. Against Cincinnati, those choices could be the difference between a promising possession and a scoring drive.
TMSWV editorial pick
Offensive matchupLawrence Autry
Lawrence Autry is our offensive matchup to follow against Cincinnati. His position puts him close to one of the game's important decisions: how WVU turns opportunities into first downs. Watch the carries that keep WVU out of third-and-long, not just the runs that make the highlights. Keeping the ground game moving would give the Mountaineers more ways to attack Cincinnati.
TMSWV editorial pick
Defensive responseChams Diagne
Chams Diagne is our defensive response to follow against Cincinnati. His position puts him close to one of the game's important decisions: how WVU keeps the opponent from extending possessions. Watch his positioning before the pass arrives and his tackling after the catch. Against Cincinnati, preventing one routine completion from becoming a big play could change a possession.
TMSWV editorial pick05Next gameAutomatically advances after each finalFull season view
VSCincinnati
12:00 PM ET