Football

COLUMN: Hawkins, Strachan came up with the ultimate third-down conversion

MORGANTOWN — With his back foot a step away from the back of his own end zone and, quite possibly, WVU's season on the line, Michael Hawkins Jr. launched what may go down as one of the most memorable passes in program history.

On the other end, well, it was a prince of a play and it was 6-foot-5 Prince Strachan who somehow maneuvered his way around Cincinnati defensive back Jacob Finley and came up with a royal catch while falling down on his backside and Finley doing everything to him but stealing Strachan's wallet.

It was THE play that led to WVU's walk-off 45-42 win over Cincinnati on Saturday, inside Milan Puskar Stadium. Jack Cassidy got the hero's welcome with his 35-yard field goal as time expired, but Hawkins and Strachan came up with the moment that set it all up.

"Prince made a couple of great catches and the one at the end," WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said. "I've said it all year that Mike can make all the throws. I have no hesitation on any pass play that Mike can't make the throw. The best one was on the two-yard line with the deep ball to Prince. We tell him to don't overthrow it and give him a chance. Prince is a big, strong guy.

"It was a great throw. I think that was the play of the game for us."

It was just a 41-yard gain on the play. We say "just," because there have certainly been so many more WVU pass plays over the years that went for more yards, and we don't want to sell any of them short.

Few of them, though, carried with it the significance this one did.

By now you know the deal. West Virginia's three-game losing streak entering this game was a direct result of some historically bad defense. WVU's defense - minus a few Cincinnati possessions - was bad again. The Bearcats (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) gained 622 yards. That's the most the Mountaineers have allowed this season.

Cincinnati quarterback J.C. French was made to look like Joe Burrow on this day, throwing for 389 yards, or 80 more yards than he threw for earlier this season against Miami ... of Ohio.

The Bearcats also rushed for 233 yards and averaged just shy of six yards per carry, so this wasn't a day to be celebrated by WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley. He got saved. He was nowhere near the reason the Mountaineers were celebrating at the end.

His defense did come up with a key stop in the final minutes, as French's scramble on third-and-11 came up three yards short with 2:54 remaining to keep the game tied at 42.

Then came one of the wildest plays of the game. Cincinnati punter Max Fletcher appeared like he was going to fake the punt. He had an open alley momentarily, but when it closed, he somehow got off a 66-yard punt that rolled all the way down to the WVU 1-yard line.

If not for Hawkins' throw to Strachan, Fletcher's play would be the standout. Instead, it is a footnote.

OK, so here we go. With three weeks of frustration mounting - "I've been physically ill for three weeks," Rodriguez said after the game. - WVU now had its best opportunity to take all of the doom and gloom and stuff it like a dirty sock into the bottom of the hamper.

Cam Cook ran for one yard. Hawkins threw incomplete while looking for DJ Epps.

It wasn't looking good.

Now, it's third-and-nine at the WVU 2. Maybe Hawkins was hoping for a miracle. Maybe he was hoping to draw a pass interference.

He did have Strachan one-on-one down the field, which is not a bad option. A week ago against Arizona, Strachan had a breakout game and was a standout on third down. The Southern Cal transfer caught five passes good for 121 yards against the Wildcats.

This third down was memorable and undeniable. No matter what happens the rest of the way, this will be WVU's greatest third-down conversion of the season.

"Prince was going to be one-on-one," Hawkins said. "The safety came down, but he made the play, so congrats to him. Our o-line gave me time up front. It was a good feeling."

Two plays later, Hawkins found Strachan again across the middle. First, Strachan made Finley miss - it was not a good last couple of minutes for the Bearcats defensive back - and then raced up the field for a 39-yard gain that eventually paved the way for Cassidy's kick.

Hawkins' 464 passing yards were the fifth most in one game in WVU history. His name is now cemented right next to guys named Geno Smith and Will Grier.

On that third-down play, though, man, he and Strachan were nothing short of saviors on this day.