Strachan changed the field twice when West Virginia had almost none

Third-and-nine left almost no room behind the offense

West Virginia’s final possession against Cincinnati began at its own one-yard line with 2:05 remaining. On third-and-nine from the two, Michael Hawkins Jr. completed a 41-yard pass to Prince Strachan. A subsequent 39-yard connection with the same receiver moved the ball to Cincinnati’s eighteen.

Jack Cassidy finished the eight-play, 82-yard drive with a 35-yard field goal as time expired. The 45–42 victory on October 17 gave West Virginia its only lead of the afternoon on the last play.

The receiver changed what the offense could afford to do

Strachan caught three passes for 84 yards overall, with eighty coming on the final drive. Those gains transformed the immediate objective. The Mountaineers first needed to escape their own goal line; after the second completion, they could organize a field-goal finish.

A large catch matters differently in each setting. Backed up near the end zone, it removes the threat that one failed snap could decide the game against the offense. Across midfield, it gives the staff a chance to manage the remaining time instead of demanding another desperate distance play. Strachan’s two catches did both jobs, allowing the final possession to change character without changing ownership.

The win did not erase what made the chase necessary

Hawkins completed twenty-five of thirty-three passes for a career-high 464 yards and three touchdowns, adding 77 rushing yards and two scores. DJ Epps caught eight passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. West Virginia scored 24 fourth-quarter points.

Cincinnati still gained 622 total yards. The Mountaineers’ passing performance won a game that the defense had not brought under steady control. At 4–3 overall and 1–3 in the Big 12, West Virginia heads to TCU with both facts intact.

The finishing drive deserves its celebration without becoming a weekly plan. Beginning at the one while trailing leaves little room for an ordinary mistake. Strachan supplied extraordinary distance twice, and Cassidy completed the ending. A stronger next afternoon would make that kind of emergency escape available without requiring it.