Hawkins throws for 464 and Cassidy's FG with no time left lifts West Virginia over Cincinnati 45-42

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Mike Hawkins Jr. threw for a career-high 464 yards and Jack Cassidy kicked a 35-yard field goal as time ran out to lift West Virginia to a wild 45-42 win over Cincinnati on Saturday.

The teams combined for 1,220 yards of offense. It marked the fourth consecutive game for West Virginia in which the teams surpassed 1,000 yards.

“It was crazy,” Hawkins said. “For the offense, we've just got to keep scoring. That's the goal every week. It doesn't matter what's going on in the game. Don't look at the scoreboard, just take it play by play. But it was an unreal game to be in.”

West Virginia (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) never led until Cassidy’s winner and broke a three-game losing streak. Cincinnati (4-2, 1-2) has lost two straight, sandwiched around a bye week.

Hawkins threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more scores for West Virginia. He completed 25 of 33 passes after failing to complete half of his passes in the three previous games.

“How about Mike Hawkins?” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “He made some great throws and hung in there.”

After Cole Tabb put Cincinnati ahead 42-35 with a 6-yard TD run with 5:35 left, West Virginia responded in five plays with Hawkins hitting running back Cam Cook with a 40-yard scoring toss.

Cincinnati then was forced to punt, pinning West Virginia at its 1 with 2:05 left. On third down, Hawkins found Prince Strachan with a 41-yard pass, then hit Strachan with a 40-yard toss two plays later to put the Mountaineers inside the Cincinnati 20 to set up Cassidy’s winning kick.

JC French IV threw a season-high three touchdown passes and ran for another score for Cincinnati. He completed 22 of 30 passes for a career-high 389 yards. Tabb rushed for 118 yards, ran for two TDs and caught a pass for another score for Cincinnati.

“We were anticipating that type of game,” Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield said. West Virginia “had so many big plays in the passing game, but a lot of it was poor tackling.”

Up until the winning kick, Cassidy, who grew up playing Gaelic football in Northern Ireland, said he was having his “worst day" since he started playing college football a year ago at Western Kentucky.

He sent a kickoff out of bounds in the fourth quarter and missed a 49-yard field goal try wide left just before halftime.

After his winner split the uprights, Cassidy was mobbed by his teammates and lifted onto their shoulders.

“That's probably one of the best things that ever happened in my entire life,” Cassidy said. “I was ready for the moment."

Cincinnati: The Bearcats outgained West Virginia 622-598 but fell apart down the stretch.

West Virginia: The offense continues to shine with the one-two punch of Hawkins and Cook. But the defense needs some serious improvement if the Mountaineers are hoping to become bowl eligible.

In West Virginia’s three previous games, the Mountaineers combined for 1,075 yards with Oklahoma State, 1,095 yards with Iowa State and 1,004 yards with Arizona.

“It's very frustrating to know that we have some pieces in place but we also have a lot of work to do, obviously,” Rodriguez said.

Cincinnati hosts No. 10 Texas Tech next Saturday.

West Virginia plays at TCU next Saturday.

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here