Hawkins Jr. Dual-Threat Production Leads TCU-WVU Matchup

Over his last four completed games through October 17, West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has posted one of the most heavy-usage stat lines in the country, racking up 99 rushing attempts for 427 yards and eight touchdowns alongside 1,042 passing yards. That massive dual-threat workload anchors the Mountaineers as they travel to face the TCU Horned Frogs on October 24. TCU enters as a 10.5-point home favorite after market movement pushed the line up from an opening spread of -8.5, setting up a sharp contrast in recent player production.

Hawkins Jr. and the Mountaineers' Rushing Engine

Michael Hawkins Jr. is far from a solo act on the ground, though his 99 carries over a four-game stretch (57-for-106 passing, five touchdowns, one interception) lead the team's total volume. Running back Cam Cook has delivered similar output over that same four-game sample, piling up 516 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 98 carries while adding six receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Amari Latimer has contributed as a situational runner across three games, logging 25 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns to complement five catches for 82 yards.

In the passing game, Hawkins Jr. has pushed the ball downfield through receiver DJ Epps, who has caught 14 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns in his last four appearances. Prince Strachan has secured 12 receptions for 251 yards over that four-game run, while John Neider has added four catches for 86 yards across three games. That offensive output helped West Virginia score 45 points in a win over Cincinnati on October 17 and 42 points in an October 3 loss at Iowa State.

Jaden Craig's Air Attack and TCU's Target Share

For TCU, quarterback Jaden Craig presents a vastly different profile over his last four games. Jaden Craig has completed 85 of 137 passes for 1,085 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions, while taking -67 rushing yards on 29 attempts. His primary big-play target over a three-game span has been Jordan Dwyer, who has accumulated 400 receiving yards on just 17 receptions without a touchdown.

Ed Small has provided volume efficiency across four games with 21 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while Nacari Ashley has caught 18 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown while adding nine rushing yards on seven carries. Out of the backfield, Jeremy Payne leads the Horned Frogs' ground work over the four-game sample with 31 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown, plus 10 catches for 44 yards. Jeremy Scott rounds out the aerial rotation with seven receptions for 102 yards in three games.

Market Movement and Head-to-Head Sample

The betting market has adjusted toward TCU, raising the consensus spread from -8.5 to -10.5, while the game total has edged up from 56.5 to 57.5. Both teams enter on seven days of rest following their October 17 contests.

Player	Team	Sample	Key Stat Line
Michael Hawkins Jr.	WVU	4 Games	1,042 Pass YDS, 427 Rush YDS, 13 Total TD
Cam Cook	WVU	4 Games	98 Carries, 516 Rush YDS, 4 Rush TD
Jaden Craig	TCU	4 Games	1,085 Pass YDS, 5 Pass TD, 5 INT
Jordan Dwyer	TCU	3 Games	17 Receptions, 400 Rec YDS

In recent head-to-head meetings, TCU claimed a 23-17 victory at West Virginia on October 25, 2025. Prior to that, West Virginia won 24-21 in Fort Worth on September 30, 2023, and TCU secured a 41-31 road win on October 29, 2022. While Jaden Craig and the Horned Frogs enter coming off a 17-6 road victory over Baylor, Michael Hawkins Jr. and the Mountaineers present a far stiffer offensive test.