Cincinnati Football-West Virginia Winners And Losers From 2026 Matchup

The Cincinnati Bearcats' season record drops to 4-2.

Oct 17, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield celebrates with players during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following a 4-0 start, the Cincinnati Bearcats have dropped their second game in a row thanks to a desolate 45-42 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers.

While there were a few bright spots, ultimately when it mattered most the Bearcats fell short. 

Loser: Passing Defense

Oct 17, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you had told a Cincinnati fan that the Mountaineers would walk away with more passing than rushing yards, that would be a clear and obvious sign that the Bearcats had won. While WVU always had a big play in them, they are an attack predicated on a strong rushing attack, so allowing 464 passing yards is a massive red flag. 

While wideout DJ Epps will take the plaudits thanks to his stellar 163 yards, it is worth mentioning that nine separate players totaled receptions and six of them averaged over 15 yards per reception.

Winner: JC French IV

Oct 17, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback JC French IV (4) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

French was asked to step up on Saturday and he did. The Georgia Southern transfer tallied 389 yards, going 22/30 in the air and three passing scores averaging 13.0 yards per pass. Stellar numbers from the fifth year player. 

French’s season total sits at 1,338 yards, nine touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 70.6% completion rate. 

Loser: Weak Finish

Oct 17, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez speaks with Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield after the game at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This season, the Bearcats have shown strong resilience in wins against Miami (OH) and Kansas State. Games where Cincinnati had to fight from behind, and had to provide clutch plays on either side of the ball towards the end. 

Saturday was no continuation. Giving up 24 points in one quarter of football is a tough ask. But the Bearcats allowed Michael Hawkins Jr. and co. to slice through a defense that is now ranked No. 132 in the nation in yards per game given up, at an astounding 473.0.

Winner: Rushing Defense

Oct 17, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats defensive end Patrick Bauer (10) celebrates after tackling West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) during the second quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is a lot of blame to go around for the Cincinnati defense right now. But none of it can go towards stopping the rush. WVU walks out of this game No. 4 in the country at 265.2 rushing yards per outing. Against Cincinnati, that dropped to just 134, including just 2.9 yards per attempt.

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