West Virginia fans already had plenty to celebrate after the Mountaineers’ 38-27 win over No. 25 Virginia in Charlotte. Then Pat McAfee gave Morgantown another reason to dream bigger.
Speaking about WVU’s 3-0 start, the former Mountaineer made it clear he is paying close attention to quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.
“Rocky Top is a beautiful place, but I sure wish we were going to Morgantown, West Virginia,” McAfee said. “What a win by West Virginia down there in Charlotte, North Carolina. The West Virginia Mountaineers packed that place out.”
McAfee quickly turned his attention to Hawkins, the Oklahoma transfer who accounted for all five West Virginia touchdowns against Virginia and piled up 313 total yards.
The performance made Hawkins the first WVU quarterback since Pat White in 2008 to record at least three rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns in the same game.
“We got a quarterback in Michael Hawkins Jr., transfer from Oklahoma, who looks a lot like Pat White,” McAfee said. “I’ll tell you, the stats are saying he may just be the best quarterback in the country right now. This is pretty reminiscent of what the Mountaineers used to look like.”
WVU’s Michael Hawkins Jr. Is Bringing Back Familiar Memories
That Pat White comparison carries more weight coming from people who lived through those WVU teams. Darius Butler agreed that Hawkins brought back memories of White while watching the Virginia game. He played at UConn around that time. It’s safe to say he knows what he is saying.
Hawkins completed 10 of 17 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia while rushing 18 times for 123 yards and three more scores. WVU also left Charlotte undefeated after knocking off a ranked opponent in front of a crowd heavily filled with Mountaineer fans. WVU fans, in no shock, made up the majority of the crowd.
Pat McAfee Is Already Thinking About College GameDay in Morgantown
Then came the part that should get West Virginia fans particularly excited. McAfee said WVU is expected to beat Oklahoma State and continue building momentum, opening the possibility of College GameDay eventually making its way back to Morgantown. West Virginia hosts the Cowboys on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. for its Big 12 home opener.
Nothing about a future GameDay trip is guaranteed, and WVU still has to handle its business. That almost makes McAfee’s comments more fun. Three games into the season, the conversation has shifted from whether West Virginia can surprise people to how far this thing might go.
McAfee sees Pat White flashes. Butler sees them, too. WVU is 3-0, Hawkins is becoming a national name and Morgantown is creeping back into the College GameDay conversation. For Mountaineer fans, that sounds a lot like old times.
Pat McAfee Just Said the Words Every WVU Fan Wants to Hear About Morgantown