Here To Prove.
Here To Prove.
By Harold Johnson
New York, NY — There was never any doubt. Only how far ahead he would finish.
West Virginia quarterback Cam Fitzpatrick capped off a historic 2026 campaign by winning the Heisman Trophy in record-breaking fashion Saturday night, earning an overwhelming 97.60% of possible voting points — the highest percentage in the award’s 91-year history. The junior signal-caller from Morgantown not only ran away with college football’s most prestigious individual honor but also secured the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award, solidifying his place as the face of the sport’s most prolific season ever.
“Cam didn’t just play quarterback this year,” head coach Rich Rodriguez said. “He rewrote what it means to be a quarterback.”
Fitzpatrick’s numbers defy belief. He threw for 6,404 yards — a new single-season NCAA record — and a staggering 75 touchdown passes, another all-time high. In doing so, he also broke the career passing touchdown record with 160, surpassing the mark in just three years of play. His efficiency, poise, and explosive arm became the foundation of a Mountaineer offense that torched opponents from September through December.
“It’s surreal,” Fitzpatrick said after accepting the Heisman. “To grow up here with Dylan and dream about this moment… it’s everything. But we’re not finished yet.”
Indeed, Fitzpatrick’s campaign, as remarkable as it’s been, comes with a looming caveat. West Virginia has a date with destiny — a shot at the national championship. And for some critics, that will be the ultimate litmus test.
Debate Surrounds Greatness
While many are already calling Fitzpatrick’s performance the greatest single season in college football history, detractors argue that the quarterback benefited from a loaded supporting cast and a system built to inflate stats.
That supporting cast was certainly elite.
Wide receiver Traylon Ray, himself a record-breaker, hauled in 2,087 yards, setting a new single season record, and 27 touchdowns, which tied the current record. Ray finished fourth in the Maxwell voting. Fitzpatrick’s best friend and roommate Dylan Office, the Mountaineers’ versatile slot weapon and team captain, placed third in Maxwell voting, putting up 1,419 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air while adding another 431 yards and four scores rushing. All three earned First Team All-American honors.
Even the coaches got in on the spotlight. Head coach Rich Rodriguez was named National Coach of the Year, offensive coordinator Travis Trickett won the Broyles Award, and defensive coordinator Zac Alley finished runner-up. The Mountaineers were dominant on both sides of the ball — especially with defensive end Makai Byerson, who claimed both the Bednarik Award and the Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defender.
Legacy in the Making
The comparisons to past greats are inevitable. Joe Burrow. Tim Tebow. Cam Newton. Jameis Winston. But Fitzpatrick’s statistical mountain is taller — and in some ways, steeper.
His 2026 season included eight games with six or more touchdown passes, seven games of 500+ passing yards, and a staggering six games where he led an offense that scored more than 50 points. His leadership, forged by adversity on and off the field, gave West Virginia more than just gaudy numbers — it gave them purpose.
Still, the doubters persist.
“He’s phenomenal, no question,” one anonymous Power Five coach told reporters. “But the championship is what separates legendary from historic footnote.”
Looking Ahead
Now, the spotlight turns to the College Football Playoff, where the Mountaineers will look to finish what they started. For Fitzpatrick, the Heisman is the crown. But the title would be the throne.
“You don’t chase awards — you chase wins,” Fitzpatrick said. “I've been dreaming of winning a national championship here for as long as I can remember. To do it with what we've been through to get here would just be a dream come true.”
With the numbers behind him and a championship still ahead, Cam Fitzpatrick’s 2026 season may go down not just as the best in West Virginia history — but in the history of the sport itself.
In the midst of his historic run Fitzpatrick has been asked seemingly thousands of times about what his future holds after this season.
"I'm not thinking about the draft right now — that can wait. I've got everything I need right here with this team, this coaching staff, and this opportunity. We're a few wins away from bringing a national championship to West Virginia, and that's all I'm focused on. I'm living in the moment, and I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet."
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Google[Bot]
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Here To Prove.
up the difficulty brah
Here To Prove.
Nah. I don’t remember which sliders I’m using but they’re not super easy. Cam is a 99 and we have three receivers over 90. We’re so good that Nyck Harbor is like WR4
Here To Prove.
College Football Playoff Quarterfinal (Peach Bowl)
By Harold Johnson
Atlanta, GA — Heisman winner Cam Fitzpatrick added to his historic legacy on Saturday night, throwing for 473 yards and four touchdowns as West Virginia outlasted Oregon 39–31 in the Peach Bowl, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Mountaineers (14–0) leaned on their explosive passing game and timely defensive stands to hold off the Ducks in a game loaded with star power, momentum swings, and deep shots that lit up the Atlanta skyline.
First Quarter: Ducks Strike First
West Virginia opened the scoring with a 30-yard RJ Kocan field goal midway through the first quarter, but Oregon answered before the horn. Quarterback Gabarii Johnson found Ryan Pellum on a 12-yard touchdown strike to give the Ducks a 7–3 lead with less than a minute to play in the period.
Second Quarter: Mountaineers Take Control
WVU seized momentum early in the second. Cam Fitzpatrick led a sharp drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Traylon Ray. After another Kocan field goal pushed the lead to 13–7, Fitzpatrick dropped a 62-yard bomb to Garrett Morton on a flea flicker to extend the lead to 20–7.
Oregon kept pace. Johnson hit Pellum again—this time for 44 yards—to pull the Ducks within six heading into halftime, 20–14.
Third Quarter: Trading Haymakers
West Virginia struck again just minutes into the third as Fitzpatrick connected with Ray on a 44-yard touchdown, his second of the day. Ray got a half a step on the Oregon defender down the left sideline and Fitzpatrick dropped it in the bucket. The two-point try failed, but the Mountaineers were up 26–14.
The Ducks answered quickly. Johnson found Justius Lowe on a 12-yard strike to cut it to 26–21. West Virginia assembled a long drive with Dylan Office punching in a 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth and goal to make it 33–21.
Fourth Quarter: WVU Slams the Door
Oregon opened the fourth with a 32-yard Grant Meadors field goal, narrowing the gap to 33–24. The teams traded punts and with less than two minutes to do Oregon pinned West Virgnia inside their own ten with a pinpoint punt. On third and one from their own 18 yard line Fitzpatrick sold the handoff to Office perfectly then delivered the dagger—a perfect 82-yard deep ball to a wide open Ray, his third touchdown of the game. A failed two-point attempt kept the score at 39–24.
The Ducks added a late touchdown—a 4-yard pass from Johnson to Lowe with 13 seconds left—but the Mountaineers recovered the ensuing onside kick and celebrated their Peach Bowl title.
Offensive Showcase
Fitzpatrick was nearly flawless, completing 27-of-37 passes for 473 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Traylon Ray was unstoppable, finishing with 135 yards and three touchdowns on just four catches, including scores of 1, 44, and 82 yards. Morton (104 yards, 1 TD) and Rodney Gallagher III (102 yards) helped round out a dangerous receiving corps.
Oregon’s Johnson also impressed, throwing for 416 yards and four scores. Pellum (7 catches, 135 yards, 2 TDs) and Arlis Boardinghamm (8 catches, 133 yards) led the Ducks in receiving, while freshman running back Kevin Sowells added 84 yards on the ground.
Quote from Fitzpatrick
“We’ve worked too hard to stop now,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m not worried about the draft or any of that. I’m living in this moment, and right now the moment is about getting West Virginia to the national championship.”
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter
WVU – RJ Kocan 30 yd FG
ORE – Ryan Pellum 12 yd pass from Gabarii Johnson (Meadors kick)
Second Quarter
WVU – Traylon Ray 1 yd pass from Cam Fitzpatrick (Kocan kick)
WVU – RJ Kocan 28 yd FG
WVU – Garrett Morton 62 yd pass from Cam Fitzpatrick (Kocan kick)
ORE – Ryan Pellum 44 yd pass from Gabarii Johnson (Meadors kick)
Third Quarter
WVU – Traylon Ray 44 yd pass from Cam Fitzpatrick (2pt failed)
ORE – Justius Lowe 12 yd pass from Gabarii Johnson (Meadors kick)
WVU – Dylan Office 1 yd run (Kocan kick)
Fourth Quarter
ORE – Grant Meadors 32 yd FG
WVU – Traylon Ray 82 yd pass from Cam Fitzpatrick (2pt failed)
ORE – Justius Lowe 4 yd pass from Gabarii Johnson (Meadors kick)
