Oct 26, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Maybe Western Kentucky University head coach Jack Harbaugh is football's current answer to Reggie Jackson, also known as Mr. October.
Sherrod Coates posted a career-best 14 tackles Saturday, including seven behind the line of scrimmage, to lead Harbaugh's 23rd-ranked Hilltoppers to a 24-7 Homecoming victory over Indiana State in a Gateway Conference contest at L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field, Western's 13th straight October win dating back to 1999.
The Toppers (6-3, 4-1 Gateway) won their fourth straight game and remained in a first-place tie with Western Illinois with their seventh consecutive victory over the Sycamores (3-6, 1-3 GFC). WKU -- which leads the all-time series 9-5-1 -- also secured its seventh straight winning season.
"This was a team win, and victories are so hard to get, especially in the Gateway Conference," said Harbaugh. "There was nothing pretty about our offensive performance, but we won as a team -- with offense, with defense and with special teams."
Coates had two sacks among the tackles for loss, and also forced a fumble that resulted in the final points of the contest late in the second quarter.
"In the last five games, we've really seen the kind of performer that Sherrod Coates is," Harbaugh said. "He is right now beginning to play with the kind of confidence that you need to excel in I-AA football."
Added WKU defensive coordinator David Elson, "Every single time something good happened, Sherrod was in on the play."
Karl Maslowski had five stops and recovered the fumble forced by Coates, while Brian Lowder and Antonio Veals both recovered loose balls as well -- the latter accounted for three turnovers with the first two interceptions of his career. The five turnovers forced matched a season high first set in the Hilltoppers' last home contest, a 56-7 win over Florida International.
Turnovers and special teams played a part in the battle for field position, with WKU beginning four first-half drives in Sycamore territory. Veals accounted for 145 all-purpose yards, 115 which came on three punt returns for 70 and two kickoff run backs for another 35. On the other hand, the Hilltoppers held the league's leading kick returner, Soso Dede, to only 50 yards on three returns while also surrendering just one yard on punt run backs.
After trading 3-and-outs on each team's opening possession, Lowder fell on a Jake Shields' fumble at the ISU-27. Peter Martinez hit a 42-yard field goal -- his longest effort of the season -- to give the Hilltoppers a 3-0 advantage with 9:52 left in the opening quarter.
ISU responded with its only scoring drive of the day, needing only four plays to cover 65 yards, taking a 7-3 lead on a 28-yard touchdown run by Sydney Montfort.
Western regained the lead for good late in the first quarter when Jason Michael hit Casey Rooney with a 16-yard scoring pass, with the wide receiver catching the ball in the middle of the field before outracing the Sycamore defense to the left corner of the end zone. The play capped a seven-play, 51-yard march, the Hilltoppers' longest scoring drive of the day.
The Toppers added to their lead with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, turning a pair of ISU miscues into 14 points. Following Veals' first career interception, Maurice Bradley scored from 2 yards out at 3:35 to make the score 17-7. WKU then took over on the ISU-36 after Maslowski's fumble recovery. On the next play from scrimmage, Michael connected with Jeremi Johnson in the right flat, with the fullback racing down the sideline after a key block from Rooney to cap the day's scoring with 1:51 remaining in the half.
It was the first time Michael has thrown for more than one touchdown pass in a game. He was 5-of-7 for 88 yards on the day.
Jon Frazier led WKU in rushing for the sixth consecutive contest with a game-high 99 yards on 18 carries. Chris Miller added 60 as four Hilltoppers posted at least 11 rushing attempts, with the squad collecting 222 yards on the ground.
Dietrich Lapsley paced all players with 17 tackles, picking up a pair for loss, to go with a fumble forced and recovered. Terrance Miles added eight stops while four Sycamores posted six each.
"Indiana State is an excellent, excellent defensive team," said Harbaugh. "We had a difficult time blocking them off the line of scrimmage all night."
Western held preseason all-conference quarterback Julian Reese in check, limiting the senior to a season-low 72 yards of total offense. He was 7-of-12 passing for 54 yards with an interception, and he carried the ball 12 times for 18 yards.
Montfort led the Sycamores with 69 yards on 11 attempts, and Dede chipped in with seven carries for 47 more.
The Toppers won the time-of-possession battle by over 11 minutes, helped in part by a 7-of-15 third-down conversion rate -- the Sycamores were only successful once in 10 tries on third down.
The Hilltoppers wrap up the home portion of their schedule next Saturday (Nov. 2) with a 4:30 p.m. (CST) kickoff against Illinois State.
-- WKU --
