Justin Haddix threw for a career-best 276 yards and a touchdown Saturday to lead the 10th-ranked Hilltoppers to a 31-9 Gateway Conference victory over Indiana State at L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field.
The Hilltoppers — who improved to 5-2 overall, 3-1 in the league — posted 437 yards of total offense while averaging 6.8 yards per snap. Haddix, who collected more than 200 yards passing in back-to-back contests for the first time in his career, completed 12-of-18 attempts, including recording 166 yards in the second half as the Toppers pulled away. He added three rushes for 26 yards as well to post a career-high 302 yards of total offense.
The Sycamores fell to 4-4, 1-3 in the Gateway, with their ninth straight loss in the series. WKU has won the last five meetings between the two schools in Bowling Green.
“It was a great day for football. I liked the way our guys didn’t let the elements bother them,” Topper head coach David Elson said. “It was a good team win, we got back on track tonight. Indiana State is a better football team than the score showed.”
Maurice Perkins was Haddix’ favorite target, leading WKU with 108 yards on four receptions — it’s the third time this season that he has surpassed 100 yards in a contest. Earl Clayton, Curtis Hamilton and Karl Phillips all recorded at least 35 yards with their only catches of the game.
Although Haddix moved the ball through the air, it was the Hilltopper running game that put most of the points on the board. Lerron Moore led the team with 65 yards on 16 carries after missing last week with an injury, while Brian Porter added 32 yards and Stephen Willis 25 as each of the three scored one touchdown.
The teams traded three-and-outs until Western put together an eight-play, 60-yard march that resulted in an 8-yard Moore touchdown run and a 7-0 Hilltopper lead with 3:52 to go in the opening quarter. The drive — which lasted two minutes, 34 seconds — was keyed by a 35-yard completion from Haddix to Hamilton with WKU facing 3rd-and-10 from its own 40-yard line.
Western doubled its advantage early in the second quarter, sparked again by a 35-yard Haddix pass. He found Perkins on 1st-and-15 down the right sideline to put the Toppers in INS territory — Willis would cap the nine-play, 83-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run 11:35 before the half.
The Sycamores managed just 125 yards in the first half, with the offense able to cross midfield on two of its seven drives. Charles Thompson led the Hilltoppers with 11 total tackles, Marion Rumph added eight while both Ross Dickens and Deont Smith recorded seven stops apiece. Brandon Smith collected two tackles for loss, leading eight individuals who posted at least one stop behind the line of scrimmage.
Defensively, the Hilltoppers limited the Sycamores to 284 total yards — 80 on the ground — and 13 first downs in the game.
“Indiana State’s offense is vastly improved, but I was very proud of our defense,” said Elson. “We really rose up on third downs and got stops.”
INS was 3-of-14 on third down conversions.
After stopping the Sycamores before they could cross midfield on their opening possession of the second half, Western increased its lead to 21-6 by covering 90 yards in eight plays and three minutes, 10 seconds. The Toppers picked up a pair of first downs before a 52-yard Haddix-to-Perkins connection set up a 1st-and-goal at the INS-8. Porter reached the end zone from 5 yards out two plays later with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter.
Chris James kicked a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter and Clayton caught a 53-yard touchdown pass with 12:59 left in the contest to close out the scoring.
The Sycamores got on the board midway through the second quarter, taking advantage of a Hilltopper miscue. Courtney Reese recovered a fumble on a punt return by Dennis Mitchell at the WKU-16. INS picked up only four yards and settled for a 29-yard Kyle Hooper field goal with to go 8:03 in the second quarter. Hooper tacked on a 40-yard field goal six-and-a-half minutes later to cap a 10-play, 53-yard march that made the score 14-6 at the half.
His third field goal came with 3:13 to go in the third quarter, making the score 21-9. It finished an 11-play drive that covered 59 yards, keyed by a 27-yard completion from Phillip Johnson to Sam Logan on 3rd-and-3 from the INS-47.
Logan also finished with more than 100 yards receiving, leading all players with 114 on 10 catches. Johnson was 22-of-34 passing for 204 yards, while Jake Shields added 81 yards on 18 rushing attempts.
The Sycamore defense was led by LaDrelle Bryant and Derrick Williams, who each posted a game-high 12 tackles — Bryant had two stops for loss and added a forced fumble.
The Hilltoppers — who have now won seven of their last nine Homecoming games — will next be in action Saturday with a 7 p.m. (CDT) kickoff at L.T. Smith Stadium against Illinois State.
