It will be the third time this season that the second-ranked Hilltoppers will make a television appearance, with their game at Auburn Sept. 24 set to be broadcast on NBC 40 in Bowling Green and Western’s Nov. 5 league contest against Northern Iowa slated to air on Fox Sports Midwest.
“Our entire program and community is excited about playing on ESPNU,” said Topper head coach David Elson. “This is a terrific opportunity for all of South Central Kentucky to come out and show what a great college football environment we have here at WKU.”
Western has appeared on the ESPN family of networks three times since the start of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, with ESPN2 airing the Toppers’ victories over Georgia Southern and McNeese State en route to the national championship that season, as well as WKU’s 2003 quarterfinal contest at Wofford.
It will mark the first time since the 1986 season that a Gateway game will appear on the ESPN family of networks.
Entering this weekend’s play — WKU is off and will not be in action until visiting Auburn — SIU and the Hilltoppers are ranked first and second, respectively, in both The Sports Network and ESPN/USA Today rankings.
