But, one week after pulling out a win over Western Illinois with a touchdown in the final minute, the Hilltoppers fell short and dropped a 28-27 Gateway Football Conference decision to No. 6 Illinois State at L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field.
WKU (2-3, 1-1 Gateway) drove 75 yards after Pierre Rembert’s 2-yard rushing touchdown gave the Redbirds (4-1, 1-0 GFC) a one-point lead, but Chris James’ 19-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright with just over four minutes to go. ISU kept the Toppers out of the end zone twice from the 3-yard line before the kick.
The Redbirds were able to run out the clock after the change of possession by picking up a pair of first downs.
“We came up short, which never feels good whether it’s home or away,” said Topper head coach David Elson. “Five or six plays on offense, and maybe five or six on defense made the difference in this game. It’s still early in the season, there’s a lot of football left to play in the Gateway. I’m disappointed — we’re not happy about the outcome — but, we’re going to build on it and get better.
“We just came up short on third down, then we missed the kick,” he continued. “But, that’s football.”
The Hilltoppers final play overshadowed a night in which the offense gained 465 yards. Lerron Moore rushed for 148 yards and a score, setting the school career rushing record in the process, while adding three catches for 34 yards. He now has 4,031 yards in three-plus seasons, making him the first player in school history to surpass 4,000 yards on the ground. Current assistant head coach Willie Taggart held the old mark with 3,997 yards.
Justin Haddix completed a career-best 19-of-26 passes for a career-high 291 yards and two scores — he would also finish with 309 yards of total offense, the highest total he has ever posted. Curtis Hamilton also set personal standards on the receiving end of Haddix’ passes, catching nine balls for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Gaebler collected five receptions for 84 yards as well.
“It feels good, but it’s a bit bittersweet because we lost,” Moore said. “Coach Taggart has been rooting me on, and he’s been in my face all week. When Justin and Curtis are clicking, it opens things up for me.”
“A few plays on offense could have won it, and a few plays on defense could have won it too — you can’t blame Chris, he’s a great kicker. There’s a lot of ways we could have won this ball game.”
“The record says a lot about the kind of guy Lerron is, and it says a lot about our offense line,” Elson added.
WKU converted 8-of-12 times on third down, holding the ball for almost 33 minutes.
Rembert posted 142 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries to pace the ’Birds, with Luke Drone completing 12-of-17 pass attempts for 204 yards and a score. The duo helped the team finish with 371 yards of total offense.
The Redbirds’ Niall Campbell and Kye Stewart led all players with 12 stops apiece. Marion Rumph paced WKU in the category for the third straight contest with nine tackles, while Blake Boyd and John Hedges chipped in with eight apiece.
ISU extended a one-point halftime advantage when it took the opening drive of the third quarter 78 yards in nine plays, as a 13-yard Rembert touchdown run made the score 21-13 with more than 10 minutes to go in the period.
The Toppers, however, scored touchdowns on both their third-quarter possessions to hold a 27-21 advantage with 15 minutes left in the contest. A 47-yard kickoff return by Rashad Etheridge led to a 42-yard scoring drive that culminated with a 1-yard Moore run, while after getting a stop the Hilltoppers regained the lead, 27-21, with 3:11 left when Haddix hit Hamilton on a 45-yard scoring pass.
The contest got off to a slow start as James’ 37-yard field goal with just over six minutes to go gave the Hilltoppers a 3-0 lead — those were the only points of the period.
The Redbirds briefly grabbed the lead when a 43-yard completion from Drone to Laurnt Robinson set up Rafael Rice’s 2-yard touchdown run on the third play of the second quarter. The reception cost ISU Robinson’s services the rest of the night.
WKU responded by driving 80 yards in only four plays, as Haddix connected with Hamilton on back-to-back plays with the second covering 24 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 Hilltopper advantage. The lead grew to six when James hit a 29-yard field goal with less than three minutes remaining in the half, capping a 14-play, 60-yard march that took almost eight minutes off the clock. Moore made a 12-yard catch on third down to keep the drive alive, while a 28-yard completion from Haddix to Gaebler on 2nd-and-20 put the Hilltoppers just outside the red zone.
ISU would take a 14-13 advantage at the break when Drone found Garin Harcar for a 1-yard scoring pass with 22 seconds to go.
WKU returns to the road for the first time in a month next weekend when it visits Missouri State (1-5, 0-2 GFC after a 38-7 loss at Northern Iowa today) in Gateway action. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m. (CDT), with the game televised on Fox College Sports Central, Fox Sports Net Midwest as well as in Kentucky on WKYU-PBS (local cable channel 11) and two outlets in Louisville.
