Miami, Fla. The Western Kentucky University football team finished up its final year of transition with a 27-3 loss at Florida International on Saturday afternoon denying head coach David Elson his 40th career victory and the Hilltoppers third victory of the season.
With the loss the Hilltoppers finish the year 2-10 while FIU advances to 5-7 overall.
WKU got on took the lead early in the contest with a Tanner Siewert 26 yard field goal with just over one minute left in the first quarter before FIU scored 27 points unanswered points to secure the game. The scoring drive consisted of 12 plays for 71 yards and took five minutes and three seconds off the clock.
The Hilltoppers held the lead until just before halftime when FIU’s Ty Hilton scored on a three-yard rush to put FIU up 7-3 at the half and for good.
The Golden Panthers recorded two field goals in the second half from Dustin Rivest both in the third quarter to put FIU up 13-3 going into the final quarter of play for both teams during the 2008 season.
With just over ten minutes left in the game, FIU recorded its second touchdown of the night when Paul McCall found Jason Fierson for a three-yard touchdown pass. The score put the Golden Panthers up 20-3.
WKU quarterback David Wolke was picked off by Anthony Gaitor with six minutes left and returned the interception 78 yards for FIU’s final score of the game.
Wolke finished the game 13-36 for 138 yards and was picked off twice by the Golden Panthers. Jake Gaebler led the receiving corp with five catches for 48 yards. The Hilltoppers were only able to grind away 42 rushing yards on the night. Marell Booker led the Hilltoppers with 25 total yards on eight carries.
Mark Santoro, Alonzo Higgins and Taurean Smith each recorded eight tackles on the evening leading the way for the Hilltoppers.
The Hilltopper football program has officially completed its transition period into the Sun Belt Conference and Division I-A and will be bowl-eligible for the first time next season.
WKU
Notes
WKU has completed its final season of transition into the Sun Belt Conference and will be bowl-eligible next season.
Head Coach David Elson was denied his 40th career victory in the loss against FIU.
WKU is now 2-2 all-time against the Golden Panthers.
Junior receiver Jake Gaebler is five catches closer to Curtis Hamilton’s all-time career reception record. Gaebler needs only 25 grabs in his final season to pas Hamilton.
This was the first game the Hilltoppers have played in the month of December since the 2003 season. WKU lost the game with Wofford 34-17. The Hilltoppers have not collected a victory in the month since winning the I-AA National Championship in 2002.
