“It is great for each of our programs that this rivalry will be telecast throughout 12 southeastern states, and we are especially proud to be able to feature our seniors in their final home game,” said WKU Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig. “This will also give college football fans an up close look at the recently expanded and renovated Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium.”
This year’s game marks the first game in Bowling Green between the two schools since MTSU defeated WKU 23-21 on October 5, 1991. WKU has an all-time 16-11 record against MTSU in games played in Bowling Green.
MTSU will be one of at least five televised games for WKU in 2008. Away games with Indiana (Aug. 30, Big Ten Network), Alabama (Sept. 13, CSS) and Troy (Nov. 8, CSS) along with the Hilltoppers Homecoming game with North Texas (Nov. 1, ESPN Regional Television) are already slated for television.
This marks the second consecutive season the game has been televised, as WKU’s 20-17 win in Murfreesboro on September 20, 2007, was telecast by ESPN Regional Television as the Sun Belt Conference game of the week. K.J. Black’s 22-yard touchdown strike to Jake Gaebler in the fourth quarter provided the winning margin for WKU and narrowed MTSU’s all-time lead in the series to 29-28-1. Tyrell Hayden rushed 23 times for 144 yards and a touchdown to lead the Hilltopper ground attack.
"To date this is our sixth game to be televised this season and we are delighted to blanket the southeast for that many games,” added Chris Massaro, Director of Athletics at Middle Tennessee. "This is a great rivalry, and we are looking forward to a very exciting game."
WKU will be one of only 120 schools competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) level in 2008. WKU finished the 2007 season with a 7-5 overall record, the Hilltoppers 12th consecutive winning season.
ABOUT CSS - CSS is a 24-hour sports channel serving approximately 5.8 million cable subscribers across twelve southeastern states. Launched in 1999, the network is a partnership between Comcast Corporation and Charter Communications. CSS carries a full slate of college sports programming including over 45 live football games, 110 college football replay games, more than 160 men's and women's live college basketball games and 60 live baseball games, as well as a comprehensive mix of sports news and in-depth sports analysis geared toward fans in the Southeast.
