| GAME 5: WKU (2-2, 0-1 C-USA) vs. UAB (2-2, 0-1 C-USA) | ||
| Game Notes | ||
| WKU Notes | UAB Notes | C-USA Notes |
| Purchase Tickets | ||
| Buy Tickets | 1-800-5-BIG-RED | |
| Coming to Campus? | ||
| Parking | Tailgating | Seating Chart |
| Watch/Listen | ||
| TV: C-USA DN | Radio: IMG Network | Listen Live |
| Follow Live! | ||
| @WKUSports | @WKUFootball | @WKUSportPics |
The Matchup:
UAB at WKU
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, 6 p.m. CT
Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113), Bowling Green, Ky.
TV: C-USA Digital Network
Randy Lee (Play-by-Play)
Leo Peckenpaugh (Analyst)
Terry Obee (Sidelines)
- Saturday's game will be streamed live via the Conference USA Digital Network and WKUSports.tv
- Click HERE for details on how to subscribe to get access to over 100 member schools and over 18,000 live and on-demand events.
Radio: IMG Sports Network | WKU Gameday App (Google | iPhone | TuneIn)
Tickets: Call 1-800-5-BIG-RED | Buy Online
- Prices: Single Game Adult begin at $20. Youth Tickets (3-12) begin at $15.
Game Day To-Do List: Inaugural Conference USA Home Opener
- First 1,000 fans will receive a free `Inaugural Conference USA Game' t-shirt.
- 'TopperTown' returns! A kids play area a kids play area featuring inflatables, balloon artistry, face painting and games for kids of all ages. TopperTown opens three hours prior to kickoff and is free for the entire family, and it is located in front of Parking Structure 2 (PS2) on the campus side, directly across Avenue of Champions from the Downing Student Union.
- Topper Walk begins at 3:45 p.m., as fans cheer on the Hilltoppers as they arrive at the stadium. Topper Walk starts on Avenue of Champions in front of PS1 across from the Downing Student Union.
- Opening Act at Augenstein Alumni Center will be open to the public two-and-a-half hours prior to kickoff and will close 30 minutes before kickoff. All alumni and fans are invited to tailgate on the lawn and enjoy the facility. WKU Conferencing and Catering will be grilling at Rally Alley with tailgate food and beverages available for purchase on the Casalengo Terrace between the Augenstein Alumni Center and Alumni Square Parking Garage. Tailgating is encouraged around the Augenstein Alumni Center, and pop-up tents are allowed in the green space around the building.
Concessions: New Concessions will be all over Houchens-Smith Stadium
- Moonlite Bar-B-Q (Section 109/130)
- Steamer Seafood (West Side Concourse near Berm Endzone)
- Chop Shop Burgers (Section 112/134)
- Johnsonville Andouille Sausage (Multiple locations)
- Steak Po-Boy (Section 134)
- Philly Cheesesteak and Cheesesteak Nachos (Section 134)
- Soft Tacos with Salsa (Section 327)
- "Topper" Fries (Section 103)
What to Watch For: WKU Game Notes | UAB Game Notes
- WKU is in its 95th season of football and first under head coach Jeff Brohm, who became the school's 19th head coach on Jan. 10, 2014.
- WKU enters its first season as members of Conference USA after a five-year run as full FBS members in the Sun Belt Conference. The Hilltoppers are also in year six of their membership in the FBS.
- For the second time this season, WKU broke its single-game school record for Total Offense and Passing Yards in the 3OT loss at Middle Tennessee. WKU racked up 718 yards of offense and QB Brandon Doughty threw for 593, a school and Conference USA record. The league record was previously held by Louisville's Chris Redman who set the mark of 592 in 1998. WKU also set a school record for Total Plays with 102 - the first time in program history eclipsing 100 plays.
- With WKU's win over Navy, the team became the only C-USA school so far in 2014 to defeat a team from outside the Group of 5 conferences. C-USA as a whole is 13-2 against Group of 5 teams.
- WKU has tallied 176 points over its first four games - the quickest it has taken them to reach that mark in the FBS era and the second fastest it has hit the mark in school history. The 2000 Hilltoppers' were the last offense to start better, scoring 180 points in their first four games.
- The Hilltoppers are one of just two teams in the country to have four receivers with 20 or more receptions on the year. The other is WKU's season opening opponent - Bowling Green.
- Wonderful Terry became the first WKU defensive player with multiple defensive touchdowns in the same season since Bobby Sippio scored three defensive touchdowns (2 INT returns, fumble return) during the 2000 season in which he was a consensus All-American.
- The Hilltoppers entered 2014 as one of just nine programs from the so-called 'Group of Five' conferences with seven or more wins in three consecutive seasons. Not including 2014 results, WKU is 22-15 over the past three years.
- WKU is just one of two teams in the FBS with an active scoring streak of 34 points or more over the past six games. Texas A&M is the other school and was led by former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
About the Game:
- The game will be the inaugural C-USA home game for the Hilltoppers, who opened the conference slate on the road at Middle Tennessee. It is also the second of four games this year pitting Brohm against another first year head coach. WKU was 3-1 last season against coaches in their first season at the school.
- WKU has won its last two games at home, posting wins over Arkansas State on Nov. 30, 2013, 34-31, and against Bowling Green in the 2014 opener, 59-31. WKU has played six of its last eight games away from home dating to last season after playing three-of-four to close the season out in 2013 away from home. In WKU's last two home contests, it has combined to put up 93 points and 1,114 yards of total offense. It is the latest WKU has hosted its second game at home since the 2010 season when they had to wait until October 16 for their second home game.
- The Hilltopper staff features seven coaches formerly members of the UAB staff in HC Jeff Brohm, OC Tyson Helton, OL coach Neil Callaway, GAs Bryan Ellis and Zach Lankford and S&C coach David Consiglio. UAB is one of three schools on the schedule where Brohm has been on staff. Illinois and FAU are the other two.
Numbers to Watch
- 1 - If quarterback Brandon Doughty throws at least three touchdowns in the game, he will surpass his entire season total from 2013 just four games in 2014. Doughty has thrown 14 TDs this season and threw 14 last year.
- 15 - WKU has had at least 100 yards of offense and has run at least 18 plays in 15 of 16 quarters played this season, including the last eight straight.
- 173 - The Hilltoppers are averaging 173 yards after the catch per game this season. Currently, 20 teams in the FBS do not average 173 receiving yards per game. In all, WKU has 693 yards after catch this season - more than 15 FBS teams' total receiving yardage.
2014 Team Captains:
At their first team meeting of the fall, six Hilltoppers - five seniors - were voted as team captains by their teammates. On offense, QB Brandon Doughty, OL Cameron Clemmons and WR Willie McNeal. On defense, DB Cam Thomas, LB Terran Williams and DL Gavin Rocker. Doughty and Thomas are both repeat captains.
Keeping Continuity:
Of the 20 schools to make a change at their head coaching position during this past offseason, only WKU was able to maintain continuity through the old and new staff. Coach Brohm is the only head coach this season who was on staff with his team at least the season before. Of those 14 teams that made coaching changes, only Brohm and four others have previous experience coaching within that program.
Youth + Experience
The Hilltoppers feature one of the youngest teams in the country - and Conference USA's youngest - as they have 67 freshmen and sophomores making up their 105 fall camp roster. That mark is No. 25 nationally and the highest in C-USA.
However, head coach Jeff Brohm has countered this with the league's most experienced collegiate coaching staff, tallying 238 years of combined experience. The next closest - Middle Tennessee with 187.
| Conference USA Coaching Staff Experience | ||
| Team | Head Coach | Comb. Years of Experience |
| WKU | Jeff Brohm | 238 |
| Middle Tennessee | Rick Stockstill | 187 |
| North Texas | Dan McCarney | 180 |
- Doughty is tied for the national lead with seven others in TDs thrown on 3rd down with five.
- Doughty is the only QB in the nation with over 400 yards on third down without an interception.
- Doughty is third nationally with 24 first down conversions, behind Colorado's Sefo Liufau (25) and VT's Michael Brewer (30). Both Liufau and Brewer have played one more game than Doughty in 2014.
- Among QBs who have played four games this season, Doughty is tied for the national lead in third-down completions with 33 (Matt Linehan - Idaho).
- Doughty is especially deadly on 3rd and 7 or longer, going 19-for-27 for 279 yards and three touchdowns.
He has already surpassed 52 of the past 63 season's passing yardage leaders with his 1,846 passing yards in four games. His 14 touchdowns through four games have been surpassed just six times in the last 63 seasons (since 1951), meaning he has tied or surpassed 57 of the last 63 seasons' season touchdown passing leaders.
