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WKU Football at No. 24 Marshall
Postgame Notes
Nov. 28, 2014
Joan C. Edwards Stadium; Huntington, W.V.
FINAL SCORE: WKU 67, No. 24 Marshall 66 (OT)
Team Records and Series Notes
- WKU won its fourth-straight game to finish the regular season 7-5 and 4-4 in its inaugural Conference USA season. The Hilltoppers handed No. 24 Marshall its first loss of 2014 as the Herd dropped to 11-1 and 7-1 in C-USA.
- WKU's defeat of Marshall marks the program's first victory over a ranked team in the FBS era after being 0-5 in the previous five meetings versus ranked opponents.
- WKU ends the regular season on a four-game winning streak for the second-straight season
- The Hilltoppers are one of nine Group of Five programs to be bowl eligible in four-straight seasons
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- As of Friday, WKU is one of 26 teams in the FBS to win at least seven games in four-straight seasons
- WKU is 8-1 in its last nine games played in the month of November and holds an 12-5 record in the month since 2011
Team Notes
- WKU's 67 points extended the Hilltoppers' single-season record to 528 points in 2014
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- WKU's 67 points set an opposing team record in Joan C. Edwards Stadium
- The Hilltoppers eclipsed 50 points in a game for the fourth time this season, a new school record
- The previous single-season record for points was 432 by the 2002 Hilltoppers that played 15 games
- WKU's 738 yards set a new school record and marked the third time it has eclipsed 700 yards in 2014
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- The 738 yards were the most Marshall has ever allowed in a game after entering the game as league's top ranked defense
- WKU's 738 yards was the ninth highest single-game total in the FBS this season and sixth highest total in C-USA history
- WKU has scored at least 30 points in 14 of its last 15 games dating back to Nov. 23, 2013
- The 33 combined points between WKU and Marshall were the most in C-USA history
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- The 91 first-half points between the two teams was the second-highest total in FBS history, trailing the 94 between Navy and North Texas in 2007
- The 15 combined TD passes between Brandon Doughty (8) and Rakeem Cato (7) were the most in single-game FBS history
- The Hilltoppers' 9 touchdowns upped their season total to 69, breaking the 1973 squad's single-season record of 62 touchdowns
- WKU's 28 first quarter points were its most in FBS history and the most since scoring 49 in the first quarter against West Virginia Tech on Sept. 8, 2007
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- WKU 49 first-half points were its most since scoring 52 in that first half against West Virginia Tech in `07
- WKU's 37 first downs moved its season total to 321, a new school record
- The WKU defense has forced a turnover in eight of the past nine games
- The Hilltoppers intercepted Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato four times - he had thrown 8 in 11 previous games
- WKU has set single-season team records for points, passing first downs, passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, total yards, first downs, touchdowns and first-quarter points this season. Pending a bowl bid, the Hilltoppers have also set records for points per game, yards per game, passing yards per game, touchdowns scored and first downs.
- WKU's game captains were Cameron Clemmons, Cam Thomas, Willie McNeal and Gavin Rocker.
- WKU won the toss and elected to receive
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- WKU scored on the opening drive for the seventh time this season with a 11-yard TD catch from Tyler Higbee
Player Notes
- Senior quarterback Brandon Doughty set a Conference USA and WKU record with 8 touchdown passes. He finished the day 34-of-50 with 491 yards and 8 TDs.
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- Doughty completed 12-of-15 passes for 215 yards and 4 TDs in the first quarter alone
- With 8 TD passes against the Herd, Doughty is now WKU's career leader in TD tosses with 58. He extended his single-season record for TD passes to 44.
- Doughty has 13 TD passes of 40+yards this season
- Doughty has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12-straight games and multiple touchdown passes in 12 of his past 13 games
- Doughty has eclipsed 300 yards passing nine times this season, a C-USA high.
- Doughty now has 10-career performances with three or more passing TDs
- Doughty has thrown at least 4 touchdowns on five occasions this season and for 5 touchdowns four different times
- Doughty leads the country with 44 TD passes in 2014 and 4,344 yards in 2014. His 44 TDs are tied for the 16th most in single-season FBS history. His 4,344 yards are the 35th highest total in FBS history.
- Junior running back Leon Allen rushed for 237 yards on 33 carries while adding 51 yards receiving with two total scores
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- Allen's 200-yard performance was his second of the season
- Allen has 650 rushing yards in WKU's last three games
- Allen has scored 8 touchdowns during WKU's four-game winning streak
- Junior wide receiver Jared Dangerfield had eight catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns
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- Dangerfield's 10 TD catches in 2014 are the most by a Hilltopper receiver since Curtis Hamilton caught 10 in 2006. He is just the third receiver in WKU history to record 10 TD receptions in a single season
- Sophomore wide receiver Taywan Taylor' recorded his second-career 100-yard game with 122 yards on 4 catches
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- Taylor's 75-yard TD catch was his sixth scoring catch of 30+yards this season
- Redshirt junior tight end Tyler Higbee had career highs in catches (6), yards (99) and touchdowns (3)
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- Higbee became the fourth player in WKU history and first since Eddie Preston vs. Morehead State in 1978 to catch three touchdowns in a game
- Redshirt sophomore defensive back Branden Leston intercepted a career high three passes and tallied eight tackles
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- Leston's three picks were the most by a WKU player since Jonathan Dowling had three against Kentucky on Sept. 15, 2012. He is one of three players in WKU history to tally 3 INTs in a single game.
- Leston has now recorded an interception in back-to-back games
- Redshirt senior defensive back Ricardo Singh intercepted his second pass of the season in the fourth quarter
- Redshirt senior wide receiver Willie McNeal caught the game-winning two-point conversion
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- McNeal is three catches shy of the WKU career record of 168. McNeal has 166 career catches
- Junior kicker Garrett Schwettman's 21-yard field goal was his 16th of the season, which ranks fourth in WKU single-season history
