| GAME 1: WKU (0-0) vs. Bowling Green (0-0) | ||
| Game Notes | ||
| WKU Notes | BGSU Notes | C-USA Notes |
| Purchase Tickets | ||
| Buy Tickets | 1-800-5-BIG-RED | |
| Coming to Campus? | ||
| Parking | Tailgating | Seating Chart |
| Watch/Listen | ||
| TV: CBS SN | Radio: IMG Network | Listen Live |
| Follow Live! | ||
| @WKUSports | @WKUFootball | @WKUSportPics |
The Matchup:
WKU vs. Bowling Green
Friday, Aug. 29, 2014, 6:30 p.m. CT
Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113), Bowling Green, Ky.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Ben Holden (Play-By-Play)
Kevin O'Connell (Analyst)
Courtney Fallon (Sideline)
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.
Parking/Tailgating: Parking Map | Tailgating Map
- WKU offers more than 4,500 FREE paved parking spaces throughout campus.
- Parking Structure 1 (PS1) has 500 free parking spaces
- Click HERE for detailed parking and tailgating information
Game Day To-Do List: LIVE UNITED White-Out Game | Inaugural Conference USA Game
- First 6,000 fans will receive a free `Live United' t-shirt.
- Wear your white to Houchens-Smith Stadium!
- '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 4:30 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 | BGSU Game Notes
- WKU begins its 95th season of football and first under head coach Jeff Brohm, who became the school's 19th head coach on Jan. 10, 2014.
- The Hilltoppers enter 2014 as one of just nine programs from the so-called 'Group of Five' conferences with seven or more wins in three consecutive seasons. WKU is 22-15 over the past three years.
- With their 22 wins over the past three seasons, the Hilltoppers are tied with Marshall for the most wins of any C-USA program over the past three seasons.
- WKU opens the season at home for just the second time in the past nine years, the last time coming against Austin Peay on Sept. 1, 2012. Prior to that, WKU had not opened at home since 2005.
- Over the past 20 seasons, the Hilltoppers are 16-4 in home openers and have won their previous two (vs. Austin Peay, 2012/ vs. Morgan State, 2013). WKU failed to win a home opener from 2009-11, falling to South Florida, Indiana and Navy, respectively.
- The 'Battle of Bowling Greens' has occured just once the gridiron, with the Hilltoppers and Falcons squaring off in the Ohio version of the city on September 29, 2007. The 'Other' Bowling Green came away with a 41-21 victory over the Hilltoppers. Tyrell Hayden and K.J. Black combined for one of WKU's 28 games with a pair of 100+ yard rushers in that game.
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.
Winning the Opener:
In season openers, the Hilltoppers are 56-33-5 all-time and opened consecutive seasons with a win for the first time since 1999-2000 with last season's opener win over Kentucky. WKU won five straight season openers from 1996-2000.
Quick Starts
Since shifting to a high-flying offense to start the 2013 season, WKU has proven to be potent on their opening drive. In 12 games in 2013, WKU opened nine of them with a score, tallying seven touchdowns and a pair of field goals on their opening possession.
Tough Out of Conference
After going 0-12 against non-conference foes in their first three years as an FBS team, WKU has turned it around and has been on a hot streak against teams from outside their conference.
Over the past two seasons, the Hilltoppers are 7-3 against non-conference opponents with their only losses coming at Tennessee, at Alabama and Central Michigan in the bowl game. Over that span, no other C-USA team has beaten as many teams out of conference.
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 |
Playing in a Full House
Entering their first season in Conference USA, WKU comes in on a high note - fresh off their best season in the FBS. Hilltopper fans showed up in record numbers in 2013 and WKU filled their stadium to a better capacity than any other current C-USA team and the Tops saw fewer empty seats than anyone else in the league.
