WKU (1-8, 0-5 C-USA) at Florida Atlantic (4-5, 2-3 C-USA)
Friday, Nov. 2 | Floyd Stadium | 7 p.m. CT
Friday, Nov. 2 | Floyd Stadium | 7 p.m. CT
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| HILLTOPPERS COMPLETE TWO-GAME ROAD SWING AT FAU WKU is aiming to take down the defending C-USA champion. |
The Matchup
WKU travels to Boca Raton in search of its first C-USA victory of the season. The Hilltoppers have not started conference play 0-6 since the 2009 went winless in Sun Belt Conference play.
Traveling to Florida is a trip home for a large portion of WKU's roster. The Hilltopper roster features 14 players from the state, including starting cornerback Roger Cray (Lake City), quarterback Drew Eckels, and TE/H Steven Witchoskey.
ROSTER CONNECTIONS: FAU cornerbacks Khamal Ellison and Malik Vigille, offensive linemen Junior Diaz and Reggie Bain and WKU safety A.J. Brathwaite, Jr., both prepped at Miami Central; WKU offensive lineman Preston Mixon and FAU safety Zyon Gilbert both prepped at Jefferson Davis (Ala.)
Scouting Florida Atlantic
The Owls, the defending C-USA Champion, are coming off a vital 49-14 victory over rival FIU in the Shula Bowl last weekend. FAU scored 28 points in the fourth quarter and rushed for 493 yards as a team. Led by the reigning C-USA Most Valuable Player, Devin Singletary, head coach Lane Kiffin's squad averages 469 yards of total offense per game including 246 on the ground.
Defensively, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was a force at linebacker but sustained a season-ending injury. In his absence, the Owls' leading tackler in Rashad Smith at 72 total tackles. Smith also has five tackles for loss, second-most on the team. FAU is surrendering 443 yards of offense and 33.1 points per game to opponents.
2018 Team Captains
WKU's season-long team captains were voted on at the end of fall camp, entirely by the players. In 2018, the Hilltoppers will have just two captains, both from the defense: senior DB DeAndre Farris and junior LB Ben Holt Holt's older brother, Nick, was a 2015 team captain at linebacker and both played for their father, Nick Holt, during his time as WKU's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013-16.
Holts on The Hill
When Ben Holt was voted a team captain, he and his brother, Nick, joined a very unique and exclusive group as one of just two sets of brothers to both serve as WKU captains.
Elmer (1965) and Lee Murray (1962) also served as captains and for over 50 years were the only sets of brothers to both serve as captains until the Holt's in 2018. Lee enjoyed a Hall of Fame career on The Hill in various roles as an assistant coach under Jimmy Feix and administrator as well as color analyst on WKU's radio broadcasts in the early 2000s.
Within Striking Distance
Through seven games, the Hilltoppers have lost four of six by a combined 12 points - three point losses in four games. WKU has been within striking distance of all four (vs. Maine, at Louisville, vs. Marshall, vs. ODU), and they aren't alone in being close to having their records flipped.
| TEAM | ONE-SCORE GAMES | RECORD |
| Arizona State | 6 | 2-4 |
| Eastern Michigan | 6 | 2-4 |
| WKU | 5 | 1-4 |
| Air Force | 5 | 1-4 |
| Ball State | 4 | 1-3 |
| Old Dominion | 4 | 1-3 |
Youth Movement
WKU is in the midst of a youth movement and rebuilding a roster which lost multiple three- and four-year starters at a number of positions after the 2016 Conference USA Championship season.
Last season, 24 players earned their first career start as Hilltoppers on offense or defense, the fourth-most nationally, and 11 true freshman saw game action. WKU trailed only Ball State (33), Illinois (31), Baylor (27), and Coastal Carolina (25) for the most first-time starters. On the 2018 roster, 66 percent of the roster is comprised of underclassmen.
| CLASS | # ON ROSTER | O/D STARTS |
|---|---|---|
| Seniors | 10 | 109 |
| Juniors | 21 | 109 |
| Sophomores | 27 | 120 |
| Redshirt Freshmen | 10 | 13 |
| True Freshmen | 27 | 1 |
Rebuilding Up Front
WKU's 2018 starting five entering the season was also one of only three offensive lines in the nation to have all five position starters earning their first career starts at their position (UTSA, Fresno State).
LT Cole Spencer started five games at RT to close the 2017 campaign while Tyler Witt started the final six at RG. Both have now swapped to the left side while center Seth Joest and RG Jordan Meredith earned their first career starts at any position at Wisconsin. RT Miles Pate has been primarily a guard during his time on The Hill but bumped outside this fall under the direction of new offensive line coach TJ Woods.
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