WKU (0-2) at Louisville (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 15 | Cardinal Stadium | 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 15 | Cardinal Stadium | 6:30 p.m. CT
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| HILLTOPPERS, CARDINALS RENEW SERIES FOR FIRST-TIME SINCE 1998 WKU heads to Louisville to take on the Cardinals seeking first series win since 1975. |
The Matchup
The Hilltoppers and Cardinals renew a series that dates back to 1922 in the first of a three-game series beginning in 2018. The two teams have not met since 1998 on the gridiron and every game since 1955 (14 consecutive) have been played in Louisville. The Hilltoppers are seeking their first win in the series since 1975, a 21-17 victory.
WKU will face former head coach Bobby Petrino (2013). It has been a common occurrence to face former head coaches, in fact, as three of WKU's last four head coaches have appeared on the opposite sidelines since 2015: Willie Taggart (2010-12) – South Florida HC, 2015; David Elson (2003-09)– Ball State DC, 2017; Petrino (2013) – Louisville HC, 2018).
The Cardinals will be just the second active ACC member WKU has faced in program history. WKU is 2-0 vs. Miami (1930, 1931) prior to the creation of the ACC in 1953 and 0-1 against Virginia Tech (2008).
Former WKU quarterback Nelson Fishback and former WKU safety Ryan Beard are both members of Petrino's staff which also includes a number of staffers from his time on The Hill: L.D. Scott, Kolby Smith, Nick Petrino, Joe Miday, Scott Wilks, Andy Wagner, Pete Nochta, and Teddy O'Connor.
How to Watch
The game will be broadcasted on ACC Regional Sports Networks throughout the country. An online stream of the game will be available HERE, at www.FOXSportsGO.com, or can be found on the FOX Sports GO App.
For most Hilltopper fans, the local broadcast will be Fox Sports Ohio, but please reference the full list of cable affiliates at THIS LINK.
Scouting Louisville
The Cardinals picked up their first win despite three weather delays that lasted 2:33 last Saturday versus Indiana State. Behind the rushing attack of quarterback Malik Cunningham and running back Jeremy Smith, the Cardinals scored 17 second-half points to pull away from the Sycamores. Cunningham rushed for 54 yards and a score, while Smith totaled 56 yards in his first action of the year.
Cunningham, who was 6-of-7 for 75 yards and a touchdown through the air, led the Cardinals to four scor-ing drives — three touchdowns and a field goal versus Indiana State. On his first possession, Cunningham directed an 11-play, 83-yard drive that he capped with a one-yard touchdown run. He added his first career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter when he connected with Jaylen Smith on a 34-yard scoring strike.
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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.
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 | 77 |
| Juniors | 23 | 64 |
| Sophomores | 27 | 65 |
| Redshirt Freshmen | 11 | 0 |
| True Freshmen | 27 | 0 |
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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