WKU HILLTOPPERS (4-2, 3-0 C-USA) vs. CHARLOTTE 49ERS (2-4, 0-2Â C-USA)
Saturday, October 19 | 3 p.m. CT | Houchens-Smith Stadium | Bowling Green, Ky.
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Saturday, October 19 | 3 p.m. CT | Houchens-Smith Stadium | Bowling Green, Ky.
| GAMEDAY LINKS |
| Watch on ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats WKU Game Notes | WKU YouTube Channel |
| WKU FOOTBALL HOSTS CHARLOTTE FOR #WKUHC19, LOOKING FOR FOUR-GAME WIN STREAK The Hilltoppers face a challenge of Benny LeMay - C-USA's leading rusher - and a pair of dangerous 49er defensive ends |
NOTING THE GAME - WKU vs. CHARLOTTE
- WKU and Charlotte have played only twice in their head-to-head series, both games over the past two years. The Hilltoppers and 49ers have each won once.
- In 2017, WKU defeated Charlotte by a score of 45-14 in the school's annual homecoming game at Houchens-Smith Stadium. Quarterback Mike White completed 33-of-47 passes for 398 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Hilltoppers at 15 players with at least one reception, and five different receivers with a touchdown. WKU held the 49ers to only 61 yards passing, the fewest allowed to a conference opponent in the program's FBS Era.
- In 2018, Charlotte got revenge on WKU in the team's own homecoming game, defeating the Hilltoppers by a score of 40-14. The Hilltoppers took a 7-6 lead at the 3:20 mark of the first quarter after a touchdown run by quarterback Kevaris Thomas, but the 49ers scored the next 34 points over the following 43 minutes. Nickelback Ta'Corian Darden led the defense with 10 tackles.
- WKU is looking for its first four-game win streak since Sept. 23 to Oct. 20, 2017. The Hilltoppers have a four-game win streak in every season since 2011 except 2018.
- WKU has a 54-30-3 all-time record in homecoming games. Prior to last season's 38-17 loss vs. FIU on homecoming, the Hilltoppers had won four-straight such games.
DeANGELO MALONE CONTINUES DOMINANT SEASON
- Junior defensive end DeAngelo Malone was a menace in WKU's 20-3 victory at Old Dominion, with 3 sacks for 26 yards lost and a total of 4 tackles for loss for 30 yards lost. Malone also finished with a team-high 9 total tackles and 3 quarterback hurries. Malone's 3 sacks are the second-most by a Conference USA defender in a single game this season, while his 4 tackles for loss ranks 3rd for a single game. With a career-high 3 sacks, Malone became the first Hilltopper since the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl with 3 sacks in a game, and only the 4th different WKU defender since 2007 to have 3-plus sacks in a game.
- After 7 tackles against Army- including 1 for loss - Malone leads Conference USA with 7.0 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss on the season; among FBS defenders he is tied for 4th in sacks and leads the nation in tackles for loss. Malone's 8.8 total tackles per game ranks t-42 among FBS defenders, which leads all defensive linemen. The next-best defensive lineman is Jessie Lemonier of Liberty, who ranks t-124 with 7.2 per game.
- Here are WKU's season-by-season TFL leaders in this decade:
- 2019 - DeAngelo Malone, 14.0 TFL
- 2018 - Ben Holt, 11.5 TFL
- 2017 - Joel Iyiegbuniwe, 11.5 TFL
- 2016 - Keith Brown, 13.0 TFL
- 2015 - T.J. McCollum, 11.5 TFL
- 2014 - Dejon Brown and Ge'Monee Brown, 8.0 TFL
- 2013 - Xavius Boyd, 15.5 TFL
- 2012 - Quanterus Smith, 18.5 TFL
- 2011 - Andrew Jackson, 17.0 TFL
- 2010 - Thomas Majors, 14.5 TFL
KEEPING THE FOURTH QUARTER QUIET
- In four games from Sept. 7 to Oct. 5, the Hilltopper defense silenced the opposition late in the contest, keeping points off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter against FIU, Louisville, UAB and Old Dominion. The Panthers didn't score for the last 21:03, the Cardinals for the last 16:26, the Blazers for the last 24:17 and the Monarchs for the last 44:56 of the game. Since 2007, this is the first WKU defense has posted scoreless fourth quarters in four-consecutive games. If not for a Army touchdown with 101 seconds left in the final frame, the Hilltoppers would have a five-game scoreless fourth quarter streak.
WKU AMONG FBS LEADERS IN HANDFUL OF CATEGORIES
- 5th in Opponent Third Down Conversions at a rate of only 27.3% (21-of-77).
- 13th in Passing Defense, with only 172.7 yards allowed per game.
- 14th in Red Zone Defense, with opponents only scoring 68.8% of the time.
- Tied for 14th in First Downs Allowed Per Game, with 15.5 by the WKU defense.
- Tied for 16th in Sacks Allowed, with only 7 let up by the WKU offensive line.
- Tied for 16th in Tackles for Loss Allowed, with only 25 let up to opponents.
- 17th in Total Defense, with only 287 yards allowed per game
- 19th in Time of Possession, holding the ball an average of 32:39 per game
- Tied for 19th in Fewest Penalties Committed, with only 5.2 per game
- 20th in Scoring Defense, with only 18.5 points allowed per game.
- 29th in Rushing Defense, with only 114.3 yards allowed per game.
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