FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Of all the storylines floating around WKU Football's game on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Arkansas, there's only one that matters for the Hilltoppers: They need a win.
"It doesn't matter what we do or how we do it, we just gotta get a win," graduate senior quarterback Ty Storey said on Tuesday. "These past two weeks have been rough on us. We've been in the games fighting until the end and they just haven't gone our way.
"We just have to keep grinding and try to find a way to win any way we can."
Going into the contest against the 2-7 Razorbacks, WKU stands at 5-4 on the season after late-game losses to Marshall and Florida Atlantic over the past two weeks. As Storey eluded, the Hilltoppers have dropped a pair in close contests to drop to 4-2 in Conference USA play after starting the year with a 4-0 mark against league opponents.
In a 26-23 loss against the Thundering Herd on Oct. 26, a pair of WKU turnovers in the first quarter contributed to a 14-0 deficit only 8:04 into the game. Although the Hilltoppers climbed back from deficits of 17-0 and 23-7 to tie the game at 23-23, Marshall's 53-yard field goal as time expired handed visiting WKU a defeat.
Last week against the Owls, it was WKU who jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first 11:29, only to see it turn into a 28-14 disadvantage just past half time. Again, the Hilltoppers fought back to make it a 28-24 game in the fourth quarter, late turnovers doomed the home team and FAU escaped Bowling Green with a 35-24 victory.
"I thought there was a lot of good things the last game, it just comes down to executing in the red zone and not turning the football over," offensive coordinator Bryan Ellis said on Tuesday. "You look at one stat: [FAU] had zero turnovers and we had four, and you get beat by 11 points. That's the way football works.
"We have to clean those things up to give us a chance here over the next three games."
But for Ellis and head coach Tyson Helton on the offensive side of the ball, that doesn't mean playing conservative.
"We need to do a better job and be smarter about when to call them, but we're going to take chances, we're going to take shots and create big plays," Ellis said. "Our guys believe in themselves, they believe in us and we believe in them ... We don't play scared."
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After allowing 21 points in the fourth quarter of WKU's Week 1 loss to Central Arkansas, the Hilltoppers allowed only 31 points in the second halves over the next seven contests. But against FAU, a pair of second-half touchdowns were the difference in the game and the focus is reversing that trend.
"Pretty much we just have to continue to finish," junior cornerback Trae Meadows – who blocked a 24-yard Owls field goal attempt in the fourth quarter to keep three points off the board – said on Wednesday. "It's a four-quarter game and we have to play a complete game.
"We can't play strong for only the first three quarters or only play a half of football."
Just like when WKU bounced back after the UCA game, expect the Hilltoppers to have a rejuvenated attitude in Fayetteville, Ark., for the 11 a.m. kick off on SEC Network.
"Whenever momentum switches throughout the game, you have to be able to put fires out a bit better," White said on Wednesday. "We started the game last week really hot, but then the momentum switched. I think we definitely learned some things last week."
Although Arkansas is 2-7 on the season, including 0-6 in SEC action, the Razorbacks received a ton of respect from the WKU coaches and players as they watched the film and prepared.
"That's definitely a talented bunch," White said. "The challenge they bring is obviously going to be the size they have up front, and I think our guys are ready to match up against them. Our goal is to go out there and just do our jobs, and when a play's there to be made, let's make it."
That sentiment funnels down to players like redshirt junior defensive tackle Jeremy Darvin, who expects to be healthy after an ankle injury he suffered vs. Army on Oct. 12.
"It's a great time to be back, going on the road to play an SEC opponent; especially Arkansas, who has big guys, big linemen," he said on Wednesday. "I just want to come in and give our D-tackles an extra guy to rotate in. It's tough trying to play a whole game with only three or four guys rotating on the inside.
"My hats off to those guys, they've been killing it so far, but it's nice to be back."
Defensive tackles like Jaylon George and Jalen Madden will appreciate having the Nashville, Tenn., native back out there. As will younger Hilltoppers who look up to Darvin for his experience and perspective, to which he had much to offer on the prospect of WKU going up against a Power Five opponent on a big stage.
"Just keep your nerves in check and play ball," he said. "Embrace it because we're all here for a reason, we're all here on football scholarships for a reason. God gave us gifts, [so] don't let the conference or the stadium overwhelm you."
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Although it could be deemed from the outside as a distraction, Storey doesn't see it that way. He's embracing the fact that it will be a faux Homecoming for him against his former teammates and friends, and he expects dozens of family members and supporters in the stands.
"It's going to be fun just to get back to the home state and back to that area," he said. "I know a lot of people are going to be rooting for us, so it'll be cool to have that backing and see a lot of WKU stuff in that stadium."
Both Helton and Ellis referenced the quarterback's maturity as a key to him staying focused this week during practice, and Storey said his demeanor has been the same as it has leading up to any other game this season.
So, does the fact that he was a Razorback for the past four years and knowing some of the current Arkansas players give him any special analysis of the opponent? Storey wouldn't say so.
"They're a typical SEC team ... They have a lot of great athletes and great coaching," he said. "They're going to try to dog you and make it hard on your receivers. And up front they're going to be a really good team, one of the best teams we've seen all year.
"It's going to be a challenge, but we have to go and execute and do what we're taught to do."
