2021 ROOFCLAIM.COM BOCA RATON BOWL
WKU HILLTOPPERS (8-5, 7-1 C-USA) vs.
APP STATE MOUNTAINEERS (10-3, 7-1 SBC)
Saturday, December 18 | 10 a.m. CT
FAU Stadium | Boca Raton, Florida
WKU HILLTOPPERS (8-5, 7-1 C-USA) vs.
APP STATE MOUNTAINEERS (10-3, 7-1 SBC)
Saturday, December 18 | 10 a.m. CT
FAU Stadium | Boca Raton, Florida
| LEARN ABOUT THE TEAM: |
| Kittley/Zappe/Jerreth Feature: ESPN QB Zappe: Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Finalist WR Jerreth: AP 2nd Team All-American WR Jerreth: FWAA 2nd Team All-American WKU Bowl Guide (Notes Package) Coach and Player Interviews (YouTube) |
| HILLTOPPERS AND MOUNTAINEERS CLASH IN BOWL BATTLE BETWEEN DIVISION CHAMPIONS WKU looks to claim second Boca Raton Bowl and knock App State's perfect 6-0 record in bowl games since joining FBS |
NOTING THE MATCHUP
- Historically, WKU and App State have played five times (1972, 1973, 1984, 1985 and 2000) and the Mountaineers boast a 4-1 record. The Hilltoppers' lone victory in the series was a 42-7 game on September 8, 1973. The most recent contest between WKU and App State was in the second round of the NCAA I-AA Playoffs on December 2, 2000, as the Mountaineers advanced with a 17-14 win in Houchens-Smith Stadium. Although the Hilltoppers are 1-4 against App State, WKU has a 92-to-79 advantage in scoring margin; three of the Mountaineers' four wins over WKU were decided by a total of five points.
NUMBERS TO WATCH
- 289-5 — Bailey Zappe has 5,545 passing yards and 56 passing TD's in 13 games this season. He needs 289 yards to pass Texas Tech's B.J. Symons (5,833 in 2003) and 5 TD's to pass LSU's Joe Burrow (60 in 2019) for the all-time FBS records.
- 8-28 — Zappe's record as a starting QB at HBU from 2017-20 – as the Huskies' defense allowed 38.7 points per game. WKU is 8-5 this season with the Hilltoppers' defense allowing 28.7.
- 27 — Turnovers (19 INT's and 8 fumble recoveries) forced by Maurice Crum's defense in 13 games this season. In 25 games in 2019 and 2020 combined, WKU forced a total of 25 turnovers.
- 8 — Tackles needed by DeAngelo Malone to become the career record holder in WKU's FBS Era (since 2009). Safety Devon Key had 350 from 2017-20.
BOWL NUMBERS TO WATCH
- 8-5 — WKU is 8-5 all-time in bowl games, including 4-3 in the FBS Era (since 2009). WKU lost in the Camellia Bowl, the NCAA D-II Championship, in 1973 and 1975.
- 6-0 — App State is an undefeated 6-0 in bowl games since making the move to the FBS level in 2014. The Mountaineers have an 80-23 cumulative record in eight seasons.
- 10-3 — The Sun Belt is 10-3 against Conference USA in bowl games since 2012. Including WKU vs. App State, there are only two C-USA vs. Sun Belt bowl matchups in 2021.
C-USA vs. SUN BELT IN BOWL GAMES
- C-USA and Sun Belt teams have faced off 13 times in postseason play since 2012 and the Sun Belt owns a 10-3 advantage over C-USA in those bowl games. There have been seven matchups in the New Orleans Bowl (with an eighth this year with Marshall facing off against Louisiana) and two in the Camellia Bowl.
- WKU and App State will play for the first time in that time span. WKU is 0-2 against Sun Belt teams (Georgia State twice) and App State is 3-0 against C-USA teams, with all three wins coming in the past three seasons:
NON-CONFERENCE COMPETITION
- After going 0-12 against non-conference foes in their first three years as an FBS team (2009-11), WKU has turned it around against teams from Group of Five or FCS conferences, going 21-8 against them since 2012.
- From 2012 through the 2017 regular season, the Hilltoppers posted a 16-1 record against such teams, but since the 2017 Cure Bowl, WKU has a 5-7 mark in the past 12 such games. The Hilltoppers are 13-3 in home games against non-conference Group of Five or FCS teams in that time frame.
CHASING GREATNESS
- Through 13 games, here is how Zappe's numbers comparare to Brandon Doughty's 2015 season in which he set WKU's all-time passing records (5,055 yards and 49 TD's) in 14 games. As well as Texas Tech's B.J. Symons' all-time FBS passing yard record (5,833 yards in 13 games in 2003) and LSU's Joe Burrow's all-time FBS passing touchdown record (60 TD's in 15 games in 2019):
- Bailey Zappe (13): 442-of-639 (69.2%) for 5,545 yards, with 56 TD and 11 INT
- Brandon Doughty (14): 388-of-540 (71.9%) for 5,055 yards, with 48 TD and 9 INT
- Joe Burrow (15): 402-of-527 (76.3%) for 5,671 yards, with 60 TD and 6 INT
- B.J. Symons (14): 470-of-219 (65.4%) for 5,833 yards, with 52 TD and 22 INT
STERNS: ALSO A STUD
- Wide receiver Jerreth Sterns is also nipping at the heels of the all-time greats. Through 13 games, how is how Sterns' numbers compare to Taywan Taylor's 2016 season in which he set WKU's all-time receiving records (98 catches for 1,730 yards, with 17 TD's) in 14 games. As well as ECU's Zay Jones' all-time FBS reception record (158 catches in 12 games in 2016) and Nevada's Trevor Insley's all-time FBS receiving yard record (2,060 yards in 11 games in 1999):
- Jerreth Sterns (13): 137 receptions for 1,718 yards, with 14 touchdowns
- Taywan Taylor (14): 98 receptions for 1,730 yards, with 17 touchdowns
- Trevor Insley (11): 134 receptions for 2,060 yards, with 13 touchdowns
- Zay Jones (12): 158 receptions for 1,746 yards, with 8 touchdowns
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In his collegiate career, Sterns has 357 receptions for 3,689 yards and 32 touchdowns in 40 games played at Houston Baptist (27) and WKU (13). He has 17 100-yard receiving games and 18 double-digit reception efforts.
THE PORTAL
- Of the 105 players on WKU's 2021 roster, 26 of them (24.8%) are incoming transfers. Of the 26, 14 are coming directly from FBS programs –10 from Power Five programs and four from Group of Five teams. Of the 26, eight are from FCS programs – including four from the Houston Baptist offense. Of the 26, four are from the JuCo ranks, however three of those spent a year on Power Five teams.
ZERO TO 10,004
- WKU returned zero passing yards from the 2020 season. Enter graduate transfer quarterback Bailey Zappe, whose 10,004 yards at Houston Baptist from 2017-20 led all active CFB passers to begin the season. Now at 15,549 yards after 5,545 through his first 13 games as a Hilltopper, Zappe still tops the list.
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