Hilltoppers Looking to Rebound at Charlotte

Game #10

WKU (5-4, 3-2 C-USA) at Charlotte (2-7, 1-4 C-USA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 5
Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (Jerry Richardson Stadium)
Watch: CBS Sports Network
Listen: WKLX (SAM 100.7 FM) and WWKU (ESPN Radio 102.7 FM) in Bowling Green
Social: @WKUFootball | @WKUSports
Game Notes: WKU | Charlotte
Game Day Information: Live Stats

NOTES & QUOTES

All five meetings between Western Kentucky and Charlotte have taken place in the last five years. WKU owns a 4-1 all-time series lead over the 49ers and has won three-consecutive meetings. Last season's meeting between the two schools resulted in a 45-13 victory for the Hilltoppers as WKU celebrated its homecoming.

Linebacker JaQues Evans is Western Kentucky's leading tackler on the season with 77 total tackles so far this season. Evans ranks 17th in the nation in solo tackles per game with an average of 5.3. He is also 47th in total tackles per game 8.6 per contest. Nine of Evans' 77 tackles are for loss and he's added 5.5 sacks. The sophomore set a new career high against North Texas with 15 tackles in the game.

With his touchdown catch against North Texas, tight end Joshua Simon is now tied with former Hilltopper Tyler Higbee for the most touchdown receptions by a tight end in program history with 13. Simon has hauled in four touchdowns this season on 14 receptions.

In his performance against North Texas, WKU quarterback Austin Reed surpassed 10,000 passing yards for his career and threw his 100th passing touchdown. So far in a Hilltopper uniform, Reed has thrown for 2,762 passing yards and 22 touchdowns.

WKU's defense is among the best in the country this season. The Hilltoppers are first in the country in defensive touchdowns this season with four scores. Additionally, the Tops have 21 takeaways this season which is the second-best mark in all of college football. 11 of those takeaways were interceptions, which is the ninth-most in America.

"We're going on the road and facing a motivated Charlotte team that had a great game against Rice. They scored 56 points at their place, that's not easy to do. It's always hard when you lose your head coach, and they bounced back strong. We got come with our A game, have our jaw set and bounce back and expecting a really good game against a motivated football team. This will be a long, hard week for us trying to get right and get our jaw set but looking forward to going on the road and facing a good Charlotte team."

-Tyson Helton on facing Charlotte this week

"After looking at the film and seeing everything that happened in the game, 466 yards of offense, it really just came down to we had some costly penalties. We had a missed opportunity on a touchdown pass to Malachi in the endzone, we had some holding penalties out on the perimeter on the reverse on things that should have been a huge play. Just kind of shot ourselves in the foot there, and so there are always things that you take away each game and go, we need to adjust this or adjust that, but if we can and it's been you've heard me say it before when we cross the 50 we've had those issues, so if we can get those cleaned up we'd feel good about it."

-Helton on fixing the team's offensive struggles against North Texas

"Every team has got good players and they are no different. They've got good skill players. You know, number 14 is a good player. Running backs do a nice job; they got a good physical offensive line. They got players, and 56 points, that just doesn't happen. You better have some players to go up 56 points, they found that formula and we've got to try to take things away from them."

-Helton on the challenges Charlotte presents

LAST TIME OUT

The Tops fell to North Texas, 13-40 last weekend. Austin Reed connected with Joshua Simon for a five-yard touchdown pass, and Brayden Narveson connected on two field goals. JaQues Evans recorded a career-high 15 tackles.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE

The 49ers enter Saturday's game with a 2-7 record and 1-4 mark in Conference USA play. Charlotte snapped a four-game losing streak its last time out by defeating Rice, 56-23. Chris Reynolds plays quarterback for the 49ers and has thrown for 1,799 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. Elijah Spencer is Reynolds' top target with 802 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Wayne Jones is Charlotte's top tackler this year with 58 takedowns on top of two interceptions and a forced fumble.

SERIES HISTORY

WKU and Charlotte have met five times in series history with the Hilltoppers winning four of the five meetings and three in a row.

FOLLOW US

For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram and like the WKU Football Facebook page.

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