WKU Hosts Rice in Home Finale

Game #11

WKU (6-4, 4-2) vs. Rice (5-4, 3-2)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 12
Kickoff: 1 p.m. CT
Location: Bowling Green, Ky. (Houchens-Smith Stadium)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: WKLX (SAM 100.7 FM) and WWKU (ESPN Radio 102.7 FM) in Bowling Green
Social: @WKUFootball | @WKUSports
Game Notes: WKU | Rice
Game Day Information: Tickets | Game Day Guide | Live Stats

NOTES & QUOTES

The Hilltoppers and Owls have met three times since WKU joined Conference USA in 2014. All three of those meetings have been won by Western Kentucky, including last year's 42-21 decision in Houston. WKU has scored 40 points or more in each of the three games against the Rice.

Saturday will mark the final game between Western Kentucky and Rice as Conference USA opponents. Rice is scheduled to leave C-USA for the American Athletic Conference next season.

With Saturday being WKU's last game of the season in the friendly confines of Houchens-Smith Stadium, the Hilltoppers will honor their senior class prior to kickoff. Saturday will also serve as the military appreciation game as the Tops honor the men and women who protect our freedoms.

Joshua Simon's touchdown catch against Charlotte was the 14th of his career, which makes him the all-time leader in touchdown receptions by a tight end at Western Kentucky. Simon passed former WKU tight end Tyler Higbee who plays for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.

After setting program records for receiving yards and touchdowns by a WKU freshman, Malachi Corley set the program's record for receiving yards by a sophomore (865) against Charlotte, and tied the record for most receiving touchdowns by a sophomore (7).

Due to its 13-game schedule this season, WKU needs to win seven games in order to become bowl eligible. The Tops are one win away from securing their fourth-consecutive bowl birth and eighth in the past nine years.

WKU boasts one of college football's best defenses as the Hilltoppers are first in the nation in both forced turnovers (24) and defensive touchdowns (5). The Tops recorded three takeaways, including a 42-yard pick six by Anthony Brackenridge in their victory over Charlotte.

"Rice week, get to come back home. We had a good game last week against Charlette and the guys are really excited to be back home and playing a really motivated Rice team. Everybody is going down the stretch trying to get bowl eligible. They are a good football team and I know they'll come in here and it will be a highly competitive game. Coach Bloomgren does a great job of having his guys ready to play, and so we have to have our jaws set and know what we're walking into and try to get this win."

-Tyson Helton on this week's game against Rice

"That's one of our goals every year. You want to be a team that competes for championships and also after that you want to be a team that completes in bowl games. So, it's a big goal for us and we have a big opportunity to do that this week. It's not going to be easy by any means, and they're the same way. They're a good football team and they're just like us. They're fighting, scratching, and clawing to be a bowl eligible football team. So, it should be a very competitive game, but it's definitely a standard here that we want to meet every single year."

-Helton on needing one more win for bowl eligibility

"I think with any team you play it's critical. It gives you momentum, it allows you to take a deep breath. You don't relax, but the pressure is just not on you as much. Rice has the ability to do a lot of different things. They have a lot of different personnel and a lot of different formations. They can score quickly, but their style of play is they want to have a lot of ball control and long drives and limit they're possession offensively and that's how they would like to play. But they are very capable of spreading you out. They're quarterback is a good, quality player, and they have some very skilled players"

-Helton on the importance of starting fast against Rice

LAST TIME OUT

WKU made quick work of Charlotte, going up 35-0 at halftime and eventually winning 59-7. Austin Reed threw six touchdown passes to six different receivers, and the Hilltopper defense forced three turnovers, including a 42-yard pick six by freshman linebacker Anthony Brackenridge.

SERIES HISTORY

WKU leads the all-time series against Rice 3-0. All three meetings between the two schools have been as Conference USA Rivals.

FOLLOW US

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

Related Videos