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GAME 9
WKU (4-4 Overall, 2-2 Conference USA) vs. UTEP (3-6 Overall, 2-3 Conference USA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Kickoff: 8 p.m. CT
Location: El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl 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 Notes | UTEP Notes | CUSA Notes
NOTES
- WKU has seen tremendous late-season success under Tyson Helton, who boasts a 12-3 overall record in the month of November and an 11-2 record in November in Conference USA games. WKU has won nine consecutive CUSA games in November, and the only two conference losses in the month under Helton were both to FAU, who is no longer in the league. WKU has four games remaining in the regular season – all of which are conference matchups. Following WKU's game at UTEP on Saturday, the Hilltoppers will host New Mexico State and Sam Houston State, before traveling to FIU to close the regular season.
- WKU enters the week sitting in fourth place in the CUSA standings, but still has plenty to play for with the possibility of making the league championship game still alive. Liberty is first in the CUSA standings at 6-0 and has already locked up a spot in the championship game. Jax State is second with a 5-1 mark in league play, but the Gamecocks are ineligible to play in the championship as they transition to the FBS ranks. New Mexico State is third at 4-1. If the Hilltoppers make the championship game, they would play at Liberty.
- Quarterback Austin Reed is fifth in WKU's career completion rankings with 593. Mike White sits in fourth with 648. Reed has 60 career touchdown passes, and is two away from tying Bailey Zappe for third in career touchdown passes in program history. Malachi Corley moved into second on WKU's career receptions list in the win at LA Tech, and now has 229 catches in his career. Corley is third on WKU's career touchdown receptions list with 25. Taywan Taylor holds both records – 253 catches and 41 touchdowns – and Nicholas Norris is second in career touchdown receptions with 26. Corley's 2,696 receiving yards are third all-time, behind Taylor (4,234) and Norris (3,091).
- The "Takeaway Tops" are back this season after tying for the best marks in the nation with 32 forced turnovers and six defensive touchdowns in 2022. WKU has 18 turnovers gained so far this fall – tied for third in the country– with defensive touchdowns scored against USF and Houston Christian. WKU is tied for 12th nationally with two defensive touchdowns this season. Last week's game against Liberty was the first time WKU didn't record a turnover gained this season.
QUOTES
- "It's good to be back and getting ready for practice today. We had some time off, let the team recover a little bit. Entering the month of November, that last stretch. The old saying is 'What you do in November, they remember,' so we need to start putting some good wins together. It will not be easy. We're going to face a UTEP team that is highly motivated. It's anybody's race right now in the conference. They got an exceptional win last week against Sam Houston – a come-from behind win – and they are a good football team, and they are a well-coached football team by coach (Dana) Dimel. It'll take everything we have to win this football game. But this is what, down the stretch, you want to be able to try to get those big conference wins on the road if you want to try to make a conference run. We'll see if we can go get this one." – WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton, on starting the November schedule at UTEP.
- "I think one of the better overall offensive performances that we've probably put together, in terms of just stats-wise all four areas – red zones, third downs, things like that, passing, rushing. I thought we did some really good things. Obviously disappointed we didn't come out with the win, but in a game like that with a team that tries to control the ball the way they do, we needed to play the game that we played, but we needed every opportunity to go score. … I'm proud of the way they battled in the second half, did some good things to try to keep us in the game, but got to put together a full game and try to keep our foot on the gas when we can." – WKU Offensive Coordinator Drew Hollingshead, on the offense's performance against Liberty.
- "I think anytime this time of year you get off, it's a good thing. We've got guys that have been kind of banged up and dinged up, some of those things, and like Coach Helton said earlier, we've had an opportunity to play a lot of midweek games and through those things, this gives us a little opportunity to get a break, kind of a regroup. I think we've taken our time wisely with that. We've had opportunities to get ready, we've had opportunities to have meetings, spend a lot of one-on-one individual time with the players, so I think they'll be ready to go when we get started with them." – WKU Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers, on a 12-day layoff between games.
LAST TIME OUT
- WKU lost to Liberty 42-29 at Houchens-Smith Stadium on Oct. 24 its last time out. The Hilltoppers dropped to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in CUSA play with the loss. Austin Reed threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns on 30-44-1 passing. Malachi Corley caught six passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns, Dalvin Smith had eight receptions for 79 yards and River Helms had 76 yards and a score on three catches. Elijah Young rushed for 61 yards on eight attempts and added four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.
ABOUT UTEP
- The Miners sit at 3-6 overall and 2-3 in CUSA play. UTEP is coming off a 37-34 victory at Sam Houston State in which freshman kicker Buzz Flabiano hit a 32-yard field goal with three seconds left to lift the Miners to victory. UTEP is led by head coach Dana Dimel, who is in his sixth season and owns a 20-46 record with the program.
SERIES HISTORY
- Saturday's game will mark the fourth meeting all-time between WKU and UTEP, and the first since the 2018 season. The Hilltoppers have won all three meetings in the series, including a 40-16 decision on Nov. 17, 2018, at Houchens-Smith Stadium the last time the two programs met. WKU won the lone meeting in El Paso, Texas, 15-14, on Oct. 7, 2017.
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