BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football lost to Louisiana Tech 12-7 on Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
The Hilltoppers fall to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in Conference USA play with the loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Louisiana Tech scored first with a 35-yard field goal with 9:30 left in the first quarter.
- WKU scored its only points with a 7-yard touchdown run from Elijah Young with 14:16 to play in the second quarter.
- Louisiana Tech connected on a 42-yard field goal with 8:16 left in the first half to make it a 7-6 game.
- The Bulldogs took a 9-7 lead with 2:25 to play in the second quarter with a 28-yard field goal.
- Louisiana Tech made its fourth field goal of the game – a 24-yarder – with 8:06 remaining in the fourth quarter to go ahead 12-7.
NOTABLES
- WKU's captains for the game were safety Keyshawn Swanson, offensive lineman Rodney Newsom Jr., and linebacker Anthony Brackenridge.
- Announced attendance at Houchens-Smith Stadium was 13,312.
- WKU falls to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in CUSA with its first conference loss of the season. WKU is now 4-1 at home this season.
- The Hilltoppers fall to 5-6 all-time against Louisiana Tech with the loss.
- The 12 points allowed were the fewest WKU has allowed since shutting out Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 7. It is the second time this season the Hilltopper defense has not allowed a touchdown.
- WKU's defense allowed 275 yards in the loss, and allowed only 66 yards passing. It is the third game this season where the Hilltoppers have not allowed more than 100 yards passing. WKU allowed just 97 yards passing to Kennesaw State and 76 to Eastern Kentucky.
- Fourteen Hilltoppers recorded multiple tackles in the game, led by 10 from Darius Thomas.
- WKU recorded two sacks and eight tackles for loss in the game. Sebastian Benjamin and Deante McCray were credited with the sacks.
- Hosea Wheeler recorded his second blocked kick of the season in the game.
- WKU posted 215 yards in the loss, with 152 coming through the air on 18-26-0 passing from Caden Veltkamp.
- Nine different WKU players caught passes in the game, with four posting multiple receptions. Kisean Johnson led WKU receivers with 40 yards on four receptions.
QUOTABLES
- "Tough one. Didn't get it done. Had a lot of opportunities. Defense responded when they needed to and got a big field goal block at the end to give us an opportunity. Really struggled offensively. Going into it we knew they were a really good defense. Had some penalties early that kind of hurt drives, some errors in there. We'll rebound, we'll turn the page and when we come back in here tomorrow we'll get ready for the next one." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the loss to Louisiana Tech.
- "We angry, but we're just trying to turn the page and move on and focus on the rest of the season. We've got to worry about conference and Liberty coming up, Jacksonville State, too. Good teams in the conference, so we're just turning the page and moving forward." – WKU Football linebacker Darius Thomas, on the loss to Louisiana Tech.
- "I feel like we just beat ourselves. It's just totally on us. We've just got to do better." – WKU Football running back Elijah Young, on the loss to Louisiana Tech.
NEXT UP
- The Hilltoppers will travel to Lynchburg, Virginia, to face Liberty at Williams Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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