BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football will aim to remain unbeaten in Conference USA play on Saturday when it plays New Mexico State in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Kickoff at Aggie Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
GAME INFO
- WKU (6-2 overall, 4-0 CUSA) at New Mexico State (2-6 overall, 1-4 CUSA)
- Saturday, Nov. 9 | 5 p.m. CT | Aggie Memorial Stadium | Las Cruces, N.M.
- Watch: ESPN+ (PxP: Adam Young | Analyst: Danny Knee)
- Listen: SAM 100.7 FM/Varsity Network (PXP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Terry Obee | Reporter: Jared Holland)/SiriusXM App
- Social: @WKUFootball | @WKUSports
- Live Stats: nmstate.statbroadcast.com
- Game Notes: WKU | New Mexico State | CUSA
ABOUT THE TOPS
- The Hilltoppers beat Kennesaw State 31-14 on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Houchens-Smith Stadium in their final Weekday CUSA game of the season. The Hilltoppers improved to 6-2 overall, 4-0 in CUSA play and 4-0 at home with the win. WKU held the Owls to 272 total yards and finished with 462 yards of offense themselves, with 232 coming in the first quarter. Caden Veltkamp threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns on 17-22-0 passing, with touchdown passes to Easton Messer, Trevor Borland and Noah Meyers. Elijah Young rushed for 114 yards on 15 attempts, and George Hart III recorded a 30-yard touchdown run.
- The Hilltoppers sit atop the CUSA standings entering this week's games. They're one of two unbeaten teams in league play, along with Jax State, with both currently boasting a 4-0 record. It's the first time the program has been 4-0 in league play since 2019, when Tyson Helton was in his first season with the program and the Hilltoppers started 4-0 against CUSA competition. WKU has started 4-0 in CUSA play only twice since joining the league ahead of the 2014 season – in 2019, and in 2015, when the Hilltoppers went 8-0 in regular-season CUSA play before claiming the conference championship. Sam Houston is behind WKU and Jax State at 4-1 in CUSA play, while Liberty is fourth at 3-2.
- WKU became bowl eligible for the sixth time in six seasons under Tyson Helton with the 31-14 win over Kennesaw State. The win marked the first time WKU has become bowl eligible before November under Helton and the first time the program has become bowl eligible before November since 2016. WKU became bowl eligible in October three times before – in 2012, 2015 and 2016. WKU is one of only 16 programs that played in a bowl game each of the five seasons from 2019-23, and one of only seven programs to win a bowl game each year from 2021-23.
- WKU is 15-4 under Tyson Helton in November. That includes a 3-1 record in November last season, and a 14-3 record against CUSA teams in the month.
- WKU has been tough to score on since the season-opening loss at Alabama. The Hilltoppers are allowing only 15.4 points per game over their last seven games, and have not allowed more than 21 points in a game during that stretch. WKU has been especially good in the red zone all season, allowing scores just 60% of the time. The Hilltoppers rank first in CUSA and second nationally entering this week's games.
- WKU did not have a penalty in the win over Kennesaw State. It was WKU's first penalty-free game since the Oct. 10, 2020, game against Marshall – a span of 57 games. The Hilltoppers rank first in CUSA and sixth nationally in fewest penalties (34)and fewest penalties per game (4.25), as well as first in CUSA and 16th nationally in fewest penalty yards (334). WKU's 41.75 penalty yards per game are the second-best mark in CUSA and rank 21st nationally in fewest penalty yards per game.
- Dalvin Smith ranks tied for seventh in program history with 19 touchdown receptions. Taywan Taylor holds the record with 41.
QUOTABLE
- "Back on the road again. Heading to New Mexico State. Conference game for us. This time of year when you go on the road you've got to be doing everything correctly. You've got to be hitting on all cylinders. We know New Mexico State will be fired up to play us. They had a big win at home the last time they were home in overtime against Louisiana Tech. Very competitive game. We have to play our best football and try to get another good conference win." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on Saturday's game at New Mexico State.
- "I thought we had good balance. I thought we played well up front. I thought our runners ran really hard. I thought our quarterback was accurate and made some really good throws. We went into the game and we wanted to be the most physical team and we wanted to start fast and I thought the guys did that. We were able to make some explosive plays because of some of the things we were able to do in the run game. Those were all big pluses." – WKU Football Offensive Coordinator Will Friend, on WKU's offensive performance against Kennesaw State.
- "We're trying to play to a high standard and we've got a high standard of people in the room. Like I've said all year, we've got amazing young men. It's the most fun I've had coaching in a long, long time. We've got a great staff on defense. I think the culture and the characteristics of the people that are in there kind of show. The beauty of football, though, is nobody cares what you did last week. It's only what you've got coming next. We've just talked a lot about being able to hold ourselves to a high standard, whether that's each rep, whether that's each meeting, each practice, and then we're trying to do that from game to game. Incredible group of young men and we're trying to kind of still strive for that high standard." – WKU Football Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers, on WKU's defensive success this season.
SERIES INFORMATION
- WKU and New Mexico State will meet for the second time ever and for the first time in Las Cruces, New Mexico, when the two teams face off on Saturday. The Aggies won the lone meeting between the program last season in Bowling Green, 38-29. WKU jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the game, but New Mexico State stormed back and used three touchdowns in the second half to win the game.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
- New Mexico State is 2-6 overall and 1-4 in CUSA play this season, with wins over SEMO and Louisiana Tech.
- The Aggies are in their first year under Tony Sanchez. He was promoted to head coach after serving as the team's wide receivers coach for two seasons. He was previously the head coach at UNLV for five seasons from 2015-19.
- New Mexico State ranks seventh in scoring offense in CUSA at 19.6 points per game and 10th in scoring defense at 36.6 points allowed per game.
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