MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – WKU Football claimed its sixth straight victory over "100 Miles of Hate" rival Middle Tennessee by taking down the Blue Raiders 49-21 on Saturday at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium.
The Hilltoppers (2-1 overall, 1-0 Conference USA) have now beaten Middle Tennessee (1-2, 0-1) in all six meetings under Head Coach Tyson Helton and own a 38-35-1 record in the series. It was also the ninth win for WKU in the last 10 meetings with their rival.
The Hilltoppers put up over 600 yards of offense and 49 points – the most WKU has scored against the Blue Raiders in a game in Murfreesboro and third-most in a game against the rivals overall – in the win and had another strong defensive showing. Backup quarterback Caden Veltkamp came in after starter TJ Finley was injured and threw for 398 yards and five touchdowns, and also rushed for another touchdown, to highlight the performance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hilltoppers took a 7-0 lead when Caden Veltkamp connected with tight end River Helms on a 4-yard touchdown pass with 4:37 to play in the first quarter.
- WKU extended its lead to two touchdowns with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kisean Johnson from Veltkamp.
- Easton Messer caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Veltkamp to make it a 21-0 lead with 18 seconds remaining in the first half.
- The Hilltoppers quickly extended their lead to 28-0 in the second half with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Veltkamp to K.D. Hutchinson. The play came less than a minute into the third quarter.
- Middle Tennessee got on the board with a 37-yard touchdown pass with 10:12 to play in the third quarter, making it 28-7.
- Veltkamp capped off a seven-play, 67-yard touchdown drive by running it in from a yard out to make it a 35-7 Hilltopper lead with 6:38 to play in the third.
- Middle Tennessee connected on a big strike – a 71-yard touchdown pass – to make it a 35-14 game with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
- WKU used some trickery with a 36-yard touchdown pass from receiver Dalvin Smith to Johnson to make it a 42-14 game with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter and took the 28-point lead into the fourth.
- The Hilltoppers added a 3-yard touchdown pass from Veltkamp to Trevor Borland to make it a 49-14 lead with 9:01 to play.
- Middle Tennessee scored on a 7-yard pass with 5:47 remaining to cap off the scoring in the 49-21 Hilltopper victory.
NOTABLES
- The Hilltoppers have now beaten Middle Tennessee in all six meetings under Head Coach Tyson Helton.
- WKU owns a 38-35-1 record in the series.
- It was the ninth win for WKU in the last 10 meetings with their rival.
- WKU has outscored Middle Tennessee 214-112 in six meetings under Helton.
- The 49-21 win on Saturday marked the sixth time in the last 11 meetings WKU has scored 40-plus points against Middle Tennessee. In the 63 meeting prior to 2014, WKU had only scored 40-plus points in a game in the rivalry four times.
- Caden Veltkamp finished with 398 yards and five touchdowns on 27-of-30 passing and added a 1-yard rushing touchdown. It was the first time a Hilltopper had thrown five touchdown passes in a game since Veltkamp came off the bench in the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl victory against Old Dominion.
- Kisean Johnson led WKU in receiving with 129 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. It's the second straight game Johnson has had 100-plus receiving yards, after catching six passes for 119 yards the week prior against EKU. It is the first time a WKU receiver has posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Malachi Corley and Jaylen Hall both did it in the 2022 regular-season finale at FAU and in the 2022 New Orleans Bowl.
- Twelve different Hilltoppers caught passes in the win and five caught multiple passes. Veltkamp's five touchdown passes were to five different players.
- Receiver Dalvin Smith threw the third touchdown pass of his college career with his 36-yard touchdown pass to Johnson in the third quarter. He also threw a touchdown pass in the 2022 New Orleans Bowl and in the 2023 regular-season finale at FIU.
- WKU rushed for 150 yards in the victory – the most the Hilltoppers have rushed for in a single game this season. L.T. Sanders led the team with 54 yards on eight attempts.
- Running back Elijah Young finished with 27 yards rushing on 10 attempts, and also caught five passes for 64 yards.
- Receiver Easton Messer posted 122 all purpose yards – 73 receiving, 31 returning kicks and 18 rushing.
- The WKU defense allowed just 58 rushing yards in the win. It is the first time WKU has allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards in a game since holding FIU to 52 yards in the 2023 regular-season finale in Miami.
- Safety Devonte' Mathews led the Hilltopper defense in tackles for the second straight game. He finished with a team-high six tackles against the Blue Raiders after recording eight against EKU.
- WKU's defense recorded five tackles for loss and three sacks in the win. Upton Stout, Kylan Guidry and Terrion Thompson posted the sacks. The Hilltoppers now have five sacks and 15 tackles for loss through three games.
- Anthony Johnson Jr. posted his first interception of the season in the second quarter. It is the fifth interception in 13 games as a Hilltopper.
QUOTABLES
- "Just really proud of our guys tonight and how they prepared all week for a big rivalry game. It meant a lot to us to get this win and get it in a decisive manner. Good to start 1-0 in conference play. Hate that TJ got hurt, we'll have to see when we can get him back and how everything looks. But, very proud of Caden Veltkamp coming off the bench; he's done it before and he did it again. I expect nothing less but very proud of him for rallying the troops when T.J. went down. Really liked our defensive performance, especially early in the first half. Thought they did a great job, especially on a couple of goal line stands that really made a difference and kept momentum in our favor. Offense in the second half really did a great job of finishing and establishing their will. That was good to see." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the 49-21 win over Middle Tennessee.
- "We played fast offensively. The OL played really well, gave me time to throw the ball. The receivers ran great routes and got open – when the receivers are open you might as well throw it to them. Tight ends did a nice job and we ran the ball really well. I was proud of how we played offensively. – WKU Football quarterback Caden Veltkamp, on the offensive performance in WKU's win over Middle Tennessee.
- "You always want to win your rivalry game and coming down here to do it as the away opponent was awesome. We lit the scoreboard up, the defense held them." – WKU Football quarterback Caden Veltkamp, on winning in the "100 Miles of Hate" rivalry.
- "I felt like we had a good defensive gameplay. Two weeks in a row we've gotten good stops at the goal line. Once we get there, our backs are against the wall, so we all stand together to make a play." – WKU Football defensive back Anthony Johnson Jr., on the defensive performance in WKU's win over Middle Tennesse.
NEXT UP
- The Hilltoppers return home to face Toledo in a 6 p.m. CT game on Saturday, Sept. 21. WKU will celebrate Parent & Family Weekend at Houchens-Smith Stadium when the Rockets come to town.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram, and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
