BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football will travel to Ruston, Louisiana, for a Weekday CUSA contest against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday. Kickoff from Joe Aillet Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
GAME INFO
- WKU (5-2 overall, 3-1 CUSA) at Louisiana Tech (4-2 overall, 2-1 CUSA)
- Tuesday, Oct. 21 | 6:30 p.m. CT | Joe Aillet Stadium | Ruston, La.
- Watch: CBS Sports Network (PxP: Jack Gordon | Analyst: Taylor McHargue)
- Listen: BG 100.7 FM/Varsity Network (PxP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Terry Obee | Reporter: Jared Holland)
- Social: @WKUFootball | @WKUSports
- Live Stats: wku.statbroadcast.com
- Game Notes: WKU | Louisiana Tech | CUSA
ABOUT THE TOPS
- LAST TIME OUT: The Hilltoppers lost to FIU 25-6 on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Houchens-Smith Stadium to fall to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Conference USA play. WKU's points came on a 28-yard field goal from John Cannon in the first quarter and a 55-yard field goal from Jack Cassidy in the second quarter – the second-longest made field goal in program history. Before the loss, WKU had started the season with a 5-1 overall record for the first time since 2015.
- CUSA STANDINGS: WKU enters the week third in the Conference USA standings with its 3-1 record in league play. The Hilltoppers are behind Kennesaw State and Jax State, who sit at 2-0 and 3-0, respectively, in league play so far this season. Louisiana Tech and Liberty are behind WKU with 2-1 records in CUSA play, and Missouri State and FIU each have one loss as well.
- BOWL ELIGIBILITY: WKU is one of just 11 teams in the country, and one of three G5 programs, that has played in a bowl game or College Football Playoff game in each of the last six seasons leading into the 2025 campaign. The Hilltoppers will look to become bowl eligible for the seventh time in seven seasons under Head Coach Tyson Helton this week. Last year's appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl was WKU's 11th appearance in a bowl game in the last 13 seasons. With a win, WKU would become bowl eligible in October for the second straight season and the fifth time overall, also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2015 and 2016. It would be the second-earliest date WKU has become bowl eligible in a season, behind only the 2015 season, when WKU became bowl eligible on Oct. 15.
- SPECIALIST SUCCESS: WKU has seen success with its specialists so far this season. Punter Cole Maynard currently leads the nation in punting average, booting the ball an average of 49.93 yards on 30 attempts this season. He has placed 10 inside the 20-yard line, and 16 have traveled 50-plus yards, with a long of 71 yards in the opener against Sam Houston. WKU kickers have gone 11-for-12 on field goal attempts this season, with most of that work coming from USF transfer John Cannon, who is 10-for-11 on field goals and a perfect 25-for-25 on PATs. Kickoff specialist Jack Cassidy showed off his big leg in the game against FIU, making a 55-yard field goal on the first attempt of his football career. Cassidy's make was the second-longest in WKU program history. WKU kickers have now made 29 of their last 30 field goal attempts dating back to the Sept. 7, 2024 win against Eastern Kentucky.
- AERIAL ATTACK: WKU has seen tremendous success offensively throwing the ball under Tyson Helton. The Hilltoppers have led CUSA in passing offense each of the last four seasons and have finished in the top 25 nationally each year during that timeframe, including leading the nation in passing offense in 2021. Helton also found success through the air as WKU's Offensive Coordinator in 2014 and 2015, finishing first in CUSA in passing offense both years and second and fourth nationally, respectively. QB Maverick McIvor and Offensive Coordinator Rick Bowie have helped keep that trend going so far this season. Through seven games this season, McIvor has thrown for 1,863 yards and 12 touchdowns on 171-254-5 passing and rushed for another score. McIvor ranks fifth nationally in passing yards this season, and he is one of just nine quarterbacks in the country that have thrown for over 1,800 yards so far this fall.
- WEEKDAY CUSA: WKU kicked off its 2025 Weekday CUSA games with a 27-24 win at Delaware on Oct. 3 and followed with the matchup against FIU. Head Coach Tyson Helton is 12-7 in non-Saturday games since taking the helm prior to the 2019 season, including a 5-3 record in Weekday CUSA October midweek games since they began in 2023.
QUOTABLE
- "Going on the road this week against a very good Louisiana Tech team. It will be a big challenge for our football team. They're kind of like we are. I think both of us have two quality football teams. Both of us had two tough losses. Both of us are looking to try to get a big win. If you want to make a run, you have to go on this road and be ready for a dog fight against a very good football team that I have a lot of respect for. A lot of work ahead of us, and just anxious to get back out there." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on Tuesday's game at Louisiana Tech.
- "We've got to execute. We've got to execute, get back to work at practice and dial into the things that we need to do to improve. Turnovers had a lot to do with that. You can't turn the ball over three times. You can't turn them over where we did as well, where you did in the low red. Those are points that are being taken off the board and we need to get that fixed." – WKU Football Offensive Coordinator Rick Bowie, on correcting mistakes on offense.
- "I think they all seek contact – the quarterbacks, the running backs, the O-line, the receivers – so they're another tough bunch, just like the guys we just played. It's a huge challenge again, but we have to execute in practice to be able to do that on Tuesday." – WKU Co-Defensive Coordinator Davis Merritt, on Louisiana Tech.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Tuesday will be the 12th meeting all-time between WKU and Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs took a 6-5 lead in the series with a 12-7 victory over the Hilltoppers last season in Bowling Green. WKU won the two meetings before that, including the last time the two programs met in Ruston, Louisiana – a 35-28 WKU victory on Oct. 5, 2023.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- Louisiana Tech enters Tuesday's game with a 4-2 overall record and a 2-1 mark in CUSA play, with wins over Southeastern, New Mexico State, Southern Miss and UTEP, and losses at LSU and at Kennesaw State.
- The Bulldogs are led by Sonny Cumbie, who is in his fourth year at the helm and holds a 15-28 record leading the team.
- Louisiana Tech leads CUSA in scoring defense, allowing just 17.2 points per game this season. The Bulldogs rank fourth in scoring offense at 24.5 points per game.
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