RUSTON, La. – WKU Football took down Louisiana Tech 28-27 in overtime on Tuesday at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. connected with Moussa Barry for the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime to come away with the win, which moved the Hilltoppers to 6-2 overall and made the program bowl eligible for the seventh time in seven seasons under Head Coach Tyson Helton. WKU is now 4-1 in Conference USA play this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- WKU got on the board first with a 47-yard field goal from John Cannon to cap off the opening drive of the game.
- Louisiana Tech went ahead, 7-3, with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 6:46 to play in the first quarter.
- The Hilltoppers took a 10-7 lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Rodney Tisdale Jr. to La'Vell Wright with 1:09 to play in the opening quarter.
- George Hart III made it a 17-7 WKU lead with a 1-yard rush with 10:41 to play in the second quarter. The run capped off a six-play, 56-yard drive after the Hilltopper defense came up with a fourth down stop.
- Jack Cassidy made a 53-yard field goal with 2:28 to play in the first half and held the Bulldogs off the board to take a 20-7 lead into halftime.
- Louisiana Tech opened the second half with a 92-yard touchdown return to cut the deficit to 20-14.
- Louisiana Tech made a 24-yard field goal with 14:49 to play to make it a three-point game, and added another 24-yard field goal with 6:20 remaining to tie the game 20-all.
- Both sides had field goal attempts blocked in the final two minutes – including a block from Koron Hayward on a Louisiana Tech attempt as time expired in regulation – to send the game to overtime.
- Louisiana Tech had the ball first in overtime and scored on a 2-yard rush, making it 27-20.
- WKU scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession with a 4-yard run from Hart. The Hilltoppers went for the two-point conversion, and Tisdale threw to Barry for the 28-27 win.
NOTABLES
- WKU improves to 6-2 overall, 4-1 in CUSA and 3-1 on the road with the win.
- The Hilltoppers improved to 13-7 in non-Saturday games under Head Coach Tyson Helton, including 6-3 in Weekday CUSA October games since they began in 2023.
- WKU became bowl eligible once again with the win. The Hilltoppers had played in a bowl game in each of WKU's first six seasons, and the Hilltoppers were one of only 11 teams in the country, including one of just three G5 programs, that had played in a bowl game each of the last six seasons since 2019. A bowl appearance this season will be the 12th in the last 14 years for the Hilltoppers.
- WKU improves to 6-6 all-time against Louisiana Tech. The Hilltoppers have won three of the last four meetings, with all three wins coming in Ruston, Louisiana.
- WKU's team captains for the game were running back La'Vell Wright, defensive tackle Jaden Hardy and punter Cole Maynard.
- Announced attendance for the game was 10,928.
- The game marked WKU's first overtime game and overtime win since the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl victory over Old Dominion.
- The WKU offense finished with 340 yards in the win, with 227 coming through the air and 113 on the ground.
- Rodney Tisdale Jr. made the first start of his college career – and his fourth appearance – and finished with 227 yards on 21-34-1 passing with one touchdown, and added a team-best 73 yards on 12 rushing attempts. It was the second touchdown pass of Tisdale's college career.
- George Hart III's two touchdowns were his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season. It was the sixth and seventh touchdowns for Hart as a Hilltopper.
- La'Vell Wright's touchdown reception was his first touchdown reception as a Hilltopper and his sixth touchdown overall this season.
- WKU had nine players record receptions in the win, with four posting multiple receptions. K.D. Hutchinson led WKU in receiving with 77 yards on six catches.
- WKU's defense allowed only 109 rushing yards – its best mark of the season.
- Seventeen different Hilltoppers posted multiple tackles in the win, led by 15 from linebacker Jaylen Wester. Miller Malone also posted double digit tackles with 10.
- WKU recorded six tackles for loss in the win, led by two from Miller Malone.
- Jaavan Mack's interception in the third quarter was the first of his career. It was WKU's sixth interception this season.
- John Cannon is now 11-for-13 on field goal attempts this season, including 8-for-9 from 40-plus yards.
- Jack Cassidy's 53-yard field goal was the second make on the second attempt of his college career. Both were from over 50 yards. The 53-yard make is tied for the sixth-longest made field goal in program history.
QUOTABLES
- "It was huge to get the win like we did. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game, we knew it was going to go down to the wire and it did. Both teams played extremely hard. So proud of our team, though. They had the right look in their eye all week. They had a tough loss the week before. They knew they had to come in here and get this win. So many guys stepped up to the plate. It was huge. The last two-point play there was never a doubt. That's kind of our M.O. We're always going to finish with the ball in our hands. Great team win. Very, very proud of our football team." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the win at Louisiana Tech.
- "The biggest thing offensively was execution. FIU game last week, we didn't execute as well. This week we knew we had to come in and execute against a good LA Tech team and we came out with the dub." – WKU Football quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr., on the win over Louisiana Tech.
- "We had a nasty taste in our mouth after that game (last week). We knew we didn't play our best, so we came back harder at practice and we just pride ourselves on playing our game and doing what we had to do to get this dub." – WKU Football defensive back Jaavan Mack, on the win at Louisiana Tech.
NEXT UP
- The Hilltoppers will return to Saturday games, starting with the Nov. 1 homecoming game against New Mexico State. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT at Houchens-Smith Stadium and the game will be streamed on ESPN+. Tickets to the game can be purchased HERE.
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