HUNTSVILLE, Texas – WKU Football held Sam Houston without a touchdown in a 16-3 win on Wednesday at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
The Hilltoppers improve to 2-1 in Conference USA play and 3-4 overall this season with the win over the Bearkats (1-5 overall, 0-2 CUSA).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After forcing a Sam Houston three-and-out on the game's opening drive – the fourth straight game forcing a three-and-out on an opponent's opening drive – the Hilltoppers got on the board first with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brock Glenn to Coleson Arends to make it 7-0 at the 10:06 mark in the first quarter.
- Karl Campbell added three points with a 35-yard field goal to cap off an 8-play, 45-yard drive to make it 10-0 at the 12:02 mark in the second quarter.
- Sam Houston scored its first points off a 42-yard field goal with 5:59 left in the first half to make it 10-3.
- The Hilltoppers added to their lead with a 39-yard field goal kicked by Campbell, capping off a 9-play, 59-yard drive to make it 13-3 with 7 seconds left in the third quarter.
- After an interception by Tony Newsome Jr. returned for 22 yards, Campbell made a 33-yard field goal to give the Hilltoppers a 16-3 lead at the 10:45 mark left in the fourth quarter, and the score held until the end of the game.
NOTABLES
- WKU improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA play with the win over Sam Houston.
- WKU is now 4-1 all-time against Sam Houston, including 2-1 in games played in Huntsville, Texas.
- The game was WKU's 100th with Tyson Helton as Head Coach. WKU improved to 60-40 under Helton with the win. The 60 wins are third-most in program history. Helton trails only Jimmy Feix, who had 106 wins in 16 years from 1968-83, and Jack Harbaugh, who had 91 wins in 14 seasons from 1989-02, on WKU's all-time career wins list.
- The Hilltoppers are now 42-16 under Helton in regular-season CUSA games.
- WKU improved to 5-1 in games played on Wednesday since joining CUSA ahead of the 2014 season. The .833 winning percentage in Wednesday games during that time is third-best nationally behind Jax State (8-1; .889) and Miami-Ohio (11-2; .846).
- Wednesday's game was nationally televised on ESPN. The Hilltoppers improved to 7-4 in games televised by ESPN under Helton.
- WKU's team captains for the game were quarterback Brock Glenn, safety Jaylen Lewis and safety Jacob Cosby-Mosley.
- Announced attendance for the game was 7,291.
- WKU posted 276 yards of offense in the win, with 144 rushing and 132 passing. It marks the first time WKU has back-to-back games with more rushing yards than passing yards since Sept. 21, 2013, and Sept. 28, 2013, during wins against Morgan State and Navy, respectively. The Hilltoppers posted 375 yards rushing and 213 passing in the 58-17 win over Morgan State, and WKU had 219 yards rushing and 198 yards passing in the 19-7 win over Navy.
- WKU did not record a turnover in the game. It is the second consecutive game and third game this season the Hilltoppers have not allowed a turnover.
- Brock Glenn threw for 127 yards and one touchdown on 14-of-30 passing with no interceptions. He added a team-high 54 yards rushing on 22 attempts. It was Glenn's fourth game this season with 75-plus yards passing and 50-plus yards rushing. He is the second player in WKU's FBS Era (Since 2009) to post 75-plus passing yards and 50-plus rushing yards in at least four games in a season, joining Tyrrell Pigrome in 2020. Glenn became the first CUSA player with 30-plus pass attempts and 22-plus rushing attempts in a game since Asher O'Hara had 33 pass attempts and 22 rushed at Rice on Oct. 24, 2020.
- Five WKU players recorded a reception in the win and four had multiple receptions. WKU had two players – Jonathan Stafford Jr. and Ajay Allen – record five receptions, marking the second time this season WKU had multiple players with five-plus catches in a single game (at Nevada: Cameron Flowers, 7; Stafford 5).
- Stafford finished with five receptions for 37 yards. He now has a team-best 41 receptions for 369 yards this season. His 41 receptions put him in sole possession of third place on WKU's freshman receptions list all-time. He entered the game tied for fourth with Jake Gaebler (2006) and Marvis Parrish (2025) with 36 receptions, and passed Jack Doyle (37 receptions, 2009) during the game against the Bearkats. He trails only Malachi Corley (73 receptions, 2021) and Easton Messer (42 receptions, 2023) on WKU's freshman receptions list. Stafford has five-plus catches in five straight games, the longest streak by a WKU freshman since Corley had five-plus receptions in five consecutive games in 2021, and his five-plus catches in five straight games is the longest streak by a WKU true freshman over the last 30 years.Stafford is the first WKU player to record at least three catches in his first seven games with WKU since Jerreth Sterns in 2021.
- It is the first time WKU didn't allow a touchdown against a CUSA opponent since facing Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16, 2024, and the first time holding a CUSA opponent without a touchdown in a win since a 73-0 win over FIU on Sept. 24, 2022.
- Wednesday's game marked WKU's first second-half shutout against an FBS opponent since its last time playing at Sam Houston – a 31-14 win on Oct. 16, 2024.
- WKU allowed 177 yards in the game – 112 passing and 65 rushing. It was the first time WKU held a conference opponent under 200 yards since beating New Mexico State 35-16 on Nov. 1, 2025, and the first time holding a conference opponent to 177 yards or fewer since a 20-3 win at Old Dominion on Oct. 5, 2019.
- WKU forced a three-and-out on the opponent's opening drive for the fourth consecutive game.
- Ten WKU players recorded multiple tackles in the win, led by 10 from true freshman Westen Ard. Ard added 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup in the win.
- WKU had a season-high three sacks in the win and seven tackles for loss. It is the fifth consecutive game WKU has recorded a sack.
- Tony Newsome Jr.'s interception was his second as a Hilltopper – and second straight game – and the fourth of his college career. WKU's defense has now recorded an interception in three straight games for the first time since recording interceptions in seven straight games from Sept. 14, 2024-Nov. 9, 2024.
- Karl Campbell made all three field goals he attempted – from 35, 39 and 33 yards. Campbell's eight made field goals – on eight attempts – this season are second-most among FBS true freshmen, behind only Purdue's Jacobo Echeverria Lozano (13).
- Campbell is the first WKU kicker to make three-plus field goals in a game since Lucas Carneiro made four in a 19-17 win over Jax State on Nov. 30, 2024.
QUOTABLES
- "Two in a row in conference – it's hard to win on the road, so we're really glad to get this win. Can't say enough about the defense – every series they brought the juice. There's nothing better than holding somebody to three points. We still have a lot of things to work on, but we're coming together as a team. We're playing well together. Now we've got to continue that momentum, take it home, get to recover, we got a bye, and try to go get a win against Delaware." – WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the road win against Sam Houston.
- "We weren't down at the beginning of the season, but we knew as a team we had to come together. It was going to turn around, you've just got to be focused, do your job, and we changed it. They (teammates) brought so much energy it just felt good to be out there playing ball." — WKU DB Dave Herard, on the road win against Sam Houston.
- "I love running the ball – I love throwing the ball – and I think it adds a different element to the game that the defense has to prepare for. It's been awesome to get the win for my teammates and not just myself. This whole team, the organization, the coaches, the fans, everybody that supports us – it's special to me. I try to do all I can to prepare for each game and perform as best as possible." – WKU QB Brock Glenn, on the road win against Sam Houston.
NEXT UP
- The Hilltoppers will have a bye week before hosting Delaware in their final Weekday CUSA matchup of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network. Prior to the game, country music star Tyler Hubbard will perform a free, one-hour pregame concert on South Lawn beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT. More information on the event can be found HERE. To purchase tickets to the game, click HERE or call the WKU Ticket Office at 1-800-5-BIGRED.
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