BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football and Marshall have agreed to play two games – one in Bowling Green during the 2031 season and one in Huntington, West Virginia, during the 2032 season.
The first meeting is scheduled to be played Sept. 13, 2031, at Houchens-Smith Stadium, and the second is set for Sept. 18, 2032, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
The games will be the first between the two programs since Nov. 27, 2021, when the Hilltoppers defeated the Thundering Herd 53-21 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium to claim the Conference USA East Division title. The two programs have met 13 times previously, including in eight consecutive seasons between 2014-21 as members of CUSA. Each team won four times during that stretch. Marshall leads the all-time series, which dates back to the 1941 season, 8-5.
WKU is coming off a 9-4 season in 2025, which included a 27-16 victory over Southern Miss in the 2025 New Orleans Bowl – the fifth bowl win for the Hilltoppers in seven seasons under Head Coach Tyson Helton. This fall, the Hilltoppers will enter their eighth season under Helton, who holds a 57-36 overall record during his first seven seasons, with appearances in bowl games each of those seven seasons, as well as two Conference USA Championship Game appearances.
With its 2025 New Orleans Bowl victory, WKU claimed its eighth bowl win in the last 12 seasons. Only Georgia and Minnesota have more bowl wins than WKU during the College Football Playoff Era, and WKU's eight bowl wins are tied for third-most nationally with Alabama, Ohio State and Wisconsin during that period.
Marshall is coming off a 2025 season in which it went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in Sun Belt Conference play.
The Hilltoppers are scheduled to open the 2026 season at Nevada on Saturday, Sept. 5. The full 2026 schedule can be found HERE.
WKU Football 2026 season tickets are on sale now! Season tickets start as low as $50, and there are several options for different season ticket levels. For more information or to purchase 2026 WKU Football season tickets, click HERE. Are you interested in purchasing 2026 WKU Football tickets but don't know where to start? Fill out this form and a member of the WKU Ticket Office will be in touch soon! All season tickets require an HAF donation.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on X and Instagram, and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give











