2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and competed members of Conference USA. They were led by fifth-year head coach Tyson Helton.

2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Famous Toastery Bowl champion
ConferenceConference USA
Record8–5 (5–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDrew Hollingshead (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorTyson Summers (2nd season)
Home stadiumHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
2023 Conference USA football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 25 Liberty y$  8 –0   13 –1  
New Mexico State y  7 –1   10 –5  
Jacksonville State*  6 –2   9 –4  
Western Kentucky  5 –3   8 –5  
Middle Tennessee  3 –5   4 –8  
UTEP  2 –6   3 –9  
Sam Houston*  2 –6   3 –9  
Louisiana Tech  2 –6   3 –9  
FIU  1 –7   4 –8  
Championship: Liberty 49, New Mexico State 35
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Western Kentucky and Conference USA announced the 2023 football schedule on January 10, 2023.[1][2]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 211:00 a.m.South Florida*
CBSSNW 41–2415,438
September 96:00 p.m.Houston Christian*
  • Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
ESPN+W 52–2220,712
September 163:00 p.m.at No. 6 Ohio State*
FOXL 10–63100,217
September 2311:00 a.m.at Troy*
ESPNUL 24–2726,124
September 286:30 p.m.Middle Tennessee
CBSSNW 31–1014,712
October 57:00 p.m.at Louisiana Tech
ESPNW 35–2813,014
October 176:30 p.m.at Jacksonville State
ESPNUL 17–2017,977
October 246:30 p.m.Liberty
  • Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
ESPNUL 29–42[3]16,036
November 48:00 p.m.at UTEP
ESPN+W 21–1311,111
November 112:30 p.m.New Mexico State
  • Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
ESPN+L 29–3816,319
November 182:30 p.m.Sam Houston
  • Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
  • Bowling Green, KY
ESPN+W 28–2311,041
November 252:00 p.m.at FIU
ESPN+W 41–2812,724
December 181:30 p.m.vs. Old Dominion*
ESPNW 38–35 OT5,632

Game summaries

at Jacksonville State
See also: 2023 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team
Pregame lineOver/under
WKU –7.559.5
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4–2) at Jacksonville State Gamecocks (5–2) – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Western Kentucky 10 7 0017
Jacksonville State 0 10 01020

at Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium • Jacksonville, Alabama

  • Date: October 17, 2023
  • Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Clear, 62 °F (17 °C)
  • Game attendance: 17,977
  • Referee: Ed Ardito
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Dave Neal (play-by-play) & Derek Mason (analyst)
Game information
First quarter
  • WKU – Dalvin Smith 10-yard pass from Austin Reed (Lucas Carneiro kick), 8:52. Hilltoppers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 2:20.
  • WKU – Lucas Carneiro 28-yard field goal, 1:55. Hilltoppers 10–0. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:01.
Second quarter
  • (12:45) JVST – Zion Webb 10-yard run (Alen Karajic kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:14; Western Kentucky 10-7)
  • (8:36) WKU – River Helms 3-yard pass from Austin Reed (Lucas Carneiro kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:09; Western Kentucky 17-7)
  • (5:35) JVST – Alen Karajic 23-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 3:01; Western Kentucky 17-10)
Third quarter
  • No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
  • (4:40) JVST – Anwar Lewis 26-yard run (Alen Karajic kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 3:39; Tied 17-17)
  • (0:00) JVST – Alen Karajic 41-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 2:32; Jacksonville State 20-17)
StatisticsWKUJVST
First downs1627
Total yards72–33995–484
Rushing yards24–8955–262
Passing yards250222
Passing: Comp–Att–Int24–48–123–40–1
Time of possession26:5633:04
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western KentuckyPassingAustin Reed24/48, 250 yards, 2 TD, INT
RushingElijah Young10 carries, 39 yards
ReceivingK.D. Hutchinson4 receptions, 52 yards
Jacksonville StatePassingZion Webb22/39, 218 yards, INT
RushingZion Webb28 carries, 146 yards, TD
ReceivingP.J. Wells5 receptions, 53 yards

Roster
2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
RB 2 Davion Ervin-Poindexter  Sr
RB 3 Elijah Young Jr
WR 4 Michael Mathison Sr
WR 5 Blue Smith  Sr
WR 6 Jimmy Holiday So
RB 7 L.T. Sanders So
WR 8 Easton Messer  Fr
WR 9 Josh Sterns  So
QB 10 Caden Veltkamp  Fr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 3 JaQues Evans Jr
DB 4 Anthony Johnson Jr. Jr
DB 5 Rome Weber  Sr
DB 6 T.J. Springer  Jr
DB 7 Takulve Williams  Sr
LB 10 Desmyn Baker  Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
    Coordinators/assistant coaches
      Legend
      • (C) Team captain
      • (S) Suspended
      • (I) Ineligible
      • Injured
      • Redshirt

      References
      1. "Tops announce 2023 football schedule". The Daily News. January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
      2. Whaley, Will (January 10, 2023). "WKU announces 2023 football schedule". WBKO. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
      3. Nations, Jeff (October 26, 2023). "Liberty's punishing ground game helps Flames pull away in second half". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1B, 3B.


      This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.