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2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

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2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Famous Toastery Bowl champion
ConferenceConference USA
Record8–5 (5–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDrew Hollingshead (1st season)
Offensive schemeAir raid
Defensive coordinatorTyson Summers (2nd season)
Base defense3–3–5
Home stadiumHouchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons
← 2022
2024 →
2023 Conference USA football standings
Conf Overall
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

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.

Schedule

[edit]

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 Statedagger
  • 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

[edit]

at Jacksonville State

[edit]
See also: 2023 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4–2) at Jacksonville State Gamecocks (5–2) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Hilltoppers 10 7 0017
Gamecocks 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) and 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)
Statistics WKU JSU
First downs 16 27
Total yards 72–339 95–484
Rushing yards 24–89 55–262
Passing yards 250 222
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–48–1 23–40–1
Time of possession 26:56 33:04
Team Category Player Statistics
Western Kentucky Passing Austin Reed 24/48, 250 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing Elijah Young 10 carries, 39 yards
Receiving K.D. Hutchinson 4 receptions, 52 yards
Jacksonville State Passing Zion Webb 22/39, 218 yards, INT
Rushing Zion Webb 28 carries, 146 yards, TD
Receiving P.J. Wells 5 receptions, 53 yards

Roster

[edit]
2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
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. # Name Class
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. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

[edit]
  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.


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