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American college football season
The 2024 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team will represent Western Kentucky University in Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers are led by Tyson Helton in his sixth year as the head coach. The Hilltoppers will play home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[1]
The Conference USA preseason media poll was released on July 19. The Hilltoppers were predicted to finish second in the conference.[2]
Media poll
|
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1 |
Liberty |
197 (18)
|
2 |
Western Kentucky |
173 (2)
|
3 |
Jacksonville State |
166
|
4 |
Middle Tennessee |
98
|
5 |
New Mexico State |
97
|
Sam Houston
|
7 |
Louisiana Tech |
88
|
8 |
FIU |
81
|
9 |
UTEP |
76
|
10 |
Kennesaw State |
27
|
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
August 31 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 5 Alabama* | | ESPN | L 0–63 | 100,077 |
September 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky* | | ESPN+ | W 31–0 | 16,712 |
September 14 | 6:00 p.m. | at Middle Tennessee | | ESPN+ | W 49–21 | 12,227 |
September 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Toledo* | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| ESPN+ | W 26–21 | 19,127 |
September 28 | 11:00 a.m. | at Boston College* | | ACCN | L 20–21 | 41,403 |
| 7:00 p.m. | UTEP | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| ESPNU | | |
| 7:00 p.m. | at Sam Houston | | ESPN2 | | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Kennesaw State | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| ESPN2 | | |
November 9 | 5:00 p.m. | at New Mexico State | | ESPN Networks | | |
November 16 | 11:00 a.m. | Louisiana Tech | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| CBSSN | | |
November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Liberty | | ESPN Networks | | |
November 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Jacksonville State | - Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
- Bowling Green, KY
| ESPN Networks | | |
|
[3]
Game One – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (0-0) at No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Western Kentucky |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
No. 5 Alabama |
21 |
21 |
14 | 7 | 63 |
at Bryant-Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL
- Date: Saturday August 31st, 2024
- Game time: 7:00 PM EST
- Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C), Wind SE @ 3 mph
- Game attendance: 100,077
- Referee: Matt Loeffler
- TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (sideline)
Game information
|
- First quarter
- (10:07) ALA – Jalen Milroe 12-yard run (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:41; Alabama 7-0)
- (5:01) ALA – Kendrick Law 22-yard pass from Jalen Milroe (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 26 yards, 1:31; Alabama 14-0)
- (2:27) ALA – Ryan Williams 84-yard pass from Jalen Milroe (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 81 yards, 1:19; Alabama 21-0)
- Second quarter
- (12:35) ALA – Jam Miller 39-yard run (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 1:14; Alabama 28-0)
- (2:53) ALA – Justice Haynes 85-yard run (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 96 yards, 0:33; Alabama 35-0)
- (1:30) ALA – Ryan Williams 55-yard pass from Jalen Milroe (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 55 yards, 0:15; Alabama 42-0)
- Third quarter
- (6:30) ALA – Jalen Milroe 21-yard run (Graham Nicholson kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 4:10; Alabama 49-0)
- (2:51) ALA – Daniel Hill 2-yard run (Conor Talty kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 53 yards, 2:47; Alabama 56-0)
- Fourth quarter
- (10:04) ALA – Ty Simpson 15-yard run (Conor Talty kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 3:58; Alabama 63-0)
|
Statistics |
WKU |
ALA
|
First downs |
10 |
25
|
Total yards |
67–145 |
65–600
|
Rushing yards |
27–42 |
47–334
|
Passing yards |
103 |
266
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
22–40–2 |
12–18–0
|
Time of possession |
29:25 |
30:35
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
TJ Finley |
18/31, 92 yards, 2 INT
|
Rushing |
Elijah Young |
10 carries, 18 yards
|
Receiving |
Moussa Barry |
4 receptions, 27 yards
|
Alabama |
Passing |
Jalen Milroe |
7/9, 200 yards, 3 TD
|
Rushing |
Justice Haynes |
4 carries, 102 yards, TD
|
Receiving |
Ryan Williams |
4 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD
|
Game Two – Eastern Kentucky Colonels (FCS) (0–1) at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (0–1) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Eastern Kentucky (FCS) |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Western Kentucky |
10 |
7 |
0 | 14 | 31 |
at Houchens Industries-L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Date: Saturday September 7, 2024
- Game time: 7:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 16,712
- Referee: Reed Brotherton
- TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
Game information
|
- First quarter
- WKU – Lucas Carniero 29-yard field goal, 12:11. Western Kentucky 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 2:49.
- WKU – Elijah Young 1-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 0:22. Western Kentucky 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 22 yards, 1:00.
- Second quarter
- WKU – L.T. Sanders 2-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 3:41. Western Kentucky 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 3:29.
- Third quarter
No scoring plays
- Fourth quarter
- WKU – Elijah Young 9-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 7:07. Western Kentucky 24–0. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:20.
- WKU – Dalvin Smith 12-yard pass from TJ Finley (Lucas Carniero kick), 2:38. Western Kentucky 31–0. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:19.
|
Statistics |
EKU |
WKU
|
First downs |
13 |
25
|
Total yards |
266 |
467
|
Rushing yards |
190 |
116
|
Passing yards |
76 |
351
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
11–20–0 |
27–39–0
|
Time of possession |
34:10 |
25:50
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Eastern Kentucky |
Passing |
Matt Morrissey |
9/17, 70 yards
|
Rushing |
Joshua Carter |
19 rushes, 100 yards
|
Receiving |
Marcus Calwise Jr. |
4 receptions, 24 yards
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
TJ Finley |
27/39, 351 yards, TD
|
Rushing |
Elijah Young |
13 rushes, 52 yards, 2 TD
|
Receiving |
Kisean Johnson |
6 receptions, 119 yards
|
Game Three – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1–1) at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (1–1) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Western Kentucky |
14 |
7 |
21 | 7 | 49 |
Middle Tennessee |
0 |
0 |
14 | 7 | 21 |
at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium, Murfreesboro, TN
- Date: Saturday September 14, 2024
- Game time: 6:00 p.m.
- Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 84 °F (29 °C)
- Game attendance: 12,227
- Referee: Douglas Mercer
- TV: ESPN+
- Box Score
Game information
|
First quarter
- WKU – River Helms 4-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 4:37. Western Kentucky 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 5:17.
- WKU – Kisean Johnson 6-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 1:05. Western Kentucky 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 1:58.
Second quarter
- WKU – Easton Messer 10-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 0:18. Western Kentucky 21–0. Drive: 11 plays, 99 yards, 2:54.
Third quarter
- WKU – K.D. Hutchinson 72-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 14:07. Western Kentucky 28–0. Drive: 2 plays, 69 yards, 0:47.
- MTSU – Omari Kelly 37-yard pass from Nicholas Vattiato (Zeke Rankin kick), 10:12. Western Kentucky 28–7. Drive: 7 plays, 82 yards, 3:51.
- WKU – Caden Veltcamp 1-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 6:38. Western Kentucky 35–7. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 3:24.
- MTSU – Omari Kelly 71-yard pass from Nicholas Vattiato (Zeke Rankin kick), 6:17. Western Kentucky 35–14. Drive: 1 play, 71 yards, 0:13.
- WKU – Kisean Johnson 36-yard pass from Dalvin Smith (Lucas Carniero kick), 3:28. Western Kentucky 42–14. Drive: 6 plays, 85 yards, 2:46.
Fourth quarter
- WKU – Trevor Borland 3-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 9:01. Western Kentucky 49–14. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 3:53.
- MTSU – Omari Kelly 7-yard pass from Nicholas Vattiato (Zeke Rankin kick), 5:47. Western Kentucky 49–21. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 3:06.
|
Statistics |
WKU |
MTSU
|
First downs |
30 |
21
|
Total yards |
631 |
514
|
Rushing yards |
150 |
58
|
Passing yards |
481 |
456
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
31–37–0 |
24–31–1
|
Time of possession |
31:22 |
28:38
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
Caden Veltcamp |
27/30, 398 yds, 5 TD
|
Rushing |
L.T. Sanders |
8 rushes, 54 yds
|
Receiving |
Kisean Johnson |
8 receptions, 129 yds, 2 TD
|
Middle Tennessee |
Passing |
Nicholas Vattiato |
24/31, 456 yds, 3 TD, INT
|
Rushing |
Nicholas Vattiato |
9 rushes, 21 yds
|
Receiving |
Omari Kelly |
9 receptions, 239 yds, 3 TD
|
Game Four – Toledo Rockets (3–0) at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (2–1) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Toledo |
0 |
14 |
7 | 0 | 21 |
Western Kentucky |
0 |
7 |
5 | 14 | 26 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY
- Date: Saturday September 21, 2024
- Game time: 6:00 p.m.
- Game weather: Sunny
- Game attendance: 19,127
- Referee: Rodney Burnette
- TV: ESPN+
- Box Score
Game information
|
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
- TOL – Tucker Gleason 1-yard run (Dylan Cunanan kick), 13:18. Toledo 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:33.
- TOL – Anthony Torres 14-yard pass from Tucker Gleason (Dylan Cunanan kick), 2:30. Toledo 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 4:55.
- WKU – Kisean Johnson 44-yard pass from Caden Veltcamp (Lucas Carniero kick), 1:53. Toledo 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 63 yards, 0:29.
Third quarter
- WKU – Lucas Carniero 39-yard field goal, 13:12. Toledo 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:53.
- TOL – Anthorny Torres 7-yard pass from Tucker Gleason (Dylan Cunanan kick), 8:13. Toledo 21–10. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 4:42.
- WKU – Devon Lynch 0-yard safety, 0:39. Toledo 21–12.
Fourth quarter
- WKU – Caden Veltcamp 7-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 10:43. Toledo 21–19. Drive: 3 plays, 49 yards, 0:47.
- WKU – Caden Veltcamp 3-yard run (Lucas Carniero kick), 5:16. Western Kentucky 26–21. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:25.
|
Statistics |
TOL |
WKU
|
First downs |
17 |
16
|
Total yards |
325 |
313
|
Rushing yards |
125 |
71
|
Passing yards |
200 |
242
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
19–33–2 |
20–30–2
|
Time of possession |
34:19 |
26:22
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Toledo |
Passing |
Tucker Gleason |
19/33, 200 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
|
Rushing |
Tucker Gleason |
12 rushes, 46 yds, TD
|
Receiving |
Jacquez Stuart |
3 receptions, 93 yds
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
Caden Veltcamp |
20/30, 242 yds, TD, 2 INT
|
Rushing |
Elijah Young |
9 rushes, 36 yds
|
Receiving |
Kisean Johnson |
6 receptions, 73 yds, TD
|
Game Five – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (3–1) at Boston College Eagles (3–1) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Western Kentucky |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Boston College |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
at Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA
Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
|
Statistics |
WKU |
BC
|
First downs |
|
|
Total yards |
|
|
Rushing yards |
|
|
Passing yards |
|
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
|
|
Time of possession |
|
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
Boston College |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
|
Statistics |
UTEP |
WKU
|
First downs |
|
|
Total yards |
|
|
Rushing yards |
|
|
Passing yards |
|
|
Passing: Comp–Att–Int |
|
|
Time of possession |
|
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
UTEP |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
Game Seven – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (0–0) at Sam Houston Bearkats (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Western Kentucky |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Sam Houston |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
at Bowers Stadium, Huntsville, TX
- Date: Wednesday October 16, 2024
- Game time: 7:00 p.m.
- TV: ESPN2
Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
|
Statistics |
WKU |
SHSU
|
First downs |
|
|
Total yards |
|
|
Rushing yards |
|
|
Passing yards |
|
|
Turnovers |
|
|
Time of possession |
|
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Western Kentucky |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
Sam Houston |
Passing |
|
|
Rushing |
|
|
Receiving |
|
|
|
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |