Predicting the Overall Record for 2024 WKU Football
Roundtable: We asked our staff for their thoughts on how WKU will do in the 2024-25 Season
Western Kentucky Football has seen sustained success for over a decade. Since 2011, WKU has ten bowl appearances, seven wins, and only three sub-.500 records. This season, WKU comes off of yet another above average season, finding a way to eight wins despite devastating amounts of injuries.
Head Coach Tyson Helton comes into this season with a track record of success, but also a track record of really good rosters doing about what they should have done without major success.
With several significant transfers and graduations but continued NCAA Transfer Portal success, will the Tops struggle against a really difficult schedule? Or will the Tops finally break through and have a season for the ages and make the College Football Playoff as the Group of Five representative?
There is a much wider range to the possibilities for the Tops this season than in previous years. Regardless, college football fans are looking forward to a really fascinating 2024.
Staff Predictions
Matt McCay: Tops go 8-4, Finish 3rd in CUSA
First of all, I see plenty of possibilities this season, so by no means is this set in stone. I see a true possibility of as good as 11-1 (if the Tops are good on both sides of the ball) and as low as scraping to get to a .500 record (if all hell breaks loose). But I see WKU having trouble getting to the top of the CUSA mountain this year, and due to a really, really tough out of conference schedule, I could see WKU losing three games before the end of September.
I think Alabama and Boston College are losses. I think Liberty is a loss. Finally, I think Jacksonville State OR Toledo are the final loss. Both of those are good teams, and percentage-wise, chances are you drop one of the two. The good news is both are at home, and that’s why I feel good about winning at least one. I could also see winning those two and dropping a random one in CUSA. Last year was the year to win Conference USA, and unfortunately that didn’t happen. Despite the issues, it was within WKU’s grasp and they just couldn’t make it happen. 8-4, 6-2 CUSA, and another bowl win.
Devin Stewart: Tops Go 8-4, Fall Short of CUSA Title Game
So Alabama is going to be a tough game. I would love to beat them, but I’m being real.
EKU I’m counting as a win. Coach Wells has done an amazing job with them but we’ve got more talent.
MTSU is a rivalry game, so we’ve got this.
Toledo or BC is going to be another loss, but I’m not counting both. I feel like we could upset one of these teams. But not both.
As far as in season losses, I expect to drop a game to Liberty, and possibly Sam Houston/ UTEP.
Alex Sherfield: 8-5 With a Bowl Win, Third in CUSA
Jacob Gary: Tops Go 9-3, Make a CUSA Championship Appearance, Possibly Upsetting in the Title Game
I think the first loss is guaranteed with Alabama. If WKU beats Bama, they’re going undefeated.
I think Wetern has two other losses besides Bama. I’m not sure who they will come to or when, but I could also see a ten win season very easily. I expect a conference championship appearance, and possibly even bringing a banner home this season.
TJ Finley will have the offense rocking and Elijah Young looks to be a solid running back. A few question marks on defense worry me, but other than that, (this) should be a good season for the Tops.
David McCay: 9-3, 6-2 CUSA, and a Bowl Win
I am a Bowling Green raised, red towel waiving, total Hilltopper homer. I want nothing but the best from the coaches and players in all sports as WKU. If the information I’ve heard is correct, WKU will have an exceptional season. But only if we do not have massive injuries again this year. I mean paint the town red and burning cars in the streets and undefeated going to the playoffs baby as an undefeated 12 seed. Sorry got wrapped up in a day dream, and yep, that would be the dream/Madden 25 (NCAA25) season.
Reality says there will be injuries. Hopefully, not 20 or 30 players again like last season. If we see that again, WKU will not win very many games this year. Our conference opponents look better, so the Tops need to be better, too. I think they will be.
Here is what I see and have heard from others. On offense, we have two healthy evenly matched, talented, skilled quarterbacks with similar abilities. The running backs are bigger and faster. We should see a more experienced and better receiving corps than we did last season. The key is the offensive line. Can the new staff put together a crew that can open holes for runners and hold up when all hell breaks loose? If so, they should put up a bunch of points and yards this season.
On defense, we see more depth than ever before on the backside (safeties, corners, and linebackers). The defensive line is the key here too. Can the line get pressure without blitzing some? Can they be solid against the run and allow the linebackers to plug holes thus shutting down the opponents running game?
Once again there are more questions right now than answers. A one loss season is rare air in BG unless you are a Purple, but for WKU that possibility is there if all goes well. In reality, the Tops must win games against teams they have never beaten, beat other teams they usually struggle against, and demolish any team that is inferior. The last four games look rough. I believe they will beat Liberty, but lose two other conference games, putting them behind Liberty again. Then a tossup for the championship. 9-3, 6-2 CUSA, and win a bowl.
Bret Combest: 10-4, Tops Win CUSA Championship, and Cap it Off With a Bowl Win
Losses at Alabama, NMSU, Liberty, and Boston College (but I think we can win against all but Alabama). It could easily be a wild one at 12-1 with the only loss to Alabama.
If (WKU) did that, (The Tops) could be on track to get to a crazy big bowl and be making national headlines that could help WKU for the next 20 years.
Summing It Up…
I think it’s clear that as a staff, the expectations are pretty high but not sky high. Not one person outright predicted a ten win regular season. Not one person predicted beating Liberty in the regular season, and everyone sees multiple conference losses or another G5 loss (Toledo)
This feels like a good range of WKU fans and how they feel. Most people see a range of 7-5 to 11-1, and no one with a pinky toe on the ground calls for an undefeated season. We fall right in the middle of that range and pretty much agree with each other: None of us call for an outright CUSA sweep, and not one person predicts WKU will host the conference championship game.
Doesn’t this attest to the “Steady Eddie” reputation of Tyson Helton? Everyone believes he almost certainly won’t implode. His roster and staff are far too strong. Too many good things have come out of spring ball and camp talk to feel terrible about this season. But there’s also a very pronounced “If not now, when?” feel to the WKU fan’s approach to WKU Football.
Most people seem to expect more of the same “close but no cigar” or “second or third fiddle” result in CUSA.
Unfortunately, last year was the year to pounce on CUSA, and Liberty did that emphatically by not only winning the conference, but making it to a New Years Six bowl game, something plenty of people said was impossible for CUSA (told y’all it could happen at some point).
Not only did they win the regular season, they won the championship game, and they put a scare into Oregon for several drives. Eventually, they got rocked, but with the money Liberty has, the facilities, and the fan base and support around the world, they pose a powerful threat to the rest of Conference USA.
That presence is clearly felt, because most reasonable people believe Liberty rolls on and WKU and Jacksonville State battle it out for the championship appearance. Maybe in a crazy world, MTSU, UTEP, NMSU, or Sam Houston squeak into the two spot somehow. Then everyone else falls somewhere near the middle to bottom.
That overall feeling is reflected in our predictions. There’s a lot of upward movement from other CUSA programs, and therefore the conference schedule will be much more unforgiving. Western’s out of conference schedule is the toughest since when, exactly? No slouch Power Five, Boston College on the road is a tough ask, as well. Is WKU good enough to beat a Power Five team projected to have a 50 percent chance to win one or two ACC games? Even that one is really hard to just waltz into feeling like an angry but competent little brother.
Perhaps people may be asking why WKU fans feel so confident, yet they’re not remotely confident enough to call the big shot. Well, now perhaps you know. It feels very solid that WKU falls somewhere between seven and nine wins in the regular season, go to a bowl game, and be favorites to win an eighth bowl game in 11 years.
Finally, sports are back on The Hill, and Towel Rack is here to be your source for all things WKU. Tune in for more articles, live tweeting, reaction to big news, and the podcast. We truly appreciate our loyal audience! GO TOPS!
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