Predictions for Liberty: Can WKU Bounce Back and Beat the Flames on the Road?
Roundtable: Western Kentucky dropped its first conference game to La Tech Saturday. At the end of the day, all of WKU's goals are in front it, starting with needing to beat Liberty. Can they do it?
Western Kentucky has now officially proven they are not head and tails above the rest of Conference USA, and perhaps they peaked too soon. Looking like the class of CUSA most of the season, their level has come back to Earth the last two games.
Regardless of the setback of losing to a 3-6 team due to any of several fundamentally unsound plays in all phases, WKU’s entire season result is still completely under its own control.
Dear Old Western just needs to win its last two games and they will not only appear in the Conference USA championship game, but they will host it.
All of the panic and “woe is me” mentality on the message boards may prove to be shortsighted.
The first step to righting the ship is beating Liberty. Can the Hilltoppers go into Liberty’s house on “The Mountain” and come out unscathed?
We shall see…
Predictions
Matt McCay (12-2, 8-2 FB)
Well, last week was a wakeup call for everybody at WKU. I think we all assumed victory, and I thought WKU would make a statement to the world that they were serious and that they could pretty much handle anyone left on their schedule. They came out flat, and they stayed flat. The defense fought its guts out, but they still gave up four scores and were lucky to keep the offense within a score the entire game.
The defense has shown some vulnerability the last few games, the offense (especially tight ends) is beat up, and the Tops just haven’t looked as sharp the last couple of weeks.
Fortunately, I think this is a good matchup for WKU. There are several things that should work in WKU’s favor, like penalties, turnovers, and offensive balance. WKU also has the better defense, as long as the Tops are locked in. If they can’t stop the run, this could be incredibly frustrating Saturday.
But I still believe in the Tops, and I believe if WKU plays like it should, this should be a relatively straightforward victory for the red and white. Of course it could be difficult. Of course, Liberty could win. But I see WKU winning this one more often than losing because of LU’s lack of discipline in all three phases.
WKU 34-Liberty 20
Alex Sherfield (12-2, 9-1 FB)
We can all agree that we’re playing for the season Saturday. Liberty has been the heavy favorite all week but there has been some eyes on Western to pull off the road upset.
The Flames are a very tough team to play at home. You’re gonna need a lot of things to go right to get out of Lynchburg victorious. They’re a fast paced team with multiple abilities to convert on third downs. The Tops’ defense can’t afford to spend most of the game on the field.
However, the Flames still haven’t changed their offensive strategy, giving more room for other CUSA teams keeping games close, especially during their losses to Kennesaw State & Jacksonville State. A flat start for Kaidon Salter would be the Tops’ best chance in getting an early edge.
Offensively, we’re all hoping for a better performance than what we saw last Saturday. Every possession won’t be pretty but I can also expect Lucas Carneiro to help assist with some much needed points to move the needle. Give me WKU 34, Liberty 30.
Jake Gary (11-3, 9-1 FB)
I would like to think last weeks loss to LA Tech was the Tops looking forward to this game. Tech's defense stifled the Tops, and I hope they didn't provide a blueprint to the Flames on how to shut down the offense. Really I look to the Tops to bounce back now that their conference championship hopes are really on the line. They need this victory, and Helton knows that. The keys to victory will be getting Veltkamp going and shutting down Cooley. I'm a lot more hopeful in the former than the latter though. Still, Tops need it, and I expect them to go get it.
Western Kentucky 34 Liberty 31
#GoTops
David McCay (8-3, 8-2 FB)
Liberty has a very good rushing offense, but just an OK defense. Will WKU take the yardage offered them? Or Will Western try to force the issue and their scripted plays once again? This is what the WKU coaches have so far against this season against conference foes with only limited success. This past Saturday virtually no success, three drives, one TD scored and in field goal range twice, which would have won if both field goals were made. If you look at the past several weeks, WKU has not exploited the weaknesses of any of the defenses, instead tried to force will on the team by playing strength against strength and coming up short on several occasions.
I will go on the record and say that if the coaching staff goes for it on fourth down inside the red zone and runs the same set of plays again, it will fail and WKU will lose this game also by less than the field goal they did not attempt. This prediction has proven true against Boston College and La Tech. Western Coaches need to take a more conservative approach in the first half of games, taking points wherever they can get them on the road and against good defenses, even field goals.
This will be another close game if the WKU defense struggles against Liberty’s rushing attack. I still hope WKU pulls it out 31-28.
Devin Stewart (11-1, 7-1 FB)
Bret Combest (7-3, 5-1 FB)
Fletcher Keel (1-0)
Conclusion: Tops Should Win in a Close Road Affair
We all predict WKU Football wins, but we’re clearly not that confident given that none of us picked a win by more than a couple of scores. Liberty should be a tough opponent, and we all know Liberty has immense talent that has laid relatively dormant all season.
Kaidon Salter was flirting with being a serious NFL prospect heading into the season. Those hopes are significantly hampered thus far, but he has it in him to be an elite college quarterback. Running back Quinton Cooley needs an opening run of two or more yards to get over 1,000 for the season in ten games.
Western Kentucky could be beginning a tailspin fizzle to end the season, or they could have had a blip on the radar and it’s time to cut some throats.
One way or another, Western Kentucky is sitting with an opportunity in hand that doesn’t come around every season. It has only come once in the past eight seasons, and that is to play for a conference championship. Western Kentucky hasn’t even been in the running with one week remaining in the season, and the Tops have not been in position to host the championship game since 2016. It’s all in front of them, and a lot of it gets set up with a victory Saturday at Liberty.
It’s now the Conference USA version of the Final Four in football, basketball is finally here and playing well, Volleyball is playing in the Conference USA Tournament this week, Lady Topper Hoops is undefeated at 4-0 for the first time since 2005-06, and the Topper fall and winter calendar is in full swing.
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GO TOPS!!!!