WKU Football: Gameday Info vs. Marshall
Your comprehensive guide to your visit to Huntington.
After the bizarre 2020 college football season, WKU found a way to scratch and claw to a bowl game appearance and a 5–7 overall final record. With a team that many thought could compete for a conference championship, the Tops finished in the middle of the pack.
However, with a momentous offseason with tons of huge “gets” and “coups”, the most significant of which were Houston Baptist transfer quarterback Bailey Zappe signing with the Tops and superstar defensive end DeAngelo Malone deciding to forego a realistic shot at the NFL and stay on campus for a fifth year, the Tops seemed poised to be a legitimate threat to make a title run.
Now, they’re here, knocking on the door of a championship, and it’s none other than regional rival Marshall in a direct battle to go face the 22nd ranked Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners in San Antonio next weekend.
WKU is 6–1 in conference and in sole possession of first with a full one game lead on Marshall. WKU is 7–4 after five straight wins against C-USA also-rans and a decisive win against season-long contender FAU, 52-17 last week on Senior Day in Bowling Green. WKU’s lone conference loss came to now-consensus ranked UTSA, the possible opponent next week. The ultimate rivalry intensifier, both teams only need a win against the other. Whoever wins earns the East Division title.
WKU (7–4, 6–1 C-USA) takes on a Marshall (7-4, 5-2 C-USA) squad that has been playing its best of late. The Herd has won five of six, and the only loss was a 21-14 slugfest between West Division second place UAB, which was two inches from a championship, and on a second chance against UTSA, four seconds from a championship again. No shame in losing to such a great program and team on the road to this championship opportunity. So both teams are hot and the Moonshine Throwdown has never been more important.
Location
Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Capacity: 38,227
Located just south of the Ohio River in downtown Huntington on the far east side of Marshall University’s Campus, Joan C. Edwards Stadium, formerly Marshall University Stadium, has housed the Marshall Thundering Herd since 1991. A small horseshoe type of feel with Shewey Athletic Center in the far end zone, this is one of the nicer, most updated facilities in Conference USA.
Time
Saturday, November 27, 2021 2:30 PM CST
Weather Forecast
With Huntington only being a few hours away from WKU, it would stand to reason that the weather in Bowling Green might be similar. As per usual, Huntington is decidedly colder than Bowling Green in late November, and it will be chilly but hopefully bearable during the day. Huntington was really cold in the nighttime blowout of Marshall in 2016, and 2014 was a little more bearable. With a projected wind of seven miles per hour, the wind could get a little stronger and create a chilly environment when the sun falls behind the clouds. Definitely dress for mid-to-low 40s weather, whatever that means to you.
TV
CBS Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Alex Del Barrio Analyst: Sed Bonner
Radio
Randy Lee (Play by Play), Terry Obee (Analyst), Jared Holland (Sideline)
Also, you can listen to the radio call anywhere in the world on the WKU Gameday App! WKU All Access is also covering a live video feed from the radio booth on the app now, as well.
Gameday Information
WKU
WKU @ Marshall Press Conference
Marshall
Around C-USA
Betting Lines from Sportsline.com
Marshall -1
O/U: 74.5
ESPN.com Match-up Predictor
WKU-43.3% Chance to Win
Current Records
WKU: 7–4 (6–1 C-USA)
Marshall: 7-4 (5-2 C-USA)
Last Time Out…
WKU has won six in a row and like a broken record, we mention WKU’s margin of victory being no less than 15 in each of those games. This past game, though, was likely the most impressive. Western absolutely clobbered FAU 52-17. Of all of the other teams in the C-USA East, surely a program two years removed from a championship and a roster full of Lane Kiffin and Willie Taggart’s recruiting classes should be one of the most talented teams in all of C-USA.
Marshall’s last game against Charlotte was also impressive, dropping 49 on the 49ers and winning by three touchdowns after being up by as many as four touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Charlotte is another solid team that has greatly improved. However, just like WKU, Marshall has zero wins against FBS teams with winning records. And also, just like WKU, they have a close loss to one of the top two teams in the West Division.
Coaches
Tyson Helton- 3rd Season- 21–15 (21-15 Overall)
Charles Huff- 1st Season- 7-4 (7-4 Overall)
Series
8-4 Marshall (4-3 Marshall since WKU joined Conference USA in 2014)
Last Meeting
In a complete laugher on Homecoming at WKU, Marshall got up 38-0 before the Tops hung up 14 points during garbage time to make it look slightly closer than it did before. WKU committed three turnovers early and the game was over before they had a chance to put anything on the board.
Relevant Reading
Conference USA Preseason Media Prediction
Injury Report
WKU
Questionable to Doubtful: TE Joshua Simon (foot) is still listed as questionable despite reports that he may not return this season. He has now missed every game since coming up gimpy near the end of the UT-Martin game. After seeing him on the sideline for several games, it appears he has a significant leg brace that he wears under his clothes. After consulting with Devin Stewart from RedOut Podcast (former WKU Football trainer), it is most likely to protect a severe ligament straight or meniscus tear. Given that potential, it would be an iffy proposition as to whether he could come back before the end of the season. But theoretically possible.
Marshall
None
Excitement Level — 9
There have been a ton of uninteresting games in this Conference USA season. For the most part, WKU has faced an inferior opponent, and the team they faced had already played itself out of the race. Heck, most of them didn’t even have a healthy quarterback. Even WKU’s rival, MTSU, was not that interesting because WKU was so much better and the Blue Raiders were not in contention, although, by the way, they did beat Marshall earlier this season.
This is a barn burner at the end of a conference season full of games no more exciting than a checklist to built up to this monumental moment. In the entire length of this rivalry that has exploded onto the scene of Conference USA, never has a football game meant this much. The only time the game meant more in any sport was the 2017 Conference USA Championship. But this is extremely close. The two stand in each other’s way, they’re both good, and they both probably feel they’re the better team. And they both have a right to be feeling good heading into this game.
WKU traveled a pretty nice contingent to each of the past three trips to Huntington. I sincerely hope that is duplicated. I understand if people can’t make it due to the holiday. Heck, I can’t make it and it’s really the kind of moment I feel like I would make sure I didn’t miss if I had any opportunity. Safe travels, and let’s march into Huntington and BEAT THE HERD!
Go Tops!
We’ll be providing live coverage and reaction. If you made it to Huntington, please send us your best pictures from campus, tailgating, and in-game via Twitter at @TheTowelRackWKU or on our Facebook page and we’ll share.