WKU Football: Gameday Information at Indiana
Your guide to everything on your trip to Bloomington.
Heading into the season, from an insider’s, WKU-glass-half-full perspective, Western did seem to have every position of concern filled with someone else that would be presumed competent at minimum. Two games in, again, from WKU Red shaded glasses, the Tops seem to have answered the most burning questions, they will likely be at least decent this season, and the potential is there for a special year.
If Western could overcome this next obstacle, the Indiana Hoosiers, who is to say the Tops can’t beat anyone on their schedule?
The last time out, WKU took on Hawaii in Honolulu. With Aloha Stadium condemned, the Rainbow Warriors are playing in the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, a much more, shall we say, intimate setting? Western took care of business despite a shaky start, winning 49-17.
Western’s opponent, the Indiana Hoosiers, are 2-0, but they are not 2-0 in a way that inspires deep confidence or optimism in Bloomington. Although Indiana did beat Illinois to start the season 23-20, it wasn’t in a convincing way, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining. Against Idaho last week, the Hoosiers were down 10-0 at halftime and reeled off 35 of the game’s final 47 points, ultimately finishing by a “decent” margin, but not to the standard of an FBS-over-FCS expectation, and certainly not executing to the level of a Big Ten school.
WKU (2-0, 0-0 C-USA) takes on Indiana (2-0, 1-0 Big Ten) for the fifth time since 2008. Western Kentucky has never won a game in the series, although each game has been relatively competitive, with WKU finishing no more than 18 points behind the Hoosiers. The last two games have been extremely competitive, coming down to the very last possession. Western lost at home to the Hoosiers 33-31 in 2021.
The Hilltoppers are still a mystery in 2022. Despite a 2-0 record for the first time since 2015, who have they played, really? Austin Peay is an FCS school, who interestingly has not allowed a point nor a sack (WKU had five against APSU) since playing WKU, now ranked 29th in the most recent FCS rankings. Hawaii is a team that got blasted by Vanderbilt 63-10, blasted by WKU 49-17 (probably should have been worse than that), and blasted by #4 Michigan 56-10. So what do we really know about WKU at this point? We know a few things, but Western has proved nothing just yet.
Indiana is a team looking to come off of a massively disappointing 2021 season after what felt like a program shifting 2020 season. Indiana came back to Earth in a painful way, and IU Head Coach Tom Allen probably cannot afford a repeat performance to maintain his job.
So let’s set the stage for WKU and Indiana, shall we?
Location
Indiana University Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, Indiana)
Capacity: 52,626
Field Surface: FieldTurf
Memorial Stadium, situated on the campus of Indiana University in north Bloomington, Indiana, was built in 1960. A largely concrete, U-shaped stadium, the north end zone underwent a large renovation in 2009 to increase capacity and accommodate new football facilities underneath the stadium. The south end zone houses the visitor locker rooms and a small amount of other stadium facilities.
Time
Saturday, September 17, 2022 11 p.m. CST
Weather Forecast
With an early start, temperatures should begin slightly above room temperature and climb into the low 80s. Wind and rain should not play a factor, although I said that for Austin Peay and the entire third and fourth quarter was played under cloudy skies with the rain dumping down for most of that time frame. Expect nice early fall weather. You can always trust the WBKO 13 degree guarantee, right?
TV
Big Ten Network
Lisa Byington (Play by Play), Anthony Herron (Analyst), Krystle Rich (Sideline)
Radio
Randy Lee (Play by Play), Terry Obee (Analyst), Lexi Schweinert (Analyst), Jared Holland (Sideline)
Tune in to your local Hilltopper Sports Network station, SAM 100.7 and ESPN 102.7.
Also, you can listen to the radio call anywhere in the world on the WKU Gameday App!
Gameday Information
WKU
WKU HC Tyson Helton Press Conference: Indiana
Indiana
Indiana HC Tom Allen Press Conference: WKU
Around C-USA
C-USA Week 3: What They’re Saying
Betting Lines from Sportsline.com
Indiana -6.5
O/U 61.5
ESPN.com Match-up Predictor
WKU-54.8% Chance to win
Current Records
WKU: 2-0 (0-0 C-USA)
Indiana: 2-0 (1-0 Big Ten)
Last Time Out…
The last time out, WKU took on Hawaii in Honolulu. With Aloha Stadium condemned, the Rainbow Warriors are playing in the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, a much more, shall we say, intimate setting? Western took care of business despite a shaky start, winning 49-17 while forcing six turnovers, including a pick-six by defensive end Juwuan Jones.
Against Idaho last week, the Indiana Hoosiers were down 10-0 at halftime and reeled off 35 of the game’s final 47 points, ultimately finishing by a “decent” margin, but not to the standard of an FBS-over-FCS expectation, and certainly not executing to the level of a Big Ten school. Consensus from IU is if the Hoosiers can show up like they have three of the four halves of 2022, they should be ok against Western Kentucky. If they show any glimpse of the first half against Idaho, they could certainly lose.
Coaches
Tyson Helton- 4th Season- 25-16 (25-16 Overall)
Tom Allen- Sixth Season28-32 (28-32 overall)
Series
4-0 Indiana
As it probably should be, Big Ten member Indiana has dominated the matchup in terms of outcome. However, the average margin of ten with no more than an 18 point margin tells a different story. In the past two games, WKU has lost by three and two points respectively, losing to Indiana at WKU 33-31 in 2021.
Last Meeting
Western Kentucky really had a chance to win in Bowling Green in 2021. Playing in front of a record crowd of over 25,000, Western fans really showed an enthusiasm for a big time opponent in the Houch. Although Indiana started out 14-0 and had multiple two score leads, WKU was within one possession of IU for nearly half of the game. Western had its chances, and IU did just enough to get it done, dominating time of possession, converting 11 third downs, making multiple long field goals, and overall being a little more solid to overcome WKU’s explosive offense. Michael Penix was able to convert a third-and-8 pass with 1:20 remaining to finish off the Tops. Otherwise, WKU would have had an opportunity to march the length of the field with about a minute remaining.
Injury Report
WKU
*Head Coach Tyson Helton keeps injuries pretty well under wraps, so we are left to speculate on many nicks and bruises. Any of these are not based on pure rumor but based on what we know by observation or by inkling from interviews. Covers.com shows WKU with no official injuries.
WR Joshua Sterns: Questionable to Doubtful. When asked about Sterns, Tyson Helton did say that he was hopeful to have Sterns back. It’s been a full three weeks since Austin Peay when Sterns was in street clothes. With Helton, there’s generally no definitive answer on injuries, but having Sterns back would provide some much needed WR depth. If he does play, don’t expect him to play a huge role out of the gate. But having a capable body in the slot would be a nice addition.
Indiana
DL James Head Jr.-Questionable Sat - Undisclosed. With no statistics this season and no season with more than 17 tackles, Head has been a role player for the Hoosiers. But he is a big body that won’t be able to provide depth on the line for IU.
WR Jaquez Smith-Questionable Sat - Undisclosed. A young receiver for IU, Smith is not a huge loss
TE Ryan Miller-Questionable Sat - Undisclosed. A freshman tight end with no statistics, Miller just takes away some depth at tight end for the Hoosiers
WR David Baker-Questionable Sat - Undisclosed. Another depth player without statistics, Baker is not of deepest impact.
OL Matthew Bedford-Out for season - Knee. Impact: Massive. This is the one injury that really sets IU back. Bedford was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and a member of the Outland Trophy Watchlist in 2021. A versatile player, he has played and started at every offensive line position but center at least three times in his career, mainly appearing as a tackle, but filling in whatever hole IU has needed since 2019.
Excitement Level —8
It’s a Saturday game that many people should be able to watch. Is it on the Big Ten Network that some people cannot access? Yes. But this is a winnable game, WKU shows up as a favorite in the computers, but Vegas likes IU by nearly a touchdown. Western has shown an ability to be able to play decent football on both sides of the ball, and Tom Allen himself said in his press conference that Western didn’t really have a running game when they played last year.
Western has added a running game and a defense, added tight end depth, and has a much more productive front six players while still carrying over the late 2021 trend of forcing tons of turnovers. WKU is dangerous, and IU looks vulnerable in some ways.
A short 3.5 hour drive from Bowling Green, maybe you should consider making the trip. I made it in 2015, we had a good crowd on hand, and we almost witnessed an unlikely victory. Unfortunately, Indiana found a way at the end.
What is most exciting about this team is the history that could quickly be rewritten if WKU were to win in Bloomington Saturday. This would be the first ever win against a Big Ten team in WKU’s very good, mostly lower division football history. WKU has had several chances at the Big Ten but has never cashed in. Winning a game against any member of the second most powerful conference in college football would be huge for WKU.
Probably more importantly, WKU has the chance to start 3-0 for the first time since 2003. If WKU could just find a way against Indiana, Western could very easily run to 5-0 before a difficult three games in a row against UTSA, Middle Tennessee, and UAB.
That’s where the real excitement comes in.
We don’t know how good this WKU team is, but if Western beats Indiana, doesn’t that kind of signify that this team could be even better than Brandon Doughty’s 2015 team that finished #24 in the nation? Could this be WKU’s most well-rounded team since that 2015 season? Certainly those questions will start popping up if WKU was to win at Indiana.
I think eyes should be on this game, and Western fans should be fired up for a real opportunity for yet another program building win.
Be excited! And when WKU finally comes back in to the Houch October 1, pack that place.
If you are in Bloomington, you are contractually required to send us pictures and tag us on Twitter. That’s in First Topperlonians in your WKU Bible. “When watching the Tops, thou shalt send TTR hella pics.”