WKU Football: Gameday Information vs. Troy
Your guide for everything you need to know to enjoy the Tops' final home tune up before serious C-USA play.
The 2022 campaign isn’t just shaping up like the 2021 one. It’s turning out even better. WKU’s offense, while not scoring at record pace, is still doing whatever it wants through the air. It may have found its most consistent rushing attack in nearly a decade. Along with a surprisingly excellent defense that can play straight up as well as make big plays, this year’s team is way more balanced than last year.
Anyone hoping to see WKU compete for another C-USA title has to be happy through the first four games of the season, especially after the smashing of FIU 73-0 in response to a gut wrenching parade of mistakes against Indiana.
WKU (3-1, 1-0 C-USA) takes on the Trojans of Troy (2-2, 1-1 Sun Belt). The programs played each other fairly often in the Sun Belt days pre-2014. However, they have not seen each other at all since that time. WKU does have significant history with Troy, playing 12 times on the gridiron, with Troy dominating a series that dates back to the 1970s.
WKU is a team that looks to be very balanced and capable of winning in multiple ways. If the Tops need to grind it out, they can hold opponents to a reasonable number defensively, and they’re very good at turning the ball over. Offensively, WKU has been adequate in the running game, and against a nationally decent front seven for Indiana, WKU ran for almost 200 yards. Austin Reed has a pretty decent arsenal of weapons and is averaging more than 300 yards per game. Perhaps Special Teams has been the Achilles heel for the Tops, though. Western has muffed punts, allowed a few big returns, has a punter with inconsistent distance and has a kicker making barely 50% of his kicks on the young season. WKU’s only other major weakness is converting third downs on offense. Imagine if WKU’s offense was decent at staying on the field consistently.
Troy is a team that has had opportunity in every game, but has squandered a few chances to have a prettier record. Troy nearly beat Appalachian State in Boone, but Chase Brice pulled together some magic and threw a 53 yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-10 to end the game on a gut punch the same week WKU lost to Indiana at the last second. Just like WKU, Troy responded well with a defensive slugfest victory, 16-7 over Marshall. Troy’s defense is impressive, allowing no more than 32 (including two points for a safety near the end). They held Ole Miss to 28, a heck of an achievement. Offensively, this team can move the ball but tends to squander opportunity late in drives. If Troy could straighten out a few kinks offensively, they could be a heck of a force in the Sun Belt.
So let’s set the stage for WKU and Troy, shall we?
Location
Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
Capacity: 22,113
Set near the bottom of a steep hill, Houchens Industries-LT Smith Stadium has housed the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers since 1968. WKU renovated “The Houch” as it transitioned to the FBS, adding 7,000 more seats and moving all WKU Football Operations into the new side of the stadium, finishing construction in 2009.
Time
Saturday, October 1, 2022, 6 P.M. CST
Weather Forecast
After Austin Peay, never trust a forecast, but it looks like game time temperatures should be low 70s to high 60s. Throughout the game, it might get a little drafty, but if you can’t handle 65 degree weather, I’d hate to see your electricity bills in the winter.
TV
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Nate Gatter
Analyst: Bob Belvin
Radio
Randy Lee (Play by Play), Terry Obee (Analyst), Lexi Schweinert (Analyst), Jared Holland (Sideline)
Tune in to your local Hilltopper Sports Network station.
Also, you can listen to the radio call anywhere in the world on the WKU Gameday App!
Gameday Information
WKU
WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton Troy Press Conference
Troy
Around C-USA
C-USA Week 5: What They’re Saying
C-USA Around the League Week 5
Betting Lines from Sportsline.com
WKU -5 (Vegas bringing money in on Troy; original line was WKU -6)
Advice: Take WKU -5 or Take Troy straight up if you like the Trojans in this one; personally, a very safe bet is WKU here.
O/U 54.5
Advice: Stay away from this bet altogether. This game could be 16-7 or if Troy’s offense comes along and scores, could easily be a game played in the 30s or 40s. If you have to bet, take the over. WKU has scored at least 30 in 18 straight games and Troy throws for over 300 yards per game.
ESPN.com Match-up Predictor
WKU: 82% chance to win
Current Records
WKU: 3-1 (1-0 C-USA)
Troy: 2-2 (1-1 Sun Belt)
Last Time Out…
WKU absolutely blasted FIU into oblivion, 73-0. FIU gained 180 yards while WKU ran all over the field doing whatever it wanted. WKU subbed out early in the second half but still kept producing, ultimately resulting in the most lopsided shutout victory for the Tops since 2007 and the most lopsided shutout victory of 2022 in the FBS so far.
Troy was impressive against Marshall, grinding to a 16-7 victory. A 10-0 lead at halftime was apparently enough. However, with such a low score, to hang on and not allow the other team to do anything but grab one touchdown with game pressure all night is mighty impressive. Troy’s offense is better than the final scores indicate. Watch out if Troy executes when they should, or if Troy can really run the ball against WKU.
Coaches
Tyson Helton- 4th Season- 26-17 (26-17 Overall)
Jon Sumrall- 1st Season- 2-2 (2-2 overall)
Series
WKU is 2-9-1
Troy tied with WKU in 1976, then reeled off eight straight. In 2011 and 2012, WKU was on the rise and Troy was coming back down to Earth as more of an also-ran in the Sun Belt. In 2013, Bobby Petrino’s lone season produced a close loss to finish the series off with WKU’s ninth all-time loss to the Trojans.
Last Meeting
WKU and Troy last met when WKU was coached by Bobby Petrino. WKU absolutely dominated statistically, controlling the clock and the yardage by wide margins. However, the scoreboard didn’t care, keeping the game close throughout. Early in the fourth quarter, Troy was able to break through, scoring the game’s final touchdown to solidify the final score at 32-26 despite WKU having the ball inside Troy’s 25 twice in the fourth quarter.
Injury Report
WKU
CB A.J. Brathwaite-Knee. Status: Questionable
Brathwaite has been injured since the first game against Austin Peay and by all sources has not seemed ready to go. There were no questions asked by media about injuries in the press conference with Tyson, so we have very little intel going into this week. With how cryptic the WKU staff can be, it’s difficult to guess at some of these injury statuses. He was in street clothes last week.
WR Josh Sterns-Knee. Status: Questionable
Sterns, brother of Jerreth, was a contributor last year as an underclassman. He has been out all season, but Helton has been increasingly saying the past few weeks that Josh is getting close to ready to go. It stands to reason that he should be ready sooner rather than later. He was in street clothes last week.
Troy
TE Deyunkrea Lewis-Questionable (undisclosed)
Lewis is a significant loss for Troy if he can’t go. Although he’s only played in two games (Ole Miss and Alabama A&M), in one of them, he caught a 40 yard pass for a touchdown. He has four career touchdowns and is only a sophomore. With nearly 200 yards career production, he’s a bright looking prospect at tight end for Troy in the future. Just the fact that he could bust a 40 yard play as a tight end says enough to take note of whether this guy plays. This guy could easily be a future All-Conference type of player.
Excitement Level —8
Finally, I can legitimately say I think people are excited about WKU Football. It’s Parents’ Weekend, it’s a really good matchup, people are talking about it, and I sure as heck hope BG and South Central Kentucky comes out and supports the Tops. The only thing that’s not thrilling about this matchup is that it’s not a conference game. Other than that, what more do you want than two evenly matched teams that might go down to the wire that bring back some early FBS memories?
There is absolutely no reason for this not to be a sellout. This is a good opponent, the Tops just made a statement opening win in C-USA, and it’s time to start tuning up for the meat of Conference USA play. Next week is UTSA, people! Then Middle. Then UAB. You talk about MEAT! This is the juicy 2/3 pound patty portion of the 2022 season!
If you’re not fired up for the next four games, I’d politely invite you to punch yourself in the face and take a selfie and tag famous people to see if you really don’t have any shame left in you.
Seriously, I don’t know about you, but it is time for this WKU crowd to get involved and make a difference for a team and a program that freaking deserves sellouts. Period. Get to the game, bring your towel, support the Tops, and let’s BURN this Trojan Horse that DARES parade itself into Bowling Green.
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