​The WKU offense put on a show Hilltopper fans are familiar to seeing over the past couple years. Redshirt senior quarterback Mike White had a career high 6 total touchdowns(5 passing, 1 rushing) as the WKU offense accounted for 627 total yards in a 45-14 victory over University of North Carolina Charlotte. White threw 5 touchdowns to 5 different receivers, as well as a season high 398 yards. The Hilltoppers entered the game with their season high of points in a single game being 33, and WKU topped that in the first half by scoring 38 en route to the 31 point victory.

​“What I learned is that we’ve learned to win in different ways, which is good,” Head Coach Mike Sanford said.

​“Last week we went in with very below average performance, but we won. Tonight we really inserted our will onto an opponent and did so for 4 quarters. We didn’t play our best but we played well enough to win by a substantial margin.”

​The Hilltoppers got the ball first and went straight to work. White found 6 different receivers during a 17 play, 78 yard drive that ate up the first 6 minutes of the game. White capped off the drive by finding redshirt senior tight end Deon Yelder in the middle of the end zone on 3rd an goal from the 8. Yelder finished with a career high 7 catches for 92 yards along with the score.

​Charlotte answered with a drive of their own. Charlotte backup running back Aaron McCalliser got the start in place of Ben LeMay and took advantage of his opportunity. McCallister ran for 48 yards during a 10 play, 80 yard drive that resulted in him punching it in around the left side from 9 yards out to even the score.

​White and company scored again on their next drive, but this time they didn’t take their time. White faked a handoff, and redshirt senior wide receiver Kylen Towner found himself wide open behind behind the 49ers’ secondary. White found Towner, and the Mobile, Alabama native made two defenders miss on his way to a 59 yard touchdown. The touchdown was the longest score of the season as WKU took a 14-7 lead going into the 2nd quarter. Towner finished with 6 catches for a career high 111 yards and a touchdown. Sanford mentioned earlier in the week that he wished to get guys like Towner involved due to his explosive ability.

​“It felt good to finally get that shot and prove that I can do what I can do,” Towner said. ​​“Coming into this week i knew I would have the opportunity to show what I can do. I just came out ready to work and it showed today.”

​The WKU defense forced a 3 and out, and offensive coordinator Junior Adams pulled out a trick many WKU fans saw during the Jeff Brohm era. White hit senior wide receiver Nacarius Fant behind the line of scrimmage, and Fant found Yelder for a 26 yard gain down to the Charlotte 13 yard line. A few plays later, White ran it in from 2 yards out for his 5th rushing touchdown of the season to give WKU a 21-7 lead. 

​Once again, McCallister found a gash in the WKU defense, making one defender miss on his way to an 89 yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14. McCallister finished the game with 157 yards, the most an individual has ran against the Hilltopper defense this season. White followed McCallister’s touchdown with another double digit play drive, driving the Hilltoppers 75 yards in 10 plays, capping it off with a 20 yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Mik’Quan Deane to push the lead to 28-14. The score was the Deane’s first career touchdown in a Hilltopper uniform. Three different Hilltoppers found the endzone for the first time in their careers, while 4 found the end zone for the first time this season.

​“We had 5 different guys that scored which I think is awesome,” White said.

​“We spread the ball around and it shows that everyone in this offense needs to be ready to roll. Someone could go down or be tired, its the next man up rule. One thing we developed over the summer was timing and trust with everyone and it showed today.”

​WKU linebacker Juwan Gardner picked of Charlotte quarterback Brooks Barden on the 49ers next possession, giving WKU their shortest field of the night at the Charlotte 26 yard line. For the first time, Charlotte kept WKU out of the end zone, but the good field position still allowed WKU to still come away with a Ryan Nuss field goal to push the lead to 31-14. After the WKU defense forced another punt, the 49ers pinned WKU at their own 41 yard line. However, a kick catch interference penalty moved the ball to the Charlotte 44 yard line. White took no time navigating down the field, covering 44 yards in 4 plays capped off by a 13 yard touchdown catch to senior wide receiver Nacarius Fant to give WKU a 38-14 lead at the half.

​White would find freshman wide receiver Jacquez Sloan for a 39 yard touchdown strike to cap off the scoring as the WKU defense pitched a shutout in the 2nd half. WKU improves to 4-2(2-1 C-USA) and travels to Old Dominion next Friday in a C-USA East showdown. 

​“We have a short week and we have to get back to work tomorrow,” Sanford said.

​“We have to sleep fast because we have a big challenge coming up. We’ve got to play better on the road because we haven’t played well on the road so far.”

 

​The WKU offense put on a show Hilltopper fans are familiar to seeing over the past couple years. Redshirt senior quarterback Mike White had a career high 6 total touchdowns(5 passing, 1 rushing) as the WKU offense accounted for 627 total yards in a 45-14 victory over University of North Carolina Charlotte. White threw 5 touchdowns to 5 different receivers, as well as a season high 398 yards. The Hilltoppers entered the game with their season high of points in a single game being 33, and WKU topped that in the first half by scoring 38 en route to the 31 point victory.

​“What I learned is that we’ve learned to win in different ways, which is good,” Head Coach Mike Sanford said.

​“Last week we went in with very below average performance, but we won. Tonight we really inserted our will onto an opponent and did so for 4 quarters. We didn’t play our best but we played well enough to win by a substantial margin.”

​The Hilltoppers got the ball first and went straight to work. White found 6 different receivers during a 17 play, 78 yard drive that ate up the first 6 minutes of the game. White capped off the drive by finding redshirt senior tight end Deon Yelder in the middle of the end zone on 3rd an goal from the 8. Yelder finished with a career high 7 catches for 92 yards along with the score.

​Charlotte answered with a drive of their own. Charlotte backup running back Aaron McCalliser got the start in place of Ben LeMay and took advantage of his opportunity. McCallister ran for 48 yards during a 10 play, 80 yard drive that resulted in him punching it in around the left side from 9 yards out to even the score.

​White and company scored again on their next drive, but this time they didn’t take their time. White faked a handoff, and redshirt senior wide receiver Kylen Towner found himself wide open behind behind the 49ers’ secondary. White found Towner, and the Mobile, Alabama native made two defenders miss on his way to a 59 yard touchdown. The touchdown was the longest score of the season as WKU took a 14-7 lead going into the 2nd quarter. Towner finished with 6 catches for a career high 111 yards and a touchdown. Sanford mentioned earlier in the week that he wished to get guys like Towner involved due to his explosive ability.

​“It felt good to finally get that shot and prove that I can do what I can do,” Towner said. ​​“Coming into this week i knew I would have the opportunity to show what I can do. I just came out ready to work and it showed today.”

​The WKU defense forced a 3 and out, and offensive coordinator Junior Adams pulled out a trick many WKU fans saw during the Jeff Brohm era. White hit senior wide receiver Nacarius Fant behind the line of scrimmage, and Fant found Yelder for a 26 yard gain down to the Charlotte 13 yard line. A few plays later, White ran it in from 2 yards out for his 5th rushing touchdown of the season to give WKU a 21-7 lead. 

​Once again, McCallister found a gash in the WKU defense, making one defender miss on his way to an 89 yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14. McCallister finished the game with 157 yards, the most an individual has ran against the Hilltopper defense this season. White followed McCallister’s touchdown with another double digit play drive, driving the Hilltoppers 75 yards in 10 plays, capping it off with a 20 yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Mik’Quan Deane to push the lead to 28-14. The score was the Deane’s first career touchdown in a Hilltopper uniform. Three different Hilltoppers found the endzone for the first time in their careers, while 4 found the end zone for the first time this season.

​“We had 5 different guys that scored which I think is awesome,” White said.

​“We spread the ball around and it shows that everyone in this offense needs to be ready to roll. Someone could go down or be tired, its the next man up rule. One thing we developed over the summer was timing and trust with everyone and it showed today.”

​WKU linebacker Juwan Gardner picked of Charlotte quarterback Brooks Barden on the 49ers next possession, giving WKU their shortest field of the night at the Charlotte 26 yard line. For the first time, Charlotte kept WKU out of the end zone, but the good field position still allowed WKU to still come away with a Ryan Nuss field goal to push the lead to 31-14. After the WKU defense forced another punt, the 49ers pinned WKU at their own 41 yard line. However, a kick catch interference penalty moved the ball to the Charlotte 44 yard line. White took no time navigating down the field, covering 44 yards in 4 plays capped off by a 13 yard touchdown catch to senior wide receiver Nacarius Fant to give WKU a 38-14 lead at the half.

​White would find freshman wide receiver Jacquez Sloan for a 39 yard touchdown strike to cap off the scoring as the WKU defense pitched a shutout in the 2nd half. WKU improves to 4-2(2-1 C-USA) and travels to Old Dominion next Friday in a C-USA East showdown. 

​“We have a short week and we have to get back to work tomorrow,” Sanford said.

​“We have to sleep fast because we have a big challenge coming up. We’ve got to play better on the road because we haven’t played well on the road so far.”