NASHVILLE, Tenn. — WKU is leading UK 21-17 at halftime.

The Topper offense looked sharp for much of the first half. WKU scored on its opening possession and led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter before punching in another touchdown in the first minute of the second period.

Junior quarterback Brandon Doughty, in his first game leading the WKU offense since 2011, looked accurate for much of the first 30 minutes. He finished the half with 19-of-25 passing for 194 yards.

Senior running back Antonio Andrews had flashes of brilliance in the first two quarters but hurt the team with two fumbles. He had 77 rushing yards in the first quarter alone and finished the half with 87 and a touchdown.

Senior running back Keshawn Simpson added two touchdowns on a pair of short-yardage runs near the end zone.

The Topper defense squared off against UK sophomore quarterback Jalen Whitlow, who earned the start over sophomore Maxwell Smith.

Whitlow harassed the WKU defense on the ground, rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown on three carries. He also had 16 yards on 5-of-8 through the air.

The teams will take the field again shortly for the final two quarters of regulation.