WKU Football previewed its upcoming matchup against Indiana University in its weekly press conference Monday morning at the Paul Just Media Center in Diddle Arena. 

Head coach Tyson Helton spoke about how excited the team is for the opportunity to square off with a big opponent. 

“I’ve watched both games they’ve played, and again, they’re a good team. They’re doing a nice job. They scheme you up pretty good,” Helton said. “They’ve got playmakers on both sides of the ball, so it will be challenging for us for sure, but we’re excited about the opportunity.”

The Hilltoppers will be looking for their first win over the Hoosiers in program history. The teams have squared off four times in the past. Last season, the Hoosiers pulled out a close victory over WKU 33-31 in front of the Hilltoppers’ highest recorded attendance at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

“It’s a new season,” Helton said. “Both teams have a new team with new guys playing for them. They’re a good football team, they’re doing a really good job. If you look at all three phases, they look pretty stout and pretty strong in all three phases, so it’s going to take our best game for sure to win. But our guys are excited about the opportunity. We had a close one last year. If we can play well, I think we’ll match up well with them.”

The Hoosiers are coming off a disappointing season in which their win over the Hilltoppers was one of only two wins for the team. This season, however, Indiana has already tied its win total from 2021, starting 2-0. The Hoosiers have taken down Illinois and Idaho en route to their 2-0 record.

Indiana brought in a proven quarterback over the offseason through the transfer portal in Connor Bazelak. Bazelak was a two-year starter in the SEC at Missouri before moving on to Indiana.

Bazelak has performed well up to this point for Indiana, putting up 527 yards and three touchdowns through two games and leading the Hoosiers to a 2-0 record. 

The Hilltoppers will head to Bloomington, Indiana, in search of a 3-0 start after knocking off Austin Peay and the University of Hawaii.

A win for the Hilltoppers would mean a second straight road victory and the first win over a Big Ten opponent since joining the FBS in 2007. 

Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on Saturday.

Football reporter Camden Bush can be reached at [email protected].