WKU Football will return to the field Aug. 31 to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in a prime time ESPN showing.
The Hilltoppers will help kick off a new era of Alabama football on Saturday, as it will be the Crimson Tide’s first game without Nick Saban at the helm since 2006. Over the offseason Alabama brought in University of Washington Head Coach Kalen DeBoer to replace a retired Saban.
The mark of a new era in Tuscaloosa will present a unique challenge for the Hilltoppers in their first matchup of the season. Bryant-Denny Stadium has been regarded as one of the most difficult stadiums for opposing teams to play in as Alabama holds an .827 winning percentage since opening in 1929.
“Our guys do a great job at [having] a pro mentality,” Head Coach Tyson Helton said. “Really, it’s not about the opponent, that they just focus on their job and what they do. So I’m not really concerned about the environment, or where we’re headed, who we’re playing, you know, they’ve been in a lot of those places before. I think it will elevate our play, quite honestly, especially in the first game of the year.”
Transfer senior TJ Finley will be receiving the calls as quarterback in front of over 100,000 on Saturday. Finley came out on top of a very competitive quarterback battle over the offseason. Helton, however, views both Finley and redshirt sophomore Caden Veltkamp as strong quarterback options that could each see playing time over the season.
“I came here with one thing on my mind, and that was to win football games,” Finley said. “Cade and I had a great competition. Coach Helton sat us down and talked to us and told us, You know what it was gonna be, and God allowed me to win the job again. And you know, I’m looking forward to the season, looking forward to the ride that we got coming on. I love this team.”
Early in his collegiate career Finley played for both LSU and Auburn and started a number of games for each school. In his tenure in the SEC he faced Alabama twice. In 2021, Finley and Auburn dropped a heartbreaking 4OT game to No. 3 Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
“Oh, it’s definitely stuck with me,” Finley said. “And that was the first game, you know, that I circled on our calendar when I realized that I was going to commit to WKU. Just an opportunity to see that university again, it’s a dream come true. And every time you get to play an SEC school like that, you have to capitalize on your opportunity.”
In addition to a new head coach, Alabama has almost entirely shifted their coaching staff on both sides of the ball.
The Crimson Tide’s new defensive coordinator will be somewhat familiar to both WKU and Finley as former South Alabama head coach Kane Womack will lead the Crimson Tide defense.
The Hilltoppers faced Womack’s South Alabama team in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl two seasons ago. WKU dominated the Jaguars, claiming a 44-23 victory.
Finley has had some of his own success against Womack. Last season, as a member of Texas State, Finley led the Bobcats to a 52-44 victory over South Alabama. Finley threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
On the other side of the ball, everything will revolve around redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Milroe.
Milroe took the starting quarterback role for Alabama last season and will do the same this season.
“Like with anything it starts with the quarterback, I think Jalen does an excellent job,” Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers said. “A guy that’s up for the heisman, I just think he’s so talented, I really do.
The Hilltoppers will take on No. 5 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Aug. 31st 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPN.
