Editors Note: This story was done in collaboration with The Extra Point
The University of Kentucky has long dominated the commonwealth.
It’s impossible to escape the Kentucky blue and stacked UK anywhere from Paducah to Pikeville. Even in cities with established institutions like Bowling Green or Louisville, it seems UK follows everywhere you look.
But on Sept. 15, 2012, WKU Football painted the Kentucky Bluegrass red, and the story starts with a long losing streak in the late 2000s.
“I think the story of the UK game really starts then (2009),” Hank Wilson, Red Towel Trust co-founder said.
Wilson joined the WKU staff as a video coordinator in 2009, amid a 26-game skid for the program. It was the last year for Head Coach David Elson, who had suffered a far fall from grace since the Division I-AA National Championship he won as an assistant under Jack Harbaugh in 2002.
In the two transition years from the Football Championship Series to the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Hilltoppers went 9-15. When WKU completed the transition to FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2009, WKU went 0-12.
After Elson, the program hired former Hilltopper quarterback Willie Taggart. He played for WKU from 1995-1998 and set 11 school records, according to the WKU Alumni Association. After his playing career, Taggart served as an assistant coach for the team for eight seasons and was a co-offensive coordinator for the 2002 national championship team.
In 2010, Taggart’s first season as head coach, WKU went 2-10. The following year the Hilltoppers had an intense turnaround and went 7-5.
“When Willie came in… it was things like ‘if you guys are both headed to the water fountain it better be a race and you better get there first and win,’” Wilson said. “Everything was competitive.”
With Taggart in his third year, and a talented group of upperclassmen and transfers, WKU was primed to continue their growth. In week three, the Hilltoppers had their chance to cement their place as an FBS program at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington.
“We were coming in thinking we could win that game,” Steven Moffet, host of Topper Talk podcast said. Moffet was part of the WKU faithful who invaded enemy territory that day.
“I think from their (Kentucky fans) perspective they didn’t think we had a chance to win.”
Wilson said the coaching staff felt they had a good enough gameplan and talent to go win the game. Future NFL players like tight end Jack Doyle, running back Antonio Andrews and defensive back Johnathan Dowling graced a confident roster headed to Commonwealth Stadium.
That gameplan and group of guys led the Hilltoppers to a dream of a start.
WKU’s defense forced three interceptions, two of which were from Dowling, and a turnover on downs which propelled WKU into a 17-0 lead in the first half.
“I was starting to chirp a little bit in the crowd,” Moffet said. “We started to get confident we can ride this thing out and win.”
Just as Moffet started to pester the Kentucky crowd, the Wildcats clawed back. UK closed the half with 10 unanswered points, setting the halftime score at 17-10. A score from each side made it 24-17 at the start of the fourth.
“Being a Western fan for so long, you just keep waiting for that moment where you get let down,” Moffet said when asked what was going through his head at the start of the fourth quarter.
“In a big game, big opportunity, against a big opponent, we’ve fallen short many times,” Moffet said.
Even with the two-quarter-long offensive lull, the Hilltoppers found themselves in a position to win. The Wildcats needed a 77-yard touchdown drive in 2:14 to tie the game.
And that’s exactly what they did.
Kentucky receiver DeMarcus Sweat found the endzone on a 22-yard touchdown pass, capping off a 12-play drive.
Overtime.
“We were gassed. You could tell we were tired,” Wilson said.
Kentucky started with the ball in overtime and kicked off extra play with a touchdown. A WKU late hit penalty on second and 15 set UK at the 12-yard line. On the next play, Wildcat running back Johnathan George bounced a run outside, dove over a WKU defender and scored.
31-24 Kentucky.
WKU responded, however. A Kentucky personal foul set the Hilltoppers up at the 2-yard line. On first and goal, Andrews powered in for a rushing touchdown.
31-30 Kentucky.
An extra point would tie it, and a two-point conversion would win it. Taggart kept his offense on the field.
The play call? Seminole.
“As soon as I heard that called out I knew what it was and I just remember sprinting down to the endzone because I knew what we were going to do,” Wilson said.
Quarterback Kawaun Jakes lined up under center. He took the snap, looked to his right and found Andrews on a lateral. The sea of blue shifted, all attention was on Andrews and Jakes was wide open on the other side of the field.
Andrews cocked his arm back and fired the football over to Jakes. The ball was short, but right before it hit the ground Jakes caught it and waltzed into the endzone.
32-31 WKU. Ballgame.
“I told our guys if we go to overtime we’re gonna go for two,” Taggart said in his post-game interview.
The play propelled WKU to their first win over a Power 5 opponent in program history.
WKU went on to finish 7-6 and appeared in their first bowl game as an FBS school, a Little Ceasers Bowl loss to Central Michigan.
“For a WKU fan, to be able to beat an in-state school… it was huge,” Moffet said. “It was one of my bigger victories of my time being a fan here at Western.”
Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected]
