A Conference USA season opener and a November trip to Death Valley highlight WKU Football’s 2025 schedule released on Thursday.
The 12-game schedule houses six home games at Smith Stadium, the return of “Weekday CUSA,” and their second consecutive season with a road game against an SEC team.
WKU will open the season and CUSA play with a Week 0 home opener versus Sam Houston on Aug. 23. The Bearkats hosted the Hilltoppers in an Oct. 16 matchup last season, where the Hilltoppers dominated 31-14. This will be the fourth matchup between the two teams, with WKU maintaining a 2-1 series lead.
The Hilltoppers will open non-conference play on Aug. 30 with a home matchup versus Football Championship Subdivision North Alabama. The Lions went 3-9 last season and will play WKU for the first time in program history.
The Hilltoppers will then travel to Toledo, Ohio on Sept. 6 for a rematch with the Toledo Rockets. Last season, the Rockets came to Smith Stadium on Sept. 21. With the help of second-half adjustments and a rain delay, WKU won 26-21.
The Hilltoppers will host Nevada after a bye week on Sept. 20 in part one of a home-and-home series with the Wolfpack.
WKU will face conference newcomers Missouri State and Delaware in back-to-back games, starting with the Bears on Sept. 27 and the Blue Hens on Oct. 3.
The Hilltoppers will then have a two-game Tuesday stretch, with a home game versus FIU on Oct. 14 and a trip to LA Tech on Oct. 21.
WKU will have a two-game conference homestand, starting with New Mexico State on Nov. 1 and Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 14 after WKU’s second bye week. WKU and MTSU will be the 75th rendition of the “100 Miles of Hate” rivalry. The Hilltoppers have taken a 38-35-1 lead against the Blue Raiders in the series. WKU has won six straight games and nine of their last 10. WKU won in a 49-21 blowout last season at MTSU.
For the second straight season, the Hilltoppers will play an SEC team on the road. Last season, WKU traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, opening the season with a 63-0 loss against the Alabama Crimson Tide. This season they will travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to play the LSU Tigers on Nov. 22. LSU is 2-0 all-time vs WKU.
The Hilltoppers will wrap up the 2025 season with a Conference USA Championship rematch versus Jacksonville State on Nov. 29.
In a must-win season finale for WKU last season, the Hilltoppers defeated the Gamecocks 19-17. Jax State manhandled WKU in the conference championship game the following week, 52-12.
The CUSA Championship Game is scheduled for Dec. 5 and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. All regular season game times and networks are to be announced.
