WKU Football took down LA Tech on the road in overtime, keeping them afloat in the conference race.
With quarterback Maverick McIvor sidelined, redshirt freshman Rodney Tisdale Jr. stepped in to help the Hilltoppers earn win number six on the year. The win makes them bowl eligible for the seventh consecutive season.
The Good
In the absence of McIvor, Tisdale Jr. stepped in, delivering 227 yards through the air and a touchdown while tacking on an extra 73 yards on the ground. He did all of this against a tough Bulldog defense on the road. He extended plays with his legs and helped the Hilltoppers go 2-2 on fourth down conversions.
Speculation arose around McIvor, who did not play due to a shoulder injury, but was fully dressed. Head Coach Tyson Helton mentioned the injury in the postgame interview with CBS Sports Network, saying that “I could’ve played Mav, but I just felt like we could go out there with Rodney and get it done.” McIvor did not appear in the injury report prior to the game.
The Hilltoppers’ defense allowed just 103 rushing yards, the lowest for a team this season. They eliminated the run game for the Bulldogs and forced them to go through the air.
The Bad
The Hilltoppers’ offense in the first half and in the second half were two different teams. In the first half, WKU scored 20 points, 14 first downs and averaged 5.3 yards per play. The Hilltoppers scored points on their first four drives of the game, limiting LA Tech to just seven points despite the Bulldogs having 225 yards total in the first half.
The second half was a complete flip. LA Tech managed 224 total yards in the second half and scored 20 unanswered points. A kick return to open the half stole all of the momentum from the Hilltoppers. WKU didn’t find a spark until overtime, where they scored their first touchdown in the extra period and the game-winning two-point conversion.
Is It Ugly?
The most important takeaway from this game is that the Hilltoppers found a way to win. They needed overtime to do it, but wins are wins.
The Hilltoppers sit in third place in the conference behind Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State, both are undefeated in conference play. WKU plays the Gamecocks as the regular season finale, so an opportunity arises for the Hilltoppers to make the conference championship game.
“It was a great team win,” Helton said. “We made plays all over the field when it counted the most, on critical downs and that’s what you want to do in a good win.”
