One hundred miles just to lose.
WKU Football handled little brother Middle Tennessee State 42-26 in their regular-season home opener. They increased their consecutive wins against the Blue Raiders to seven and kept their conference championship hopes alive with two games remaining this season.
The Good
The first time I ever watched the Hilltoppers on the field was their 2022 Bowl Game against South Alabama. The Hilltoppers were basically unstoppable, amassing 677 yards of total offense and 30 first downs. This is exactly what went down Saturday against MTSU, with the Hilltoppers going for 642 total yards and 29 first downs. Oh, and they scored over 40 in both games.
The Hilltoppers have found a groove offensively. It started immediately in the first quarter with their first opening-drive touchdown of the season. Head coach Tyson Helton and offensive coordinator Rick Bowie took the handcuffs off of redshirt sophomore quarterback Rodney Tisdale, where, despite his pick, he threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns while running for a fourth.
“As you guys see tonight, he made some outstanding throws, and he’s starting to play with confidence,” Helton said. “He’s doing exactly what I thought he would. He’s a quality football player and I’m excited for his future.”
What really ties this offensive showcase together was the running game, which stampeded for 271 yards and 7.1 yards per carry. 196 of those yards came from freshman running back Marvis Parrish and senior La’Vell Wright. Senior George Hart III added 46 yards, and you really get to see that the Hilltopper offense could do whatever they wanted. A score-at-will threat that has flashed throughout this season. This game put it on full display for four quarters.
The Bad
There were two points where every media member in the pressbox looked at each other with wide eyes. The first time was when the Blue Raiders intercepted Tisdale and turned it into three points. The second time was when MTSU scored, bringing it to 21-16.
WKU never trailed, but being in a one-score game, even early, with a one-win team, is not a good sign. MTSU went up and down the field themselves, but in gigantic chunk plays. A 68-yard pass early in the second quarter, a 64-yard run, and a 52-yard touchdown pass all happened on consecutive drives. The defense was gashed for most of the game, and a one-loss team getting 541 yards of total offense is never a good sign. The Blue Raiders’ 152 rush yards were the second most this season.
“I would say, you know, sometimes, we missed a step,” said redshirt senior defensive back Dave Herard. “Coach always said to not always leave your feet. Make sure you wrap up and get the man down, and I feel like we messed up on a few of those.”
What’s next?
Hilltoppers must drive their momentum into Death Valley. LSU has won against non-conference opponents Clemson and Southeastern Louisiana, and defeated CUSA member and fellow Louisiana team, LA Tech. WKU will face the team from Baton Rouge in their last non-conference game of the season before their matchup with the Gamecocks.
LSU fired its head coach, Brian Kelly, earlier in the season. After starting the season 4-0, they would lose four of their next five games. After being eliminated from playoff contention, they now play for a better bowl game and have a chance to ruin Oklahoma’s playoff chances in their regular-season finale in Norman.
“What a great opportunity to be on a big stage,” Helton said. “It’s what you play for. If we play our best game, and we play clean football and don’t make bonehead mistakes, then we’ll have a chance to win this game.
Despite LSU’s down season, they are still an SEC team, and it will be WKU’s most difficult game this season. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, Caden Durham, and Barion Brown will test the WKU offense both on the ground and through the air. Brown, a Nashville native, played his first three seasons at the University of Kentucky before transferring to LSU this season.
Meanwhile, on the defense, LSU has linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and safety A.J. Haulcy. Perkins has two interceptions and four sacks, both of which lead the team. Haulcy leads the team in tackles. Add in the crowd, making it a hostile environment, and you’ve got a recipe for bayou gumbo that can catch any Group of 5 team off guard.
“What a great opportunity to be on a big stage,” Helton said. “It’s what you play for. If we play our best game, and we play clean football and don’t make bonehead mistakes, then we’ll have a chance to win this game.
“When we play a [team] with a larger crowd, we pump in crowd noise and the band,” Helton said. “LSU has a fantastic band, and they’re always playing. Our players are very excited, and we’re going to see if we can get a big win.”
