Team Stats
WKU EKU
1st Downs 26 12
Total Yards 422 215
Passing 286 83
Rushing 132 -136
Penalties 7-71 5-34
3rd Down Conv. 9-17 3-14
4th Down Conv. 0-0 1-2
Turnovers nbsp 3 1
Possession 35:25 24:25
#3 David Wolke was 16-28 278 yards o TDs 1 INT.
#7 K.J. Black was 9-14 114 yards 1 TD 0 INT.
#1 Tyrell Hayden led the Hilltoppers in rushing accounting for 47 yards on 10 carries.
#15 Curtis Hamilton caught 12 passes for 139 yards to lead the Hilltoppers in receiving.
#86 Quinterrance Cooper had 4 receptions for 61 yards and 1 TD.
#11 Jake Gaebler also had 4 catchers for 44 yards.
#53 Dusty Bear lead the defense with inspired play, 8 tackles, and 1 sack.
#10 Marion Rumph recorded 7 tackles while #25 Alonzo Higgins and #13 Andre Lewis recorded 6 tackles each.
It was the defense that started the Hilltoppers scoring when #25 Alonzo Higgins tackled EKU RB Bobby Washington in the end zone for a safety.
#9 Rashad Etheridge and #5 Bo Smith played lights out in the secondary. Etheridge broke up 2 well thrown passes and Smith recorded the Hilltoppers only turnover with an interception.
Special teams were just on this day. #83 Chris James is as sure footed as any kicker in America. James was 100% on the day and continues to be a weapon on kickoffs but consistently putting the ball in the end zone. #44 Jeremy Moore put on a performance with pinning the Colonels just outside their goal line twice in the 4th quarter. #21 Jihad Morris blocked a punt and #28 Stephen Willis recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown for the Hilltoppers first score of the 3rd quarter.
The Battle of the Bluegrass is a huge rivalry and the atmosphere on campus was electric. Both teams played hard nosed, physical football for 60 minutes. Offensively, WKU did not score in pinball fashion as they did last week. However, anyone that knows anything about football and this rivalry knew better than to expect that to happen. Defensively, WKU was more physical and simply out hit EKU all day.
Special Teams continues to play winning football week in and week out.
Now that the Battle of the Bluegrass is in the books, it’s "Middle Time" on the Hill this week. The Hilltoppers will be on the road Thursday evening facing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.