2020 FOOTBALL GAME NOTES @WKUFootball @wkufootball www.WKUSports.com /WKUFootball WKUSports Media Contact: Bryan Fyalkowski, Associate Director of Media Relations • [email protected] • 412-335-2675 • @fyalkowski FOOTBALL Secondary Contact: Matt Keenan, Assistant Director of Media Relations • [email protected] • 814-853-6645 • @Keenan_mck3 Tertiary Contact: Dana Brown, Media Relations Coordinator • [email protected] • 317-752-6161 • @dana_colleen37 NOTING THE GAME – WKU at MIDDLE TENNESSEE WHERE TO FIND IT GAME 3 The teams will meet for the 70th time, with the Blue Raiders holding a 35-33- 1 all-time advantage. The Hilltoppers have won 4 of the past 5 matchups. at Middle Tennessee 2019 H2H Recap................. 2 The first meetings between WKU and Middle Tennessee were in 1914 and 4 p.m. | Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium The Matchup ....................... 3 1915, with the Blue Raiders winning both by a score of 47-0. The two played 4 Depth Chart ......................... 4 Play-by-Play: Jake Rose times in 5 years from 1921-to-1925, then in every year from 1928-to-1936. After not meeting in 1937 or 1938, they faced off once per year from 1939-to-1941. HC Tyson Helton ................ 5 Analyst: Jeremy Kellem 2020 Rosters .................... 6-7 STREAM: After a 10-year haitus, the two matched up in every season from 1952-to-1991 except for 1986. The Hilltoppers did not play their close rival from 1992-to-2006, Talking Points ................8-11 Stats and Info ............. 12-19 Play-by-Play: Randy Lee but the two have faced off in every season since 2007 except for 2013. Analyst: Terry Obee In 6 matchups from 2011-to-2017, 4 of them went into at least double 2020 Recaps ............... 20-21 RADIO: Sideline: Tyler Eaton overtime. WKU won 36-33 in 2011 in 2OT, Middle Tennessee won 50-47 in 2014 2020 Statistics ............ 22-30 Hilltopper IMG Sports Network: 100.7 FM, 1450 AM in 3OT, WKU won 44-43 in 2016 in 2OT and WKU won 41-38 in 2017 in 3OT. WKU is 20-15 all-time in Bowling Green, while Middle Tennessee is 20-13-1 in Internet Radio: WKUSports.tv and TuneIn app Murfreesboro. Since 1940, the past 53 meetings have alternated hosts. Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/wku/football ALL-TIME ON OCT. 3 OMARI ALEXANDER’S SWISS ARMY KNIFE GAME WKU HILLTOPPERS (0-2) Returning to his home city of Louisville, senior defensive back Omari All-Time, 7-5-1 Score W/L Opponent YEAR DATE OPPONENT TIME (CT) RESULT/TV Alexander had one of the most unique performances you will ever see on a 49-10 W at Rice 2015 September football field. He racked up a fumble recovery on a muffed punt, a blocked 31-10 W at ULM 2013 12 at Louisville 7 p.m. L, 21-35 punt, an interception, a tackle for loss and 5 total tackles (3 solo, 2 assisted). 24-21 W New Haven 1998 19 Liberty 11 a.m. L, 24-30 According to ESPN Stats & Info, Alexander was only 1-of-2 FBS players (Tyler 10-20 L at Eastern KY 1987 October Murray of Charlotte) with an interception, fumble recovery and tackle for loss in 10-10 T at East TN 1970 3 at Middle Tennessee* 4 p.m. ESPN3 the same game in 2020, while only 10 players did that in all of 2019. Note: ESPN 0-9 L MTSU 1964 10 Marshall* (HC) 6:30 p.m. Stadium Stats & Info has difficulty researching any individual games with blocked punts. 2-37 L at MTSU 1959 17 at UAB* 12:30 p.m. Stadium In addition, he was the first Hilltopper to block a punt since A.J. Brathwaite, Jr. 7-18 L at Stetson 1953 24 Chattanooga 3 p.m. ESPN 3/+ 19-13 W Marshall 1942 31 at BYU* TBD TBD on Oct. 19, 2019 vs. Charlotte. 19-13 W at MTSU 1941 November 27-0 W TN Tech 1936 7 at Florida Atlantic* 5 p.m. Stadium DEANGELO MALONE’S BREAKOUT CAMPAIGN 7-28 L at Centre 1931 14 Southern Miss* 2:30 p.m. CBS SN DeAngelo Malone established himself as one of the most productive 24-6 W Bethel (TN) 1925 21 FIU* 1 p.m. ESPN 3/+ defensive players in the country, and one of the most dynamic defensive ends 28 at Charlotte* TBD CBS SN in recent memory. He became the first Hilltopper to be voted Conference MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS (0-3) USA Defensive Player of the Year since joining the league prior to the 2014 campaign, producing 99 total tackles (54 solo, 45 assisted) – including 21 for SCAN FOR 2019 DATE OPPONENT TIME (CT) RESULT/TV loss (ranked fourth in the nation) – with 11.5 sacks (ranked 12th in the nation), DeANGELO MALONE September 5 at Army 12:30 p.m. L, 0-42 16 quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. FEATURE STORY 19 Troy 2:30 p.m. L, 14-47 He set the WKU FBS Era record (dating back to 2009) in TFL’s, while becoming 26 at UTSA* 7 p.m. L, 35-37 only the fourth defender in all-time Hilltopper history with double-digit October quarterback takedowns. His 11.5 sacks were the third-most ever by a Hilltopper, 3 WKU* (HC) 4 p.m. ESPN3 while his 19 career sacks rank fifth all-time. His 99 total tackles were the third- 10 at FIU* 6 p.m. ESPN3 most by an FBS defensive lineman in a single-season over the past decade. 17 North Texas* 4 p.m. Stadium His most notable performance of 2019 came on Oct. 5 at Old Dominion, 24 at Rice* 2:30 p.m. ESPN3 where he recorded nine tackles – including a career-high four for loss – with November a career-high three sacks along with three quarterback hurries. Among all 7 Charlotte* 2:30 p.m. ESPN3 returning players to college football in 2020 (pre-COVID), he ranks fourth 14 at Marshall* 12:30 p.m. CBS SN 21 at Troy 2:30 p.m. TBD with 11.5 sacks and third with 21 tackles for loss. In addition, he is only 1-of-3 28 Florida Atlantic* TBD CBS SN returning conference Defensive Players of the Year out of the 10 FBS leagues. NUMBERS TO WATCH at ALL-TIME SERIES (PAGE 3) .......MTSU LEADS, 35-33-1 8-3 107 311 Matchups in Murfreesboro ...............MTSU leads, 20-13-1 Matchups in Bowling Green ..................WKU leads, 20-15 Dating back to 2012, the Hilltoppers are The first-ever meeting between WKU and The Hilltoppers’ 25-man senior class brings Matchups since 2011 .................................WKU leads, 5-3 8-3 following a bye week. WKU has not Middle Tennessee was in 1914, meaning 311 career starts to the table going into Tyson Helton Career/at WKU ........................................ 9-6 faced Middle Tennessee following a bye the head-to-head series spans 107 years. Game 3 of the season. Safety Devon Key Rick Stockstill Career/at MTSU ................................. 91-88 week during that time frame. (PAGE 3) The longest break was from 1991-2007. leads WKU with 39 career starts on The Hill. 2020 WKU Football GAME NOTES 2019 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECAP Middle Tennessee 3 10 0 13 -- 26 SCORING SUMMARY WKU 3 7 7 14 -- 31 Team Qtr Time Scoring Play Pl. TOP Score MTSU 1 9:27 Crews Holt 26-yard field goal 13-66 5:33 0-3 November 30, 2019 • Houchens-Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Ky. • 7,589 WKU 1 1:13 Cory Munson 21-yard field goal 11-40 5:37 3-3 MTSU 2 14:02 Upton 17-yard pass from O’Hara (Holt kick) 3-37 0:58 3-10 BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Gaej Walker rushed for 119 WKU 2 3:44 Ty Storey 27-yard rush (Munson kick) 3-96 1:25 10-10 yards and his fourth-quarter touchdown capped a 31-26 win GAME NOTES MTSU 2 0:30 Crews Holt 20-yard field goal 9-72 3:14 10-13 as WKU rallied past Middle Tennessee. WKU 3 13:40 Jackson 64-yard pass from Storey (Munson kick) 3-75 1:20 17-13 • WKU’s team captains for the game MTSU 4 12:43 Pierce 24-yard pass from O’Hara (Munson kick) 10-80 4:46 17-20 The Hilltoppers (8-4, 6-2 C-USA) trailed 20-17 entering the were A.J. Brathwaite, Jr., Ta’Corian WKU 4 7:14 Jernighan 3-yard pass from Storey (Munson kick) 2-36 0:40 24-20 final period but wrapped two touchdowns around a Middle Darden and Miles Pate. WKU 4 3:28 Gaej Walker 5-yard rush (Munson kick) 6-56 2:04 31-20 Tennessee fumble to claim the win. Ty Storey, who passed for MTSU 4 0:43 Lee 11-yard pass from O’Hara (rush failed) 12-78 2:41 31-26 • WKU improved to 33-35-1 all-time 294 yards and two touchdowns, tossed a 3-yard pass to Quin against Middle Tennessee, including Jernighan as the Hilltoppers leapt ahead 24-20 with 7:14 left. a 20-15 mark in Bowling Green. The STATISTICS LEADERS Hilltoppers have won 4 of the past 5 Middle Tennessee had the ball for five plays before Damon matchups in the series. Lowe recovered a fumble at the 44. Storey fired a 16-yard WKU pass to Jahcour Pearson and also rushed for 16 yards quickly • WKU won on Senior Day/Night for setting up a first-and-goal from the 7.