Helton, Hilltoppers beat rival MTSU, finish regular season with 8 wins
Make it an eight-win regular season for Western Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers – and first-year head coach Tyson Helton – capped their 2019 slate with a 31-26 win over longtime rival Middle Tennessee on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
WKU (8-4 overall, 6-2 Conference USA) and MTSU (4-8, 3-5) were tied 3-3 after the opening quarter, and the Tops trailed 13-10 at halftime. They went on to outscore the Blue Raiders 21-13 in the second half to come out on top and head into the postseason riding a three-game win streak.
The Toppers will play in a bowl game sometime in December. The destination and opponent will be announced in the next week or so.
Middle Tennessee struck first with a 26-yard field goal from Crews Holt to take a 3-0 lead at the 9:32 mark of the first quarter. Ty Storey connected with Quin Jernighan for a gain of 26 yards to move WKU into MTSU territory on its next drive, but the Hilltoppers stalled and had to punt.
Cory Munson’s 21-yard field goal evened the scoreboard at 3-3 after 15 minutes of action, but the Blue Raiders got going quickly in the ensuing quarter and scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Asher O’Hara to Isiah Upton to cap a quick three-play, 37-yard drive in 0:58 and put MTSU up 10-3 at the 14:02 mark.
WKU answered with 3:44 left in the half as Storey kept it himself and scored from 27 yards out to even things up at 10-10. After Gaej Walker took a handoff 47 yards to midfield on the Toppers’ first play of the series, Storey then put his feet to work and crossed the pylon to finish off a three-play, 96-yard set that lasted 1:25.
Holt’s second made field goal – this one a 20-yarder – sent Middle Tennessee into the locker room at the break with a 13-10 lead.
The Hilltoppers started the second half on a strong note, needing just three plays to take a 17-13 lead on a 64-yard TD pass from Storey to Lucky Jackson. Storey received the snap, stepped back and found Jackson open along the right sideline. The wideout made the catch, then cut up the middle of the field before reaching the endzone to put WKU in front.
Western had the chance to score six points as Munson attempted a pair of field goals on back-to-back possessions – a 32-yarder and 33-yarder – but both attempts sailed wide right and the Hilltoppers still held their 17-13 lead entering the fourth.
MTSU retook the lead – 20-17 – early into the final period as O’Hara hit Jarrin Pierce with a 24-yard TD strike. O’Hara delivered a perfect ball to his receiver down the left sideline to set up the score and cap as 10-play, 80-yard drive that knocked 4:46 off the clock.
After Middle Tennessee faked a punt and went for it on fourth down and couldn’t convert, the Hilltoppers took over at the Blue Raiders’ 36 and needed just two plays to score on a three-yard TD pass from Store to Jernighan. The duo connected for a 33-yard gain on the first play to set up the score and put WKU back up.
A fumble by Mobley was recovered by Damon Lowe to give the Tops the ball at their own 44 with 5:32 remaining – and Walker’s five-yard TD run that increased the advantage to 31-20 with 3:28 left.
O'Hara threw an 11-yard TD pass to Ty Lee to bring MTSU within 31-26 with 0:43 to go, but that's as close as it would get as WKU hung on for the victory.