Ty Storey was ready to go.
Although it wasn't publicly announced who would be Western Kentucky's starting quarterback Saturday night against Alabama-Birmingham, the team -- and Storey -- knew he would be QB1 when the Hilltoppers took their first offensive snap.
Storey -- a graduate transfer from Arkansas -- stepped up to the challenge in his first outing on The Hill.
Completing 15-of-24 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 13 carries for 26 yards, Storey helped guide WKU to a 20-13 win in front of 20,304 fans at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
The Hilltoppers (2-2 overall, 2-0 Conference USA) and UAB were knotted at 3-3 after the opening quarter and Western led 13-10 at halftime. The Blazers (3-1, 0-1) tied it in the third, but WKU assembled a big drive early into the fourth and capped it with a score to retake the lead and held off UAB from there.
Alongside Storey's numbers, wide receiver Jahcour Pearson made five catches for 94 yards and a TD, while tight end Joshua Simon made three receptions for 26 yards and a TD.
UAB struck first by taking advantage of an early WKU miscue.
After the Hilltoppers received the opening kickoff as UAB won the coin toss and deferred its option to the second half, Western turned the ball over on its very first play. As Storey threw a backwards pass to running back Gaej Walker, who couldn’t make the catch and it fell on the ground, it was ruled a fumble and the Blazers recovered.
Starting its drive at the Toppers’ 19, UAB wasn’t able to find the end zone but settled for a 31-yard field goal by Nick Vogel – which went through the uprights and gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead at the 13:11 mark of the first quarter.
WKU responded late in the quarter, using a 35-yard field goal from Cory Munson to even the scoreboard at 3-all at the 2:55 mark. The Toppers looked to have scored on a three-yard run by Walker, but it was called back due to a facemask penalty and they settled for three points.
UAB assembled a lengthy 15-play, 80-yard drive that knocked 7:29 off the clock on its first series of the second and capped it with a two-yard TD run from Spencer Brown to put itself up 10-3 at the 10:21 mark.
The Toppers answered – and in a big way.
Putting together an eight-play, 68-yard drive that lasted 3:11, WKU scored on an eight-yard TD pass from Storey to Simon. Storey received the snap and threw left to Simon, who made the catch and squeezed in near the left corner of the end zone to tie it at 10-all with 7:03 remaining in the half.
WKU added three more points to its side of the board near the end of the half as Munson made a kick from 28 yards out. Munson’s successful attempt gave the Toppers a 13-10 lead – their first of the night – and they took that same advantage into the locker room at the break.
The contest remained competitive throughout the ensuing half.
UAB effectively – and quickly – moved the ball downfield on its first series of the second half, but WKU kept it from getting into the end zone.
After Ta’Corian Darden made a big tackle for a loss of four yards on a pitch, the Blazers then couldn’t convert on 3rd and 14 and had to settle for a 38-yard field goal. Vogel’s kick was good and helped the Blazers even things at 13-all at the 9:17 mark of the third – and the score remained the same through the remainder of the period.
One of the most consistent drives WKU had assembled in quite some time helped it retake the lead early into the final quarter.
Covering 62 yards on eight plays in 3:31, Storey connected with Pearson from seven yards out to put the Hilltoppers up 20-13 with 11:17 remaining. Storey went 5-for-6 for 56 yards and the TD on the series and hit four different receivers -- and the series proved to be the difference.
WKU will try for a second straight win next Saturday when it travels to Old Dominion for a 5 p.m. kickoff.
Tyler Mansfield; @ByMansfield
