New-look offense on full display in WKU's season-opening rout of UT Martin

Western Kentucky’s new-look offensive system was on full display Thursday night.

After getting off to a shaky start, the Hilltoppers -- spearheaded by Houston Baptist transfer quarterback Bailey Zappe -- settled down, locked in and went to work showing exactly what their offense is made of: playing fast and scoring points.

Once down 7-0, WKU scored 28 straight points to build a three-touchdown lead and opened up a 42-14 advantage early into the third quarter before running away with a dominating 59-21 season-opening win over FCS program UT Martin at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Zappe, in his WKU debut, completed 28 of 35 passes for 424 yards, seven touchdowns and an interception, while new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley’s offense put up 587 total yards and went 5-for-5 when in the red zone.

Alongside Zappe’s sensational performance, fellow Houston Baptist transfer Jerreth Sterns made seven catches for 107 yards and two TDs and was one of six wide receivers to catch a TD pass from Zappe.

Off to a 1-0 start to the season, WKU will take a step up in competition next Saturday as it travels to West Point, New York for a matchup with Army. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., with the game being broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

WKU certainly didn’t start out the way it wanted.

After winning the coin toss and deferring their option to the second half, the Hilltoppers’ defense allowed UT Martin to march down the field and score on the opening drive. The Skyhawks covered 75 yards in 10 plays and capped their series with a two-yard touchdown run by quarterback Keon Howard to hold an early 7-0 lead.

Zappe’s first pass in a WKU uniform was a first-down toss to his longtime teammate Sterns, but his second attempt was intercepted by UT Martin and gave the Skyhawks possession again, but they weren’t able to get anywhere on their series.

While the Hilltoppers’ second drive ended with a punt, their new-look offense finally came together on their third series.

Following a short run by North Dakota State running back transfer Adam Cofield, Zappe received a snap, stepped back and unloaded a deep pass to Oregon wide receiver transfer Daewood Davis, who then made the catch and sprinted untouched down the left sideline for a 73-yard TD. The quick two-play drive helped WKU tie it at 7-7 with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter.

WKU struck again on the first play of the second as Zappe threw a 10-yard TD pass to Mitchell Tinsley to cap a six-play, 55-yard series and give the Hilltoppers a 14-7 lead.

Zappe’s third TD strike of the game was a 22-yard toss to Sterns and stretched the Tops’ advantage to 21-7 at the 9:31 mark of the quarter, and they soon made it a 28-7 contest as Malacho Corley caught an eight-yard pass from Zappe.

UT Martin finally answered the four consecutive scores by WKU with a six-play, 85-yard series -- finishing it off with a 27-yard TD pass from Howard to wideout Colton Dowell just before halftime to change the scoreboard to 28-14 WKU at the break.

The Hilltoppers’ fifth score of the night came early into the third quarter as Zappe threw a seven-yard TD pass to Sterns to make it 35-14 at the 12:51 mark. Just over a minute and a half later, Zappe’s sixth TD strike was delivered to tight end Josh Simon as he reeled in a 45-yard reception to push the WKU lead to 42-14.

Brayden Narveson kicked -- and made -- a 30-yard field goal to make it 45-14, and Zappe’s seventh TD pass, a short three-yarder to Simon, pushed the Tops’ advantage to 52-14 with 14:17 remaining in the game.

San Diego State transfer quarterback Carson Baker replaced Zappe late in the fourth quarter and kept the scoring going -- firing a 54-yard TD pass to receiver Craig Burt to extend the WKU lead to 59-21 and seal it.

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