Another season of Western Kentucky football is here and InsideHilltopperSports.com will be tackling some big questions heading into the start of fall camp.
We start by discussing what the Hilltoppers' biggest game of the 2018 season will be.
Ryan Dearbone, Staff Writer: The most important game for the Tops in 2018 will be against the "Boys in Blue" aka the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. By the time the Tops visit Murfreesboro in week nine, I believe WKU should be floating around a .500 record if they win the games they should (Maine, Ball State, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Florida International) and can escape games against Marshall, Louisville, and Wisconsin without major injuries. That point of the schedule will also play a huge factor in whether WKU will be able to secure enough wins to go bowling, as they have the past few seasons. MTSU would love nothing more than to put the screws to Sanford and company to keep them from reaching bowl eligibility on their field, and maybe at all. Not to mention, the classic games these two teams have shared over the years should mean that this season should really be no different. In my book, both teams are fairly evenly matched, so it should make the game more interesting.
If Coach Mike Sanford can find the formula to prop up his passing game (which at times was painful to watch last year) with Eckels and utliize Lucky Jackson, Quin Jernighan and others while carving out an energetic running game, then WKU can pull out a victory against Middle.
This is truly a must-win for WKU not only for a possible postseason berth, but also for momentum for the Tops to close out the season on a high and push for another bowl appearance.
Sean Williams, Publisher: The conference opener at home on September 29th against Marshall will perhaps be the most important contest for Western Kentucky this season. It's wedged right after the non-conference portion of the schedule and right before the bye week. Realistically, you'd think WKU will be 2-2 at that point in the season and will have some offensive questions (Is Eckels THE guy at QB? Can they run the ball effectively?) answered. The game against the Thundering Herd will serve as a significant measuring stick on whether the Tops will be contenders in C-USA this season. If they win, the Tops can head into the bye week with a 3-2 record and more than likely another sure-fire win against lowly Charlotte on the road on October 13th. After that, the conference schedule gets tougher with home games against Old Dominion and Florida International followed by road games against Middle Tennessee and the reigning C-USA champs Florida Atlantic.
Jay Siskin, Staff Writer: Mike Sanford is entering year number two — a pivotal year I might add — under the helm as head football football coach of Western Kentucky. While the Hilltoppers took a small step back a year ago, they still managed to go to a ball game, although it ended in a deflating loss. With Sanford trying to get WKU above .500 once again, there are several key swing games on the schedule the Hilltoppers must grab to secure a chance at reaching the postseason.
The most important game might just be WKU’s second road game of the season when it travels to Louisville to take on the Cardinals. One reason being, it will be a tall task for the Hilltoppers to come out of week one with a 1-0 record against a program that will be in contention for the college football playoff. Ensuing the road trip to Madison, Sanford and company have a shoe-in game against Maine.That means the Hilltoppers are projected to be 1-1 heading into the third week of an early season. A win over Louisville sets WKU up to go 3-1 heading into Conference USA play, and just half way in becoming eligible for a postseason berth.
Reason two is simple, a win over the Cardinals can go a long ways when it comes to recruiting the state of Kentucky, and the surrounding states for that matter. When Jeff Brohm left for Purdue, the Hilltopper football program lost a dynamic coach to go along with a dynamic recruiter. If Sanford — who is a pretty decent recruiter in his own right — can come out of Cardinal stadium with a 2-1 record and bragging rights, it’s a message to the rest of the state that WKU is in the right track to being back in contention for conference championships.
Shane Bearden, Contributor: As of right now the most important game of the season is the first one. WKU travels to Madison, Wisconsin to face off against a Top 10 nationally ranked Badgers team. Now I am sure some are thinking how can this be the most important game of the season when the odds of WKU winning are pretty slim? The reason is because, regardless of if the Toppers lose, a good showing can set a tone for the rest of the season and provide optimism for a currently downtrodden fan base. Being the first game of the season will allow for a lot of questions to be answered:
Is there an undisputed starter at QB? Will the run game be able to improve off of a poor 2017? How will the offensive line be able to handle pressure?Will the defense continue to be a strength and take another step? Will the offensive play calling improve in year two of the new coaching staff? Are the players totally bought in?
I know these questions are hard to judge when playing a top team in the country. Though answers can and will be found if you look hard enough. It won't just be about the final score line. Some of the best Topper teams in recent memory struggled to earn a victory early in the year against teams from the Big 10 and SEC. See recent games vs Alabama, Illinois, and Indiana for reference. But you can learn about the fight and potential of teams even in those early season losses. If the Tops can answer some of the questions listed above in a positive way, then it could be a sign that the Tops could be correcting their course after a drop off last season. WKU fans could once again find some excitement for the games ahead.
Steven Bean, Contributor: The most important game on the schedule for the team heading into 2018 is going to be the week four against the Marshall Thundering Herd. The conference opener, at home, against a huge rival.
Should I say more?
Last season the Tops dropped a close 30-23 contest. It is imperative that WKU get a win in this game to set the tone for the conference schedule. They are likely heading into the game 2-2 and if they can be competitive in their two games against the power fives, Wisconsin and Louisville, they will have some major confidence heading into their showdown with the Thundering Herd. Score a win against Marshall and the Tops will set themselves up for a strong season and another bowl game.
Hannah Page, Staff Writer: This is a toughie. WKU begins its season with all four of its non-conference games: Wisconsin, Maine (FCS), Louisville, and Ball State. Each game is of utmost importance in its own respect.
To answer this question, I asked myself: “Which game would be most impactful on the season and program?”
Louisville.
The reasons are four-fold.
1.Bobby Petrino – The Hilltopperswill face ex-WKU Football head coach Bobby Petrino. During his lone season at WKU (2013), WKU went 8-4 and without a bowl invitation. Petrino returned to Louisville in 2014 and has since accumulated a record of 75-27, with 4 bowl appearances, 1 bowl win, and ended 2014 and 2016 in the Top 25. Facing a nationally known, ex-head coachguarantees a headline.
2. In-State Competition/Recruiting – The Hilltoppers last played an in-state FBS opponent in 2013, when WKU defeated Kentucky 35-26. It has been 20 years since WKU and Louisville’s most recent matchup. As it stands, the Cardinals lead the all-time series 19-12.
Facing Louisville provides WKU the prime platform for in-state recruiting and the top talent in the Commonwealth. The following Class of 2019 and 2020 Kentucky high school players hold offers from both Louisville and WKU and are, currently, “undecided”: JJ Weaver (DE, 4-star), Wandale Robinson (ATH, 4-star), Jared Casey (ILB, 4-star), Devito Tisdale (CB, 4-star), Izayah Cummings (WR, 3-star).
I would be remiss if I did not mention that some of WKU’s best and/or productive players have hailed from Louisville (Taywan Taylor (Titans), Ace Wales, Deon Yelder (Saints), Joe Brown).
3. Chance to Achieve Goal #4 (somewhat)–In 2017, WKU had two opportunities to defeat Power Fiveprograms; unfortunately, the Hilltoppers fell flat. Illinois (Big Ten) defeated WKU 20-7 while Vanderbilt (SEC) won 31-17. Should WKU’s outcome be victorious against the Cards, the Hilltoppers would partially achieve goal #4 of head coach Mike Sanford’s five-prong goals: “defeat a Power Five conference team annually.”
4. Preparation for [Tough] Conference Play – Leading up to the Marshall game, I anticipate a 2-2 start (wins over Maine and Ball State). With nearly one month of non-conference play, the Hilltoppers will have a lot of time to work out the kinks and identifytheir playmakers. The Louisville game will be an uphill challenge, but a more realistic indicator (especially without Lamar Jackson)than Wisconsin and Maine. If the Hilltoppers can stay in the game and make it a competition, there will be a healthy optimism and positive outlook against the likes of Marshall, MTSU, and FAU.
I perceive it as such…
Wins over Maine and Ball State are realistic and expected. Improving and doing well in conference playno matter the team is demanded. A win over the Top 10 Wisconsin is not likely. But Louisville? The matchup checks all the boxes. It may be a long shot, but the rewards of simply playing well and staying in the game are so high they become very important.
