Western Kentucky is beginning preparations for another game as it was announced Sunday night that the Hilltoppers had accepted an invitation to the LendingTree Bowl — scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 26 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

Facing off against Georgia State at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, WKU (5-6 overall) — which capped its regular season on December 6 with a 37-19 win at Charlotte — will be participating in its seventh postseason bowl in the past nine years. The Hilltoppers have compiled a 4-2 record in their past six bowl contests — with the wins coming in the 2014 Bahamas Bowl, 2015 Miami Beach Bowl, 2016 Boca Raton Bowl and 2019 First Responder Bowl.

“We’re excited to be heading to Mobile and playing in the LendingTree Bowl,” WKU AD Todd Stewart said on a Zoom conference call with reporters on Monday morning. “A bowl game is always a reward for what was accomplished in that specific season. For the 2020 team, this was truly earned and recognizes the success that this team had.”

The LendingTree Bowl will mark the third all-time meeting between WKU and Georgia State — and a rematch of the 2017 Cure Bowl, a game in which the Toppers lost 27-17 in Orlando, Florida. Prior to that postseason bowl contest, WKU beat the Panthers 44-28 in 2013.

The LendingTree Bowl will be WKU’s 12th game of the season, and the Hilltoppers are just 1-of-19 FBS teams that played 11 games in the 2020 regular season with the global COVID-19 pandemic happening.

“Based on the enormous challenges everyone faced this season, to end up playing 11 games, win 5 with a very difficult non-conference schedule, go 4-3 in the league and finish with a three-game winning streak — there’s no doubt this team deserved and earned one of Conference USA’s bowl spots.”

Helton comments on hiring of new OC/QBs coach Zach Kittley and staff changes

In addition to the bowl game announcement, Western Kentucky announced Monday morning the hiring of Zach Kittley — who has spent the past three seasons in the same role at Houston Baptist — as the team’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Kittley’s offenses at Houston Baptist were sensational — averaging 426.6 yards per game in 2019 and 394.3 yards per game in 2018. The Huskies played just four games — all against FBS opponents — in 2020 due to COVID-19 postponing the FCS season, but they still averaged 547.5 yards and 33.75 points per game.

Prior to Houston Baptist, Kittley spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach and assistant quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, where he helped coach current NFL standout QB Patrick Mahomes.

“Really excited to have the opportunity to hire Zach,” WKU head coach Tyson Helton told reporters Monday morning on a Zoom conference call. “I think he’s a dynamic coach that’s going to bring a lot of energy and brings a new flavor to the table. I think he’s going to be able to bring another dimension to the offense that I’m looking for.”

With Kittley joining the staff as the new OC and QBs coach, Helton said that current OC and QBs coach Bryan Ellis will still hold the same role for the bowl game, but will have a different offensive role next season.

“Coach Ellis is with us on staff,” Helton said. “Coach Ellis is a part of us and plans to be here. I think Coach Ellis is a tremendous football coach. I think he brings great value to our program. I’m looking forward to him being a part of what we’re going to do offensively. He’ll be working in an offensive role position. He’s still going to be the offensive coordinator in the bowl and running the show.”

Helton wouldn’t comment on any other staff changes at the time.