WKU bowl-eligible for 5th straight season

Nov. 19—BOWLING GREEN — The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are ready to go bowling again.

WKU became bowl-eligible for the fifth consecutive season under head coach Tyson Helton on a Senior Day Saturday with a 28-23 conquest of visiting Sam Houston State in a back-and-forth Conference USA football game at Houchens/Smith Stadium.

Hilltoppers linebacker Desmyn Baker intercepted Keegan Shoemaker's fourth-and-goal pass in the end zone with 38 seconds remaining after the Bearkats drove to the Western 8-yard line on their final drive of the game.

"This was a great team victory — I'm so proud of this bunch," Helton said. "We're bowl-eligible once again and that's a big thing around here. We love going to bowl games and we love winning bowl games, so it was important to find a way to win this game, and we found a way.

"We turned the ball over five times and when you do that you're not supposed to win the game, but our defense stepped up for us time and time again. You win championships with defense and you win big games with defense — our guys were outstanding.

"We also made some explosive plays on the offensive side, including a big one down the stretch that helped pull this one out for us."

It was a nice bounce-back for WKU (6-5, 4-3 C-USA), which failed to qualify for the league championship game against No. 25 Liberty when it was defeated 39-28 by visiting New Mexico State last week. It was also the Hilltoppers' 200th victory all time at Houchens/Smith Stadium.

The Hilltoppers opened the scoring on their second possession of the first half when a 45-yard touchdown pass from Austin Reed to Dalvin Smith capped a four-play, 57-yard march and made it 7-0 at 9:32 of the first period

It remained that way until early in the second period when the Bearkats drove 90 yards in seven plays and pulled within 7-6 when Shoemaker hooked up with Noah Smith for a 42-yard scoring toss. Colby Sessions misfired on the conversion, however — his first miss of the season.

On Sam Houston's ensuing possession, a Shoemaker pass was picked off by Anthony Johnson.

After the Bearkats recovered a fumble by Reed at the WKU 48, the visitors from Huntsville, Texas used 10 plays to reach paydirt. On fourth down, Adrian Murdaugh's 1-yard plunge pushed Sam Houston in front 13-7 at 9:21 of the second.

Western responded immediately. Easton Messer returned the kickoff to the WKU 41, and the Hilltoppers drove 59 yards in six plays — Merkese Stepp scoring from three yards out to put Western back on top 14-13 with 6:06 remaining in the first half.

The Hilltoppers increased their lead to 21-13 with a 10-play, 75-yard march on their ensuing possession — Reed hitting Craig Burt Jr. with a 26-yard TD pass at the 0:49 mark.

Sam Houston, however, was not done. The Bearkats moved into WKU territory in the final minute and pulled within 21-16 at intermission after Sessions drilled a 53-yard field goal as time expired.

The second half began ominously for the Hilltoppers. Reed's third interception of the game was returned deep into WKU territory, and on the following play John Gentry scored from seven yards out to reclaim the lead, 23-21, at the 12:13 mark.

Early in the fourth quarter, Western put together a 99-yard scoring drive to shoot in front, 28-23 — capped by Reed's 71-yard scoring pass to Malachi Corley.

The Hilltoppers failed to score on its ensuing possession, and the Bearkats drove deep into WKU territory — but Johnson came through again with a fumble recovery.

Western was unable to run out the clock in the waning minutes, however, but it also served to set the stage for Baker's heroics inside the final minute.

Despite throwing four interceptions, Reed completed 28-of-41 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns to lead the WKU attack. Corley caught 10 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown, and Smith made seven receptions for 125 yards and a score.

For Sam Houston (2-9, 1-6 C-USA), which had won its previous two games, Shoemaker completed 25 of 45 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions.

Western closes out regular-season play next Saturday at Florida International.