GAME AND TEAM NOTES
• WKU’s team captain for the game was redshirt senior offensive guard Tyler Witt.
• FIU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Hilltoppers had won four consecutive calls and are now 6-4 this season in coin tosses.
• There was an attendance of 3,823 in Houchens-Smith Stadium for the 1:05 p.m. CT kick off. The game lasted 3:14, which tied for the third-longest WKU game of the season (vs. Liberty). Only Hilltopper games at UAB (3:25) and at #10/11 BYU (3:18) have lasted longer.
• WKU improved to 8-6 all-time against FIU, including a 4-2 record in Houchens-Smith Stadium. In addition, WKU improved to 11-3 all-time in games played on Nov. 21.
• WKU scored 38 points, the most by the team this season and the second-most by the Hilltoppers in Tyson Helton’s 23 games as head coach (45 at Arkansas last season).
• WKU out-scored FIU 28-to-8 in the second half. This season, the Hilltoppers are out-scoring opponents 103-to-84 in the second half, but are being out-scored themselves 67-to-162 in the first half.
• WKU did not commit a turnover for the third consecutive game, and improved to 2-2 in four such games this season. The Hilltopper defense forced 2 FIU turnovers – both of which went for touchdowns – as the team improved to 1-2 this season when winning the turnover margin.
• WKU had both a fumble return for touchdown (Roger Cray for 19 yards) and an interception return for touchdown (Eli Brown for 22 yards) in the same game for the first time since a 54-21 victory at Louisiana-Lafayette in 2010. In that contest against the Ragin’ Cajuns, Jamarcus Allen had a 69-yard fumble return and Derrius Brooks had a 62-yard interception return.
• WKU committed only 4 penalties for 40 yards, putting the Hilltoppers’ season average at 4.1 (sixth in the FBS) penalties for 37.2 yards (seventh) per game this season.
• WKU recorded 10 pass breakups, pushing their season total to 54, which leads the FBS this season. The Hilltoppers’ 59 passes defended (54 pass breakups plus 5 interceptions) also leads the nation.
• WKU held FIU to only 147 pass yards, while the Panthers completed only 14-of-37 pass attempts (38%). The Hilltoppers pass defense, allowing only 165.2 yards per game thru the air, ranks second in the FBS this season.
• WKU allowed a 100-yard kick return for touchdown in the second quarter, the first kick or punt return score given up by the Hilltoppers since Marshall’s Deandre Reaves had a 97-yard kick return in 2015.
• WKU improved to 4-3 while wearing black jersey tops and black pants, dating back to 2013. The Hilltoppers had lost two consecutive such games (vs. Marshall in 2018 and vs. Central Arkansas in 2019).
PLAYER NOTES
TYRRELL PIGROME
• Completed 14-of-25 attempts for 121 pass yards, with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Has thrown 237 attempts this season without an interception, the longest current streak in the nation and longest in WKU’s 102-season program history.
• Carried 9 times for -9 yards (16 gain, 25 lost) with 2 rushing touchdowns; it was his first career game with multiple rushing scores.
GAEJ WALKER
• Led WKU 17 rushes for a season-high 127 yards on the ground, as well as 1 touchdown.
• It was his eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career, but first this season. Had a 54-yard rush in the fourth quarter, his longest of the season and second-longest of his career.
JAKAIRI MOSES
• Had 6 rushes for 43 yards, including a career-long 28-yard rush in the fourth quarter that set up WKU’s final touchdown of the day.
DEVON KEY AND ANTWON KINCADE
• Each member of the safety duo recorded 10 tackles in the game. It was Key’s 12th career double-digit tackle game and the fourth of Kincade’s career.
• Kincade also added a career-high 2 pass breakups.
ELI BROWN
• Tied a career-high with 8 total tackles, while making a career-high 3 tackles for loss. Ranks second on WKU with 8.5 tackles for loss this season.
• Recorded the first interception of his career and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was WKU’s first “pick six” since Devon Key’s 25-yard score at Arkansas last season.
ROGER CRAY
• Had career-highs of 6 tackles and 3 pass breakups.
• Scooped up a fumble forced by DeAngelo Malone and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was WKU’s first “fumble six” since Malone’s 5-yard score at Southern Miss last season.
DeANGELO MALONE
• Recorded 6 tackles and a career-high 4 quarterback hurries. Also forced the fifth fumble of his career and second of the season, leading to Roger Cray’s 19-yard fumble return for touchdown.
RICKY BARBER AND JEREMY DARVIN
• Combined for 8 tackles, while each recorded 1 sack. The defensive tackle duo has recorded a combined 5.5 sacks over the past three games.
BRAYDEN NARVESON
• Made his lone field goal attempt of 39 yards in the second quarter, improving to 10-of-11 in 2020.
• Also made a career-high 5 extra point attempts, improving to 20-of-20 in 2020.
JOHN HAGGERTY
• Had career-highs in every category of punting, booting 8 punts for 426 yards and a gross average of 53.2 yards per kick, with a net average of 48.9 yards. His 53.2-yard average is the best of any player with 8+ punts in a single game this season.
• Had 6 punts of 50+ yards, including a 63-yarder in the third quarter that stopped by itself at the 1-yard line, and 4 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
• After booting 45 punts for 2,064 yards (45.9 gross average) in 13 games last season, Haggerty has 50 punts for 2,298 yards (46.0) in 10 games this season.
