GAME AND TEAM NOTES
• WKU’s team captains for the game were offensive lineman Mason Brooks (offense), defensive tackle Darius Shipp (defense) and kicker Brayden Narveson (special teams).
• WKU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Hilltoppers have won 4-of-5 coin tosses so far this season and have deferred 3-of-4 times.
• There was an attendance of 15,243 in Houchens-Smith Stadium for the 6:06 p.m. CT kickoff. The game lasted 3:39, pushing the Hilltoppers’ average game time to 3:38 through five contests.
• WKU fell to 1-1 all-time against UTSA. The only other meeting between the two teams was a 45-7 win by the Hilltoppers on November 22, 2014.
• WKU fell to 4-7-1 all-time in games played on Oct. 9.
• WKU fell to 9-4 (since 2013) when wearing red jerseys and black pants.
• WKU scored 46-plus points for the 28th time in the team’s FBS Era (since 2009), falling to 24-4 in those games. It was the first such loss for the Hilltoppers since a 55-52 defeat at LA Tech on October 6, 2016.
• WKU had 670 total yards of offense (523 passing, 157 rushing), for the fifth-most in program history. Through five games, the Hilltoppers are averaging 550.4 total yards of offense (457.8 passing, 92.6 rushing), which would eclipse the 2014 team (534.6) for most in program history.
• WKU ran 89 offensive plays for 670 total yards for an average of 7.5 yards per play. Through five games, the Hilltoppers have run 364 offensive plays for 2,752 total yards for an average of 7.6 yards per play, which ranks third in FBS behind only Coastal Carolina (8.8) and Ohio State (8.6).
• WKU had 10 passing “chunk” plays of 20 or more yards with four of those going for touchdowns. In five games this season, the Hilltoppers have 40 passing “chunk” plays with 12 of those going for touchdowns. In 12 games in 2020, WKU had 15 “chunk” passing plays with three of those going for touchdowns.
• WKU had 25 passing first downs, for the second-most in program history. The Hilltoppers had 29 vs. Bowling Green on August 29, 2014.
• WKU won the time-of-possession battle for the first time this season, 30:04-to-29:56. In five games this season, the Hilltoppers are averaging a 25:36-to-34:24 deficit, which ranks 128th in FBS. In 2020, WKU lost the time-of-possession battle in 8-of-12 games with an average of 29:01-to-30:59.
• Jerreth Sterns (195 receiving yards) and Mitchell Tinsley (101 receiving yards) both surpassed the century mark. It was the 13th time in WKU history that a pair of receivers went over 100 yards in the same game, and the second-consecutive game that Sterns and Tinsley did so.
• With 523 passing yards, WKU pushed its season total to 2,289. In 12 games in 2020, the Hilltoppers had 1,972 passing yards.
PLAYER NOTES
BAILEY ZAPPE
• Completed 38-of-60 passing attempts for 523 yards, the fourth-most ever by a WKU quarterback. After 424 vs. UT Martin and 435 at Army and 488 at Michigan State, has four of the top 15 passing yard games in Hilltopper history.
• The 523 yards were the second-most by an FBS quarterback this season, with only Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong’s 554 yards at North Carolina on September 18 being greater.
• The 523 yards were the 11th-most by a C-USA quarterback all-time, and the most since Southern Miss’ Nick Mullens had 591 vs. Rice on October 1, 2016.
• Threw an interception on his 60th and final pass attempt of the night, his first in 203 pass attempts. That streak ranks second in WKU history behind Tyrrell Pigrome’s streak of 279 in 2020.
• Pushed his season numbers to 171-of-243 completions (70.4%) for 2,235 yards and 17 touchdowns, compared to only three interceptions.
• His 447-yard average leads all FBS quarterbacks, with the next-closest being Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong at 410 yards. A 447-yard average extrapolated over a 13-game season would be 5,364, which would rank eighth all-time in FBS history. The all-time record is held by Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons, who had 5,833 in 2003.
• Has four of the top six passing yard performances by a C-USA quarterback this season and four of the top 12 passing yard performances by an FBS quarterback.
• Ranks second in FBS with 4.2 touchdowns per game and 10th with a 173.7 passing efficiency rating.
• Leads all of college football with 12,239 career passing yards (291.4 average in 42 career games).
ADAM COFIELD, KYE ROBICHAUX AND NOAH WHITTINGTON
• Combined for 23 carries for 145 yards (6.3 average). Had five rushes of 10-plus yards, including a 10-yard touchdown by Cofield in the second quarter.
JERRETH STERNS
• Led WKU with 16 receptions for 195 yards, while adding two touchdowns to push his total to seven on the season.
• The 195 yards were the ninth-most by an FBS player this season, and are tied for the fourth-most by a Hilltopper in program history.
• The 16 receptions tied for the-third most by a Hilltopper in program history, and tied for the second-most by an FBS player this season.
• The 195 yards were career-high, eclipsing a 186-yard effort the previous week at Michigan State and earlier this season a 171-yard effort at Army.
• It was the 12th 100-yard game, 12th double-digit reception game and sixth multi-touchdown game of his career.
• Has 33 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns over his past two games against undefeated UTSA and Michigan State.
• Leads WKU across the board with 56 receptions for 741 yards and seven touchdown catches.
• WKU’s receiving leader in 2020, Mitchell Tinsley, had 43 catches for 377 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games.
• Leads all FBS receivers with 11.2 receptions and 148.2 yards per game, while his seven total touchdowns are tied for sixth.
• Leads all of college football with 8.6 receptions per game in his career (276 catches in 32 games).
MALACHI CORLEY
• Had two receptions for 33 yards, including a 24-yarder for this third touchdown of the season.
• Ranks second on WKU with 29 receptions, behind Sterns’ 56.
DALVIN SMITH
• Had two receptions for 43 yards, including a career-long 33-yarder for his second score of the season.
• Has seven career receptions for 114 yards and four touchdowns.
DAEWOOD DAVIS
• Had a career-high five catches, going for 75 yards, including a long of 33.
• Leads WKU and ranks sixth among qualified FBS receivers with 21.7 yards per catch this season.
MITCHELL TINSLEY
• Had five receptions for 102 yards – eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the second-consecutive game – and added his third touchdown of the year.
• Ranks second on WKU with 448 yards, behind Sterns’ 741.
DeANGELO MALONE
• Led WKU with 11 tackles (seven solo, four assisted) including one tackle for loss. It was his sixth-career double-digit tackle game and second this season after a 12-tackle performance at Army.
• Also had one forced fumble – that was recovered by the offense – and one quarterback hurry. It was his sixth career forced fumble and 42nd career quarterback hurry.
• Pushed his career total to 48.0 tackles for loss in 53 career games at WKU, passing Erik Dandy’s 47.0 (2000-03) for fourth-most in program history.
ANTWON KINCADE
• Ranked tied for second on WKU with seven tackles (six solo, one assisted).
• Tied a career-high with two pass breakups and recovered a fumble on a muffed punt that led to a Hilltoppers’ touchdown in the third quarter.
A.J. BRATHWAITE, JR.
• Had four tackles (three solo, one assisted), one pass breakup and his first career interception. He fumbled during his five-yard interception return, however, and it was recovered by the offense.
BRAYDEN NARVESON
• Made 2-of-3 field goals and 4-of-4 extra points for 10 points scored. It was his third game this season –and fourth of his career – with a double-digit point output.
• Made his first attempt of the night – from 34 yards – to extend his all-time WKU program record to 13 consecutive makes. Missed a 55-yard attempt as time expired in the first half, however, and the streak was broken. Made a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter to cap his performance.
• Improved to 22-of-26 on field goals in his collegiate career and 20-of-22 as a Hilltopper. His only two misses at WKU are on 50-and 55-yard attempts.
• Made 4-of-4 extra point attempts, improving to a perfect 50-for-50 in his career and 23-for-23 in 2021.
JOHN HAGGERTY
• Had two punts for 122 yards (61 gross average) – a 67-yarder and a 55 yarder. The 55-yarder caused a muffed punt by UTSA that was recovered by WKU.
• Has eight punts for 430 yards (53.8 gross average) this season. His 53.8-yard average would rank second in FBS but he does not meet the minimum per-game qualifications.
• With 109 career punts for 5,054 yards (46.4 gross average), ranks second among active punters behind only Colorado State’s Ryan Stonehouse (47.2).
CORY MUNSON
• Had nine kickoffs, all of which went for a career-high in touchbacks.
• His previous career-high for touchbacks was six vs. Charlotte on October 19, 2019; while his career- high for kickoffs is 10 earlier this season vs. UT Martin.
• Has 70 touchbacks in 149 career kickoffs, with an average of 59.7 yards per kick.
