CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WKU Football used a dominant first half to jump out to an early lead, and coasted to a 37-19 victory Sunday afternoon at Charlotte. The Hilltoppers improved to 5-6 overall and 4-3 in Conference USA with their third straight win to cap the 2020 regular season.
WKU got on the board first with a 33-yard Brayden Narveson field goal with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter. On the ensuing 49er drive, the Hilltopper defense forced a punt from the 34-yard line. On the punt attempt – which was the first play of the second quarter – Charlotte punter Connor Bowler allowed the snap to go right through his hands. He was hit by WKU’s Noah Whittington when he tried to gather up the ball, which allowed A.J. Brathwaite, Jr. to recover the fumble and trot into the end zone from two yards out.
The Hilltoppers added another touchdown before half time when offensive lineman Jordan Meredith jumped on a Gaej Walker fumble that fell from the 1-yard line into the end zone. WKU led 17-0 at halftime, as they out-gained the 49ers 243-to-34 through the first two quarters.
Although the 49ers scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the second half to pull within 17-7, that was the closest the hosts would get. Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley caught a three-yard touchdown – his team-leading fourth receiving score of the year – while Narveson added two more field goals of 46 and 49 yards to put the Hilltoppers ahead 30-7 with 14:44 remaining in the game.
Charlotte scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter – but the Hilltopper defense sacked the quarterback on both of the ensuing two-point conversion tries. WKU running back C.J. Jones scored his first career touchdown on a five-yard rush in the frame.
The Hilltoppers rushed for a season-high 218 yards, led by Walker’s 98 yards on 19 carries. Quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome had 60 rush yards on eight carries, while completing 18-of-27 passes for a season-high 218 yards, with one touchdown and zero interceptions. Freshman wide receiver Dakota Thomas led WKU with 78 yards receiving, including a 37-yard catch in the third quarter.
On the defensive side, safety Antwon Kincade led the Hilltoppers with nine total tackles. Linebacker Kyle Bailey had eight tackles, including a career-high three tackles for loss for 12 negative yards. Nickelback Trae Meadows had two tackles for loss himself, including his first career sack – a 14-yard takedown in the third quarter. Cornerback Dominique Bradshaw led WKU with a season-high three pass breakups.
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