2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

The 2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hilltoppers played their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and competed members of Conference USA. They were led by fifth-year head coach Tyson Helton.

2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
Famous Toastery Bowl champion
Famous Toastery Bowl, W 38–35 OT vs. Old Dominion
Conference	Conference USA
Record	8–5 (5–3 C-USA)
Head coach	Tyson Helton (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Drew Hollingshead (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Air raid
Defensive coordinator	Tyson Summers (2nd season)
Base defense	3–3–5
Home stadium	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium
Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

2023 Conference USA football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 25 Liberty y$		8	–	0					13	–	1
New Mexico State y		7	–	1					10	–	5
Jacksonville State*		6	–	2					9	–	4
Western Kentucky		5	–	3					8	–	5
Middle Tennessee		3	–	5					4	–	8
UTEP		2	–	6					3	–	9
Sam Houston*		2	–	6					3	–	9
Louisiana Tech		2	–	6					3	–	9
FIU		1	–	7					4	–	8
Championship: Liberty 49, New Mexico State 35
$ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Western Kentucky and Conference USA announced the 2023 football schedule on January 10, 2023.^[1][2]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	11:00 a.m.	South Florida*	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	CBSSN	W 41–24	15,438
September 9	6:00 p.m.	Houston Christian*	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ESPN+	W 52–22	20,712
September 16	3:00 p.m.	at No. 6 Ohio State*	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	FOX	L 10–63	100,217
September 23	11:00 a.m.	at Troy*	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPNU	L 24–27	26,124
September 28	6:30 p.m.	Middle Tennessee	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate)	CBSSN	W 31–10	14,712
October 5	7:00 p.m.	at Louisiana Tech	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	ESPN	W 35–28	13,014
October 17	6:30 p.m.	at Jacksonville State	Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	ESPNU	L 17–20	17,977
October 24	6:30 p.m.	Liberty	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ESPNU	L 29–42[3]	16,036
November 4	8:00 p.m.	at UTEP	Sun Bowl El Paso, TX	ESPN+	W 21–13	11,111
November 11	2:30 p.m.	New Mexico State	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ESPN+	L 29–38	16,319
November 18	2:30 p.m.	Sam Houston	Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	ESPN+	W 28–23	11,041
November 25	2:00 p.m.	at FIU	Riccardo Silva Stadium Westchester, FL	ESPN+	W 41–28	12,724
December 18	1:30 p.m.	vs. Old Dominion*	Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte, NC (Famous Toastery Bowl)	ESPN	W 38–35 OT	5,632
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after November 1) - Released prior to game All times are in Central time

Game summaries

at Jacksonville State

See also: 2023 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	10	7	0	0	17
Gamecocks	0	10	0	10	20

Game information

First quarter WKU – Dalvin Smith 10-yard pass from Austin Reed (Lucas Carneiro kick), 8:52. Hilltoppers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 2:20. WKU – Lucas Carneiro 28-yard field goal, 1:55. Hilltoppers 10–0. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:01. Second quarter (12:45) JVST – Zion Webb 10-yard run (Alen Karajic kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:14; Western Kentucky 10-7) (8:36) WKU – River Helms 3-yard pass from Austin Reed (Lucas Carneiro kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:09; Western Kentucky 17-7) (5:35) JVST – Alen Karajic 23-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 3:01; Western Kentucky 17-10) Third quarter No scoring plays. Fourth quarter (4:40) JVST – Anwar Lewis 26-yard run (Alen Karajic kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 3:39; Tied 17-17) (0:00) JVST – Alen Karajic 41-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 2:32; Jacksonville State 20-17)

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4–2) at Jacksonville State Gamecocks (5–2) – Game summary

at Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium • Jacksonville, Alabama

• Date: October 17, 2023
• Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Clear, 62 °F (17 °C)
• Game attendance: 17,977
• Referee: Ed Ardito
• TV announcers (ESPNU): Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Derek Mason (analyst)

Statistics	WKU	JSU
First downs	16	27
Total yards	72–339	95–484
Rushing yards	24–89	55–262
Passing yards	250	222
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	24–48–1	23–40–1
Time of possession	26:56	33:04

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Western Kentucky	Passing	Austin Reed	24/48, 250 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Elijah Young	10 carries, 39 yards
	Receiving	K.D. Hutchinson	4 receptions, 52 yards
Jacksonville State	Passing	Zion Webb	22/39, 218 yards, INT
	Rushing	Zion Webb	28 carries, 146 yards, TD
	Receiving	P.J. Wells	5 receptions, 53 yards

Roster

2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 2 Davion Ervin-Poindexter  Sr RB 3 Elijah Young Jr WR 4 Michael Mathison Sr WR 5 Blue Smith  Sr WR 6 Jimmy Holiday So RB 7 L.T. Sanders So WR 8 Easton Messer  Fr WR 9 Josh Sterns  So QB 10 Caden Veltkamp  Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class LB 3 JaQues Evans Jr DB 4 Anthony Johnson Jr. Jr DB 5 Rome Weber  Sr DB 6 T.J. Springer  Jr DB 7 Takulve Williams  Sr LB 10 Desmyn Baker  Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class	Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

References

1. "Tops announce 2023 football schedule". The Daily News. January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
2. Whaley, Will (January 10, 2023). "WKU announces 2023 football schedule". WBKO. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
3. Nations, Jeff (October 26, 2023). "Liberty's punishing ground game helps Flames pull away in second half". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1B, 3B.