Steve Roberts/WKU Athletics
Soccer
Recreation 3
WKU (2-0, 0-0 C-USA) at Indiana (2-0, 1-0 Massive Ten)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 17
Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT
Location: Bloomington, Ind. (Memorial Stadium)
Watch: Massive Ten Community
Pay attention: WKLX (SAM 100.7 FM) and WWKU (ESPN Radio 102.7 FM) in Bowling Inexperienced
Social: @WKUFootball | @WKUSports
Recreation Notes: WKU | Indiana
Recreation Day Info: Stay Stats
NOTES AND QUOTES
- Western Kentucky and Indiana have met a complete of 4 instances on the gridiron with the Hoosiers claiming victory in all 4 conferences. The Hilltoppers got here near knocking off Indiana a season in the past on their house discipline however couldn’t come away with the victory late because the Hoosiers held on to win, 33-31, in late September.
- When the Hilltoppers and Hoosiers did battle in 2021, WKU set a brand new faculty document for attendance with 25,171 followers packed into Houchens-Smith Stadium on The Hill. This 12 months’s sport will doubtless produce an excellent greater crowd as Indiana’s Memorial Stadium has a seating capability that holds 52,626 followers.
- WKU operating again Davion Ervin-Poindexter can be carrying a unique shade of pink for this 12 months’s assembly between WKU and Indiana after suiting up for the Hoosiers a season in the past. Ervin-Poindexter performed for Indiana from 2019-2021, seeing motion for the Hoosiers throughout his last two seasons on the crew. The Merrillville, Ind. native performed within the sport in opposition to the Hilltoppers a season in the past however didn’t document any statistics. To this point this 12 months, Ervin-Poindexter has carried the ball 24 instances for 90 yards and a landing. His finest output was in WKU’s final sport at Hawaii through which he tallied 42 yards and a rating.
- Regardless of seeing success in opposition to varied Energy 5 opponents, WKU has not defeated a crew from the Massive Ten since becoming a member of the ranks of the FBS in 2007. The Tops can be searching for their first Massive Ten victory Saturday in Bloomington. Along with the 4 conferences with Indiana, WKU has confronted off in opposition to Illinois twice (2014, 2017), Wisconsin as soon as (2018) and Michigan State a season in the past since transitioning to varsity soccer’s highest stage. The Tops’ last contest in opposition to a member of the Massive Ten Convention as an FCS program got here in 2001 once they made the journey to Wisconsin and fell to the Badgers by a rating of 24-6.
- Along with operating again Davion Ervin-Poindexter, WKU linebacker Nathan Griffin is the opposite Hilltopper initially from the state of Indiana. Griffin is from St. Leon the place he was a four-year starter at East Central HS. He led his crew to a 43-9 document throughout that point, and racked up 182 complete tackles (113 solo, 69 assisted) all through his profession whereas including eight sacks, seven interceptions, three cross deflections and three fumble recoveries.
“We’re actually excited for the chance to go get to play an excellent Indiana crew. I do know our guys are excited and simply wanting ahead to that chance.”
–Tyson Helton on the sport in opposition to Indiana this week
“It is a new season. Each groups have a brand new crew with new guys enjoying for them. They are a good soccer crew. They’re doing a very good job. For those who have a look at all three phases, they give the impression of being fairly stout and fairly sturdy in all three phases, so it’ll take our greatest sport for certain to go win. However our guys are excited in regards to the alternative. We had an in depth one final 12 months. If we will play nicely, I feel we’ll match up nicely with them.”
-Helton on whether or not final 12 months’s sport in opposition to Indiana elements into this 12 months’s matchup
“I’ve watched each video games they’ve performed, and once more, they seem to be a good crew. They’re doing a pleasant job. They scheme you up fairly good. They have playmakers on either side of the ball, so it is going to be difficult for us for certain, however we’re excited in regards to the alternative.”
-Helton on what he is seen on movie when watching Indiana
“They’ll rush 4 and get to the quarterback. They do not must deliver strain. And once they do deliver strain, they do a pleasant job disguising the blitzes to match the safety scheme. They scheme you up fairly good. Their entrance 4 is doing a reasonably good job, and if you may get house with simply your entrance 4, it helps you in protection. That is going to be an enormous problem for our offensive line this week is a few of these one-on-one matchups out on the sides and inside with their three strategies and all these issues. Our guys have carried out a pleasant job the primary two video games, however this can be an actual check for our offensive line for certain.”
-Helton on Indiana’s line of defense
LAST TIME OUT
In its first ever go to to Hawaii, WKU got here out on prime in dominant vogue by a rating of 49-17. The protection pressured six turnovers on the evening, together with two interceptions by Kaleb Oliver and decide six courtesy of Juwuan Jones. Offensively, quarterback Austin Reed led the way in which for the Tops by throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns whereas speeding for 43 yards and a further rating.
ABOUT INDIANA
The Hoosiers enter Saturday’s contest 2-0 and recent off a 35-22 victory over Idaho. Connor Bazelak quarterbacks Indiana and has thrown for 527 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions within the crew’s two wins. Operating again Shaun Shivers leads the bottom assault with 183 speeding yards and two touchdowns, whereas the duo of Cam Camper and D.J. Matthews Jr. are Indiana’s main receivers with 199 yards and 160 yards and two touchdowns, respectively. Defensively, linebacker Cam Jones leads the crew with 19 complete tackles, together with one sack and one fumble restoration. The Hoosiers are coached by Tom Allen who’s in his seventh season on the helm of this system and owns an total document of 34-38.
SERIES HISTORY
WKU trails the all-time collection with Indiana 0-4. The Hilltoppers and Hoosiers final met a season in the past when Indiana visited Bowling Inexperienced and claimed a 33-31 victory in a sport that got here all the way down to the ultimate minutes. WKU set a brand new attendance document at that sport with 25,171 followers at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
FOLLOW US
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